Giving Health names former CDC scientist as executive director

Giving Health has appointed Dr. Minda Reed as executive director to help expand telehealth access for uninsured and low-income Georgians. The move comes as the nonprofit seeks to reach more rural and medically underserved communities across the state.

Why it matters: - Giving Health is trying to widen access to care for uninsured and low-income Georgians who live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. - The nonprofit says telehealth can reduce barriers tied to transportation, provider shortages and geographic isolation, especially in rural parts of Georgia. - The organization provides free virtual primary care, urgent care and mental health services.

What happened: - Giving Health named Dr. Minda Reed as its new executive director. - Reed previously spent more than a decade as a Health Scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she led evaluation strategy and built technical capacity across state and local public health programs nationwide. - The announcement was made Nov. 3, 2026, in Atlanta.

The details: - Reed’s background includes program evaluation, healthcare quality improvement, public health promotion and prevention, overdose prevention strategy, coaching, facilitation and thought leadership in public health. - Reed said her CDC work showed that policy and data alone cannot help a person who needs a doctor right away. - Reed said she believes everyone deserves quality healthcare regardless of ZIP code or socioeconomic status. - Former Executive Director and co-founder Michael Giglio will stay on as Director of Telehealth Services. - Giglio said he is excited to welcome Reed and that the organization is in strong hands as it deepens its reach. - Reed holds a Medical Doctorate from Ross University School of Medicine, a Master of Public Health from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Duke University.

Between the lines: - Giving Health is signaling a shift from founding leadership to a leader with deep public health systems experience. - The hire suggests the nonprofit wants to strengthen partnerships across the medical and public health sectors while scaling services in underserved communities. - Reed’s CDC background gives Giving Health a leader familiar with evaluation, program performance and public-sector coordination.

What's next: - Giving Health plans to deepen its reach into underserved communities. - The nonprofit also plans to strengthen partnerships across the medical and public health sectors. - The organization will continue targeting Georgia residents who struggle to access affordable, quality healthcare. - More information is available at the organization’s website or by contacting support@givinghealth.org.