Woods System of Care Names Vanessa B. Briggs as Vice President of Health Services and Equity

The Woods System of Care is excited to announce Vanessa B. Briggs, MBA, R.D., as the first vice president of Healthcare Services and Health Equity. In this new role, Briggs will oversee programs that bring Woods’ expertise and integrated service model to N.J. These services include integrated primary and behavioral health care, children’s community-based residential treatment services, and coordination and transition services for older youth entering adult services. Briggs will also serve as the system of care’s Vice President for Health Equity, responsible for developing a framework and standards that reduce health disparities for Woods’ clients and staff. Briggs started in her new role on September 12, 2022.

“We are delighted to welcome Vanessa Briggs to our Woods team, to serve in two significant roles – as vice president of Healthcare Services, and as vice president of Health Equity across the entire Woods System of Care,” said Tine Hansen-Turton, President and CEO of Woods Services and the system of care. “We recently expanded services in NJ in response to the significant need for individuals with intellectual disability, autism, and complex co-occurring conditions,” Hansen-Turton added. “With her expertise, Vanessa will lead Woods efforts in NJ in offering a continuum of services that form a system of care for individuals with complex needs, at every age,” she said. “In addition, she will oversee Woods’ efforts to advance health equity and eliminate health disparities for the individuals Woods’ serves and our employees.”

Briggs has more than 25 years of executive leadership and senior management experience in for-profit and nonprofit sectors, including philanthropy, public health, health and human services, and regional healthcare systems. Prior to joining the Woods team, she served for five years as president and CEO of The Alliance for Health Equity. This grant-making organization works to improve the health, social, emotional, and economic conditions among children, teens, and families in Chester County, Pennsylvania. At The Alliance, Briggs was instrumental in transforming grant-making strategies.

Briggs is a registered dietitian accredited by the American Dietetic Association. She earned her MBA in Health Administration from Eastern University, and a Bachelor of Arts, with a concentration in Dietetics, from Rowan University.