Photograph of Jessica Collins
Jessica Collins
Executive Director

Jessica Collins has dedicated her career to collaborative efforts that build equitable communities and sustain programmatic, policy and infrastructure change that supports quality of life.  Ms. Collins is the Executive Director of the Public Health Institute of Western MA which does research assessment, evaluation, and convening of initiatives that address health inequities that stem from unjust systems and policies. Ms. Collins also serves as the Co-Director of the BeHealthy Partnership, the ACO made up of Health New England, Baystate Health, and Caring Health Center.  She was awarded the BusinessWest "Women of Impact" award in 2021.  She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Human Service Forum and was twice elected to the South Hadley Board of Health.  She was President of the MA Public Health Associate (2017-2019). Before moving to Western MA, Ms. Collins led the nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention effort "Shape Up Somerville: Eat Smart. Play Hard." Ms. Collins has a master's degree in Food Policy from Tufts University and is a proud graduate of Wellesley College.