Chara Stewart Abrams is the System Director of Community Health and Health Equity at CHRISTUS Health. In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to promote community health and health equity in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and international hospitals. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and public health administration, Chara is dedicated to building strategic partnerships and aligning evidence-based initiatives to improve community health investment, ensure accountability, and address systemic barriers to quality healthcare.
Since joining CHRISTUS Health in 2020, Chara has led cross-functional teams to establish system-wide strategic alignment for community health and health equity. She has also secured nearly $3 million in grants for 30 AmeriCorps members, including Community Health Workers, and optimized community benefit operations. Her team is currently partnering with HMA to create a 6-year health equity roadmap.
Before her role at CHRISTUS Health, Chara served as the Administrative Director for the Department of Psychology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There, she oversaw clinical and research administration operations and led the successful conversion of over 3,800 electronic mental health records, improving workflow and efficiency by 35%.
Prior to her time at St. Jude, Chara was the Director of Outreach at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, where she spearheaded statewide programs to address cancer health disparities. Her work centered on Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles, patient navigation, and health policy, leading to the securing of a $2.7 million NIH cancer health disparities grant and a $1 million state colorectal cancer prevention program.
Recognized for her commitment to health equity, Chara was selected as a fellow for the 2024 Executive Certificate in Diversity and Health Equity from the American Hospital Association (AHA) Institute for Diversity and Health Equity. She has also held leadership positions, including serving two terms as Board Secretary for the National Association of Health Services Executives, chair of the AHA Dick Davidson Nova Awards, and as a member of the Catholic Health Association’s Community Benefit Advisory Committee. Chara’s recognitions include two consecutive awards from the University of North Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health and the ACHE Regent’s Award for Excellence in Diversity.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a Master of Public Health from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and is a member of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health.