Erie Family Health Centers

02/26/2026

Dr. Kimbra Bell Belark is a distinguished internist, educator, and advocate for health equity. As the Medical Director of the new Northwestern Medicine Bronzeville Outpatient Center, opened just four months ago, she is helping expand access to high‑quality, culturally responsive care in one of Chicago’s most historic Black communities.

A graduate of Meharry Medical College and a respected Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Dr. Bell Balark has dedicated her career to improving outcomes in chronic disease, preventive care, and community health. Her leadership continues the legacy of Black physicians who have shaped medicine through excellence, service, and advocacy.

This month, we honor her impact, her voice, and her commitment to advancing health equity in Bronzeville and beyond.

Learn more about Northwestern Medicine Bronzeville Outpatient Center, here: https://bit.ly/4baU1mO

02/25/2026

The new Erie Sankofa Village Health Center has officially opened its doors, bringing expanded access to healthcare, wellness resources, and community support to the West Side.

The Sankofa Wellness Village is more than a building. It’s a commitment to health equity, culturally responsive care, and long-term neighborhood revitalization.

We are proud to see organizations and community leaders working together to create spaces where residents can thrive!

Read the story, here: https://bit.ly/4rAqbOd

The new health center is part of the Sankofa Wellness Village and aims to increase the life expectancy of West Garfield Park residents

02/23/2026

This Black History Month, we honor the transformative leadership of Dr. Travis Gayles, a visionary at the forefront of healthcare innovation, public health, and health equity. As the CEO of Howard Brown Health, one of the nation's largest LGBTQ+ health centers, he brings a powerful combination of clinical expertise, public health acumen, and strategic vision to advance its critical mission of promoting wellness and dismantling systemic barriers to care.

His journey is rooted in a profound commitment to marginalized communities. A specialist in adolescent and HIV medicine, his early research focused on the social drivers of health for young men who have s*x with men. He has since held pivotal roles, including Chief Medical Officer for Washington D.C.’s HIV/AIDS administration, where he pioneered early PrEP programs and modernized public health clinics. His leadership extends to national advisory committees, including co-chairing a CDC/HRSA committee on HIV and viral hepatitis.

Holding an MD, a PhD in Community Health, and a policy degree from Duke, Dr. Gayles exemplifies the scholar-practitioner. Recognized as a Rock Health Top 50 Digital Health Champion for Health Equity and recipient of the AMA Award for Outstanding Government Service, he translates expertise into action. At Howard Brown Health, he now channels his vast experience into building a more just and equitable healthcare system, ensuring that innovation and inclusion go hand in hand for the communities that need it most.

02/22/2026

Join Erie and other community health centers next Sunday, March 1st at 3:00pm as we celebrate the impact of the 340B Program for our patients, community health centers and communities at large!

The 340B Program allows uninsured, low-income patients to access affordable medications. It also allows community health centers like Erie to invest critical funds into services that are not covered by health insurance.

We hope you join us as we rally together to celebrate and hear testimonies on the value of the 340B Program!

02/20/2026

This Black History Month, we honor visionary leaders like Brenda Battle, whose groundbreaking work at the University of Chicago Medicine has provided a holistic blueprint for transforming healthcare systems from the inside out and the community up. As the former Vice President for Care Delivery Innovations and Urban Health Initiative, and Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Officer, Battle masterfully operated at the critical intersection of institutional strategy and community health justice.

A seasoned nurse-executive with an MBA, Battle arrived at UChicago Medicine in 2012, bringing expertise honed as the director of the Center for Diversity and Cultural Competence at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Her mandate was uniquely comprehensive: to foster clinical innovation and integrate new care models while simultaneously architecting the strategy to eliminate deep-seated health disparities on Chicago’s South Side.

Through the Urban Health Initiative, she led a community-focused mission to improve access and equity, ensuring the hospital’s resources actively combated the inequities that surrounded it. Concurrently, as Chief DEI Officer, she worked to ensure the institution itself embodied inclusivity, crafting culturally sensitive care models and promoting a diverse and equitable environment for staff and patients alike.

In Brenda Battle’s legacy, we see the powerful synthesis of operational acumen and social mission. She never saw innovation and equity as separate goals, but as interdependent necessities for a just and effective health system. Her foundational work ensured that as the hospital advanced medically, it did so in a way that lifted the entire community, breaking down barriers to care while building up a culture of belonging. She stands as a lasting testament to the leadership required to heal not just patients, but the very fabric of healthcare delivery.

02/18/2026

This Black History Month, we celebrate local healthcare architect Geoyia Nightengale, a leader ensuring her community not only receives care but thrives in spaces built for its well-being.

