Qiana Cressman is a nonprofit leader whose career has been devoted to transforming healthcare, building trust in underserved communities, and ensuring birthing people have access to the care they deserve.
From the very beginning of her professional journey, Qiana felt called to serve. She’s spent her entire career in the nonprofit sector, and she never looked back. Her introduction to the field began in hospital systems, where she witnessed firsthand the devastating health disparities affecting marginalized communities. Though she had a background in science and research, she quickly realized that policy, advocacy, and awareness were essential to creating systemic change.
The foundation of her purpose is to advocate for communities who have long been underserved and overlooked, particularly in the world of healthcare. Qiana started with raising funds and building awareness for patient populations through her work with major organizations like the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. Her work didn’t just open doors for resources, it opened minds.
Today, Qiana serves as the Interim Co-CEO of Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI), a national nonprofit working to improve health outcomes and transform care through group healthcare. CHI’s evidence-based model brings expecting parents and birthing people together in small, supportive groups led by a consistent care team. In this community-based setting, patients receive comprehensive prenatal care in a group environment that fosters connection, shared learning, and mutual support.
This centering model addresses more than medical care, it fosters whole-person wellness. With a focus on Black birthing patients and those covered by Medicaid, populations that have historically faced deep inequities in the healthcare system, CHI is advancing a powerful approach grounded in dignity, trust, and community. With the Centering Pregnancy program, they provide access to prenatal care that meets the needs of all mothers and birthing people, in which provides a joyful and empowering care experience and equipping healthcare providers with delivering high-quality and culturally informed, patient-centered group care.
What motivates Qiana is simple: she wants all expecting parents and birthing people to not only survive, but thrive. She envisions a world where everyone, regardless of race, income, or background, has equitable access to the resources and support they need for a healthy life. She envisions a U.S. healthcare system that embraces equitable policies and scales access to care that is rooted in community, responsive ALL needs, and grounded in dignity and trust.
“I want to see longer, healthier lives. I want to see rest prioritized, joy sustained, and wellness made accessible,” she says. “And I want to close the trust gap that has kept so many from receiving the care they deserve.”
But like many women in leadership, Qiana’s path hasn’t come without challenges. One of her greatest lessons has been learning how to balance passion with holistic wellness. In a sector built on service, she’s had to remind herself, and her team, that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Investing in self-care, taking vacations, and building in time for reflection have all been essential practices that keep her grounded and purposeful.
“I am not the organization, I am a value-add to it,” she says. That clarity has helped her lead with intention, avoid burnout, and remain centered in the impact she wants to make.
Qiana’s journey also highlights the power of personal development. She’s a strong advocate for coaching, self-assessments, and purpose-driven exploration. “Start volunteering,” she advises young women. “Sometimes purpose is uncovered through action. Get close to the work, and you’ll see what you’re made for.”
And one of the most powerful lessons she’s learned along the way? Master your communication skills. Competency is vital, but the ability to articulate your ideas, build trust, and move people toward a shared mission is what propels change. In her early career, Qiana noticed that those who advanced weren’t just capable, they were compelling. She made it her mission to become both.
Through every chapter of her career, Qiana has led with intention, heart, and vision. She’s not just sparking change, she’s building a future where care is communal, leadership is rooted in self-awareness, and equity is non-negotiable.
At Spark Point, we’re honored to share her story. Because when Black women lead, they do more than shift systems, they shape new realities.
Stay connected to the Black Women Spark Change campaign by visiting spark-point.com , and help us amplify the women who are transforming the world, one bold step at a time.