Jonathan Watkins
Board Member
President/CEO, City of Hope Cancer Center
A dynamic leader with more than a decade of combined healthcare administration and general management experience, Jonathan Watkins, MPA, FACHE, joined City of Hope Atlanta in October 2019 as President. In this role, he provides strategic guidance while working closely with leadership across the City of Hope system.
Prior to joining City of Hope, Watkins served as chief executive officer at Broward Health Imperial Point, a 250-bed acute care facility in Broward County, Florida. Prior to that, he was the chief operating officer at Kaiser Foundation Hospitals & Health Plan in California’s Central Valley area, where he facilitated, directed, and coordinated operational activities and programs related to the day-to-day operations of three hospitals. Previously, he served as vice president of clinical operations/chief operating officer of Methodist North Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was responsible for leading, developing and executing key business strategies, as well as directing and administering day-to-day operations.
Watkins holds a master’s degree in public administration with a certification in health administration, as well as a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and planning from Tennessee State University. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and Tennessee State University’s Beta Omicron Alumni Association. He is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and board certified in healthcare management as a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE).
Watkins has been recognized by the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) as the Young Healthcare Executive of the Year and is a past president of the Memphis chapter of NAHSE. He also received the ACHE Tennessee Regent’s Award and in 2019 was recognized by the South Florida Healthcare Executive Forum with an ACHE Service Award. He has been featured as one of Legacy Magazine’s Most Powerful & Influential Black Leaders in Business and the Haitian Chamber of Commerce for his efforts in increasing diversity and inclusion in healthcare. Most recently Watkins has been recognized by Atlanta Magazine as one of city’s 100 Most Powerful Leaders, and Georgia Trend Magazine’s Georgia 500, which spotlights the most powerful leaders across major industries and organizations in the state.
Watkins is extremely active in his community serving on the board of directors of the Metro Atlanta and Newnan Chamber of Commerce, Capella University’s School of Nursing Advisory Board, and Tennessee State University’s Public Health, Health Administration, and Health.

"We often hear the phrase, 'be the change you want to see in the world'. Charitable contributions, be they in the form of time or money, are an excellent way to bring those words to life, and can have an immeasurable impact on the recipients of your generosity." - Jonathan