Margaret Washington

Margaret Smith Washington, a groundbreaking administrator, became the FIRST African American female executive at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). She was the FIRST African American female to serve on the Allegheny County Medical Society Board. Her stellar reputation, diplomacy, and business acumen opened doors for African-American professionals city-wide.

Mrs. Washington served as Executive Director of Network 4, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center End-Stage Renal Disease Network, which had a federal mandate to provide oversight for 160 dialysis facilities and 10 renal transplant centers in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Previous positions included Executive Assistant to the President of UPMC, Director of Ambulatory Care at Mercy Hospital, and Director of Training at a federally funded Neighborhood Health Center. Those positions contributed to her understanding of patient-doctor relationships and the role of regulatory agencies. She is the author of "Doctor Can You Hear Me? Patient Are You Listening?" a book on doctor/patient communication. 

Mrs. Washington is co-author of several articles on patient compliance and barriers to health care in the journals of Advances in Renal Replacement Therapy American Journal of Kidney Diseases and Clinical Reviews. 

Mrs. Washingtono is a graduate of the School of Social Work (MSW), and Graduate School of Public Health (MPH), University of Pittsburgh. In recognition of her outstanding achievements, she has been recognized by the following: 

~Allegheny County Medical Society's Harold B. Gardner Citizens Award

~ National Council of Negro Women's Award for Community Health

~United Way's H.J. Heinz II Award as Volunteer of the Year

~National Kidney Foundation Humanitarian Gift of Life

~Pittsburgh Courier 50 Women of Excellence

~Hall of Fame AWard-Westinghouse High School

~Greater Pittsburgh YWCA Tribute to Women Award

Her civic involvement included past and current service on the boards of Directors of the United Way of Allegheny County, American Kidney Fund and Urban League of Pittsburgh. She served on the Board of Directors of the Central Blood Bank and the Board of Trustees-Rodman Street Missionary Baptist Church. 

Margaret Smith Washington is President of Washington Associates, a Pittsburgh-based consulting firm that provides training and workshops in communications to physicians, health care providers, and patient groups across the country.