Cityblock Health Appoints Co-Founder Dr. Toyin Ajayi as CEO

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Mar 22, 2022, 09:45 ET

Visionary healthcare executive to further company's growth and scale innovative member-first care model

BROOKLYN, N.Y., March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cityblock Health, a value-based healthcare provider for Medicaid, dually-eligible and lower-income Medicare beneficiaries, today announced that its board of directors has appointed co-founder Dr. Toyin Ajayi to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Co-founder Iyah Romm has stepped down as CEO and will remain a member of Cityblock's board.

Dr. Ajayi most recently served as president, where she oversaw the company's growth and clinical model. From 2020 to 2021, Cityblock doubled its membership and expanded into its sixth market. Additionally, the company grew its annual run-rate revenue five-fold over the past two years. Since launching in 2017, Cityblock has established itself as an industry leader in value-based care for marginalized populations. Cityblock serves a heterogeneous population with complex needs – 74% of its members qualify for financial assistance and 77% are members of a racial or ethnic minority. The company's unique technology-enabled, high-touch approach to building trust with and engaging these communities has demonstrated positive outcomes for Cityblock members as well as their payers and state governments.

"Improving the inequities in the healthcare system has never been more important and Cityblock has made that both its business and mission," said Andy Slavitt, chair of Cityblock's board of directors. "In many ways, Cityblock's work is just getting started. This is an important time for a visionary leader like Toyin to take the company to the next level and deliver sustainable and scalable outcomes. After a thorough process, it became even more apparent that Toyin is the right person for this role – she's a brilliant and respected executive who has a vision for the healthcare system we need to build and the leadership skills to do it."

"From the beginning, Cityblock has been lucky to have had exceptional founders, employees, investors and partners as part of our team. On behalf of the board, I extend our deepest thanks to Iyah for his leadership over the past five years. His vision and commitment to developing a better care model for those who have been historically marginalized by our healthcare system has been instrumental both for Cityblock and the larger healthcare system. I'm thrilled to continue to work with him as a member of our board," Slavitt continued.

"We founded Cityblock five years ago to break the cycle of healthcare inequities by proving there is a sustainable business case – and moral responsibility – in delivering the best care to those with the most complex and costly needs in our society," said Dr. Ajayi. "We must do this work and do this work now. I'm honored to lead the company through this next chapter as we continue our laser focus on building our talented team and culture, and scaling our innovative technology to drive meaningful impact for our members, payer partners, and the healthcare system overall."

"Building and leading Cityblock, and creating a new category of company to transform care for marginalized and underserved communities, has been among the deepest honors of my life," said Romm. "Toyin has been my partner throughout this journey, and I am so proud to see my friend and co-founder stepping in as CEO for Cityblock's next chapter. I am incredibly grateful to the entire Cityblock team for their partnership and willingness to take on this crusade together over the years. I look forward to continuing to drive forward this important mission as a board member."

Dr. Ajayi is a nationally-recognized leader in value-based care delivery for underserved populations. Prior to Cityblock, she served as Chief Medical Officer of Commonwealth Care Alliance, an integrated health plan and care delivery system for individuals eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. Board certified in Family Medicine, Dr. Ajayi received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and her medical degree from King's College London School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at Boston Medical Center and continues to deliver care to Cityblock members.

About Cityblock Health
Founded in 2017, Cityblock Health is a transformative, value-based healthcare provider for Medicaid, dually-eligible and lower-income Medicare beneficiaries. We partner with community-based organizations and health plans to deliver medical care, behavioral health, and social services virtually, in-home, and in their community-based clinics. Modern technology is at the core of the model, with custom-built tools to support every facet of care team operations and member interactions. Cityblock currently operates in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina, and will be expanding into Ohio later in 2022. For more information, visit cityblock.com.

SOURCE Cityblock Health