David Baker, MD, MPH, FACP

Dr. Baker is a distinguished physician, educator, and health services researcher whose career spans clinical excellence, public health leadership, and global service. From his early work with vaccination and dental health teams in rural Paraguay and Guatemala, to leading national healthcare quality initiatives at The Joint Commission, Dr. Baker has consistently placed people at the center of care.

A graduate of UCLA School of Medicine, Dr. Baker trained at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a safety-net hospital serving some of the most vulnerable populations in Los Angeles. He later became a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, where his passion for addressing health disparities, improving access, and advancing preventive care deepened into a lifetime mission. His research—covering health literacy, racial and ethnic disparities, and quality improvement—has earned recognition and support from major institutions including the NIH, AHRQ, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

At Northwestern University, Dr. Baker served as Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, helping lead innovations that earned national accolades. From 2015 to 2024, he served as Executive Vice President for Healthcare Quality Evaluation at The Joint Commission, where he led the development of healthcare quality and equity standards now used in thousands of hospitals worldwide.

Even in retirement, Dr. Baker continues to serve—both through ongoing research and his work with the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club, where he co-chairs the International Service Committee.