A Chicago-area native and proud alumna of Northwestern and UIC's public health program, Geoyia’s journey is a testament to committed, community-rooted leadership.

For nearly seven years with Erie Family Health Centers, Geoyia has grown from coordinating patient programs to her current, pivotal role as Director of Healthcare Operations at the new Erie Sankofa Village Health Center.

This position places her at the helm of a state-of-the-art facility, where she oversees all operational aspects to ensure the center delivers exceptional, accessible care. Her work is the backbone of a community vision made real.

Before joining Erie, Geoyia honed her passion through work with the Logan Square Neighborhood Association and the Illinois Medical District. She arrived at Erie through a community network—a connection that sparked a career dedicated to erasing health disparities. She now channels that mission into the Sankofa Village, managing relationships, clinical support, and systems so the center can effectively serve as a health and wellness anchor.

Beyond her professional role, Geoyia serves as a boys’ basketball coach and a track and field official, inspired by pioneering Black women in that space. She leads with her grandmother’s calming mantra: “if you’re going to pray, don’t worry.”

Geoyia embodies the spirit of Sankofa—looking to the past to inform the future—by building a healthier tomorrow for her community while empowering the youth and women of today.

02/13/2026

This Black History Month, we celebrate transformative leaders like Dr. Derek J. Robinson, a physician-executive who leverages his expertise from the emergency room to the boardroom to forge pathways for health equity and physician diversity.

As Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Dr. Robinson provides crucial clinical leadership for one of the state’s largest insurers, overseeing care management and championing innovative initiatives like the Institute for Physician Diversity.

His commitment to systemic change is profound. Previously at Health Care Service Corporation, he founded the Enterprise Quality and Accreditation department and established and chaired the Health Equity Steering Committee, embedding equity into corporate strategy years before it became a national focus. His leadership extends far beyond his official title; he is vice-chair of the Board of Trustees at Xavier University of Louisiana, a founding member of the Black Directors Health Equity Agenda, and co-chairs a national collaborative focused on Black men in medicine.

A proud graduate of Xavier University, Howard University College of Medicine, and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Dr. Robinson embodies the "triple threat" of clinical acumen, business strategy, and community mission. He continues to practice emergency medicine at UIC, maintaining a direct connection to patient care while shaping the policies that affect millions.

Honored as one of Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Black Executives and author of "Improbable MD: From the Bayou to the Boardroom," Dr. Robinson’s journey is a testament to resilience and purpose.

Whether officiating swim meets or guiding corporate health equity agendas, he works tirelessly to dismantle barriers and ensure the future of healthcare is more diverse, equitable, and effective for all.

02/11/2026

Erie Family Health Centers is expanding its mission-driven team!

We’re hiring Medical Assistants at our clinics to help make healthcare more and .

Why Erie?

- Meaningful, patient-centered work
- Career growth and advancement opportunities
- Competitive pay, benefits, and paid training
- Named a Top Workplace USA two years in a row

Ready to make an impact?

Apply now -> https://erie.health/ma3

02/10/2026

Erie's own Betsy Lopez, Director of Health Center Operations at Erie Foster Avenue Health Center, was one of 14 professionals from around the country to receive the Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Emerging Leader Award in Washington D.C. on February 9th. This award celebrates young leaders whose work has helped further the health center mission of accessible, affordable health care and better health for our communities.

Betsy is a true champion for Erie's patients and team members. Erie is proud of her for receiving this prestigious recognition, grateful for her creative, strategic and collaborative leadership, and excited to see her make an impact in her career to come.

Betsy has steadily advanced at Erie over 12 years, becoming known for her calm, capable leadership, talent for coaching, and ability to guide teams through challenges. Betsy leads with heart, and those around her are inspired by her dedication and deep empathy for her patients. We are proud of her for this prestigious recognition, and excited to watch her continue to make impactful contributions to community health.

02/10/2026

Erie Sankofa Village Health Center is now open and welcoming new patients! Call 312-666-3494 or stop by to schedule an appointment.

We look forward to caring for you and your family.

You can visit erie.health/sankofa to learn more.

02/06/2026

We are still ecstatic about 340B Action Day!

Last week, Erie patients, board members, and staff joined fellow community health centers to celebrate the impact of the 340B Program.

Our very own, Dr. Wesley Gibbert, shared his testimony where he spoke about the services that the 340B Program supports. He also shared about the challenges that patients face when providers are restricted to contract with one pharmacy only.

Thank you to all that joined us!

02/05/2026