Esperanza Health Center is excited to announce that its very own Timothy Leaman, MD has been named EHC’s new Chief Medical Officer, following the retirement of Bryan Hollinger, MD, MPH, who held the position for over 21 years.
Dr. Leaman has served EHC for the past 20 years as a board-certified family medicine physician and Associate Medical Director, including the past 10 years as Site Medical Director for EHC’s Kensington site. A life-long resident of Philadelphia, he was born in Kensington and raised in the Oxford Circle neighborhood. Dr. Leaman is a summa cum laude graduate of Eastern Mennonite University and graduated with honors from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. He then completed his residency in family medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he served as Chief Resident. His passion for serving others was evidenced during his medical training, as he and other students developed an intentional community in North Philadelphia in a previously vacant property, living and learning in proximity to neighbors, with a focus on relational bridge-building and prayer.
Dr. Leaman’s focus on empowering and building up others has continued throughout his career. In his more than 20 years at EHC, he has led the health center’s clinical re-engineering initiative, launched the 340b pharmacy program, and led EHC’s student rotation program from 2002 until recently. The robust rotations program hosts about 30 medical, nurse practitioner and physician assistant students from over 15 schools annually, providing them with an understanding of primary care in a faith-based, urban clinical setting. In 2016, he also developed and launched a medical student mentoring program that pairs medical students in the Philadelphia area with EHC clinician mentors for the duration of their training. Dr. Leaman received the 2018 Wilford Payne Health Center Mentor APEX Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC), in recognition of his commitment to preparing the next generation of health center leaders.
In his new role as Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Leaman will take responsibility for the overall clinical leadership of the health center—with specific leadership of all medical care—which includes EHC’s three locations in Hunting Park, Kensington, and Fifth Street. As a member of the senior leadership team, Dr. Leaman will lead administrative functions within the medical department, monitor and implement strategies to maximize productivity, improve quality of care, and oversee nearly 90 staff members. “Dr. Leaman has been a strong, committed, faithful leader at Esperanza for many years as Associate Medical Director and Site Medical Director of Kensington, and I am grateful that he is stepping into this important post” said Susan Post, EHC’s Chief Executive Officer. “Tim’s vision and commitment to clinical excellence and improving the health of the people of North Philly are unparalleled. I also look forward to seeing his vision unfold to develop and train the future clinical leaders of our City.”
Dr. Leaman is recognized by his peers and colleagues as one who truly sees the potential in others, and as having the ability to blend academic and clinical excellence with Christian humility and compassion. “I am excited to lean into Esperanza’s mission of providing holistic health care in a way that our patients experience Jesus here,” said Dr. Leaman. “My hope is that we continue to grow in providing care that flows from our mission, changes health outcomes and reduces racial health disparities in our zip codes, and care that raises up leaders throughout our organization and from within our community.”
Esperanza Health Center is grateful to bring Dr. Leaman’s expertise to the senior leadership team as the organization prepares to open a new Community Health and Wellness Center in Kensington later in 2022.