Dr. Robert K. Ross has served as president and chief executive officer of The California Endowment, a private statewide foundation to address the health needs of Californians. He joined the Endowment in 2000 and retired from this leadership role in the fall of 2024. During his tenure, he advocated for and funded efforts across the state: expanding health coverage for undocumented residents, farmworkers, and “Dreamers;” strengthening diversity in the health workforce; improving wellness-driven school climate and policy reforms; advocating for the health of young men and women of color; and providing leadership for health-oriented criminal justice reform.
Dr. Ross has been involved in community and professional activities at both the local and national levels, including being elected to the AIR Board of Directors in 2024, served as founding board member of Covered California, chair of the Los Angeles County Task Force on Alternatives to Incarceration and on the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans and the Diversity in Philanthropy Coalition. He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and medical degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.