Dr. Zhang has been the CEO of the Chinese Hospital System since 2017. She has previously served as the COO and Chief Outpatient & Innovation Officer before her promotion. She has over 30 years of experience in business development, operation, innovation, marketing, growth, clinical practice, teaching, and research.
Dr. Zhang earned her Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP) in healthcare system executive leadership at the University of San Francisco (USF) in 2012; a Master’s degree in Science and a Post-Master Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate from UCSF in 1992 & 1996; and a Bachelor’s degree from Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences in 1989.
Dr. Zhang has been working tirelessly to advocate and promote health equity and access for the AAPI communities. She has been writing numerous grants to bring funding to implement innovative initiatives to improve quality of care and promote well-being of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Chinese community.
To safeguard the Chinatown community, Dr. Zhang planned and led the implementation of a comprehensive COVID-19 initiative consisting of bilingual community education and outreach, testing, contact tracing, quarantine, linkage of care and vaccination, in collaboration with SFDPH, elected officials, and community leaders. These prevention and mitigation efforts have proven successful, as the Chinatown community remains one of the areas with the lowest infection and death rates, despite being the second most densely populated area in the nation with many SRO residents and high-risk seniors. This successful community model was adopted by SFDPH and disseminated to other communities through grants, gaining local and national accolades from the NY Times, San Francisco Chronicle, PBS, KQED, CBS, and all Chinese media outlets.
Among her accolades and honors:
- Clinical Professor, UCSF, School of Nursing
- Board President, Chinese Community Health Resource Center
- Board of Director/Treasurer & Co-founder, Jade Medical Group (2016-2022)
- Board of Director, San Francisco Health Plan
- Board Director, California Hospital Council
- 2021 & 2023 Distinguished Women of the Year Award by California Assembly
- 2022 Distinguished Women Leader by SF Board of Supervisors
- 2023 Forbes Women 50 Over 50 Innovation List
