Abena Ohene-Ntow, MPH, is a program officer at the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS). In this role, she primarily supports CHCS’ leadership and capacity building team, which provides leadership training and technical assistance for Medicaid staff, as well as partnering state agencies. Abena supports the Medicaid Pathways Program, an initiative that provides Medicaid officials with diverse identities and experiences the knowledge and skills to effectively lead their agencies. She also works on the New York Health Learning Collaborative, which aims to help health systems to better partner with patients and communities of color to advance health equity and  improve quality of care for Medicaid enrollees.

Prior to joining CHCS, Abena served as the director of student affairs and wellbeing at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine where she was responsible for managing policies and procedures, operations, personnel hiring, and student compliance for student affairs and well-being activities. She also worked at EmPoWER Somerset as the director of health and wellness leading the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s local Drug-Free Communities Support Program and New Jersey’s Coordinated School Health initiative. With both projects, she collaborated with community partners to prevent substance misuse and improve health and wellness among youth.

Abena holds a master’s degree in public health from Boston University School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree in community health from George Mason University.

While not at work, Abena enjoys watching terrible reality TV show drama, loudly singing Beyoncé songs, organizing activities at her church, and pretending that she likes to go out for walks.