TRENTON, N.J. — Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill announced Wednesday that Lisa Asare will continue serving as president and chief executive officer of the New Jersey Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority, a role that will remain part of the governor-elect’s Cabinet.
Asare, who has led the authority since March 2024, brings extensive experience in state health policy, having previously served as deputy commissioner of health services at the New Jersey Department of Human Services and as assistant commissioner of the Division of Family Health Services at the New Jersey Department of Health.
“I have asked Lisa Asare to continue her strong leadership at NJ Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority as New Jersey continues to confront the Black Maternal Health crisis,” Sherrill said. “She is known for her ability to bring state government together with practitioners, community partners, and local advocates to develop solutions that improve affordable access to care and health outcomes for women. Together, we’ll invest in programs that build the midwife and doula workforce, and leverage telehealth and remote monitoring services, both during and after pregnancy, to support postpartum moms and healthy infants.”
Asare said she looks forward to continuing the authority’s work under the incoming administration.
“I am honored to continue to lead the NJ Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority,” Asare said. “At MIHIA, we are focused not only on delivering physical care, but addressing the social determinants of health, expanding the perinatal workforce, supporting research and data collection, and acting as an incubator for innovation in maternal and infant health. I’m looking forward to continuing to advance this work as part of the Sherrill-Caldwell administration because I know the Governor-elect is committed to these same goals and has already demonstrated that community members have a seat at the table as we work to address healthcare disparities for communities of color across the state.”
Sherrill emphasized maternal health disparities throughout her gubernatorial campaign and has said her administration will prioritize expanding culturally competent care. Her plans include strengthening the doula and nurse midwife workforce, increasing access to training programs for students of color, and investing in telehealth, remote monitoring and home visiting services to support families during the postpartum period.
Before leading the Maternal & Infant Health Innovation Authority, Asare oversaw NJ FamilyCare and mental health and addiction services as deputy commissioner at the Department of Human Services. She also served as the department’s lead on First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Nurture NJ maternal health initiative.
Earlier in her career, Asare spent more than two decades at the Department of Health as assistant commissioner of the Division of Family Health Services, where she worked on initiatives addressing Black infant and maternal mortality, social determinants of health and emergency public health challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
