Raena Akin-Deko serves as the Senior Director of Impact for the HealthySteps National Office. In this role, she plays a critical role in helping HealthySteps achieve its vision to scale HealthySteps with quality across the nation. The Senior Director of Impact oversees the areas of Quality, Research & Evaluation and Product Management to ensure alignment of workstreams, program quality and consistency, and achievement of strategic goals.
Most recently, Ms. Akin-Deko served as the Founder of Verve Strategy, Inc., where she specialized in coaching and strategic consultation for women entrepreneurs in the business startup phase. Before Verve, Ms. Akin-Deko spent two decades in healthcare quality improvement. She served as vice president of strategic initiatives at Altarum Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the quality of care for chronically ill and disadvantaged populations. Prior to that, she spent 13 years at the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), leading the strategy, growth, and performance of NCQA’s portfolio of accreditation and recognition products, including the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH).
Ms. Akin-Deko earned a Masters in Health Services Administration and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Beyond her professional achievements, Ms. Akin-Deko is an active member of the Associate Leadership Council for Junior Achievement of Greater Washington and is a former board member of the Medical Care for Children Partnership Foundation, which provides low-income children in Fairfax County, Virginia with access to primary care and oral health care.
