Background
Chris Woods serves as the Vice President of Umoja’s Food For Health division, where he leads the development of innovative program models and solutions to address nutrition insecurity and chronic health conditions across underserved communities. With over two decades of experience at the intersection of the food industry and healthcare, Chris brings a unique blend of operational expertise, strategic insight, and a deep passion for harnessing the power of food as medicine. His work focuses on designing and scaling impactful Food as Medicine programs—from initial concept through full implementation—anchored in the belief that nutritious, accessible food is a fundamental tool for improving individual and community health outcomes.
Chris’ career has been shaped by a commitment to solving complex challenges in healthcare operations, food systems, and regulatory environments. He has successfully led turnarounds of multiple healthcare food service operations, driven major improvements in food quality and cost efficiency, and built end-to-end supply chains for medically tailored meals and groceries. His work spans payer contracting, revenue cycle management, and food safety compliance, including CMS, HIPAA, JCAHO, HACCP, and GMP protocols. A dynamic builder and problem-solver, Chris excels in forging strategic partnerships and optimizing logistics to expand access to high-quality nutrition. His leadership at Umoja is rooted in a mission to drive sustainable, equity-centered change through food-based interventions that promote long-term health and wellbeing.
