BJ Leber to Be Honored at Adagio Health’s New Annual Fundraising Event Celebrating Leaders in Women’s Health
Adagio Health is proud to honor President and CEO BJ Leber with the Leadership in Women’s Health Award at our new signature event, Leadership and Legacies: Recognizing Pittsburgh Women’s Health Heroes, on August 8. As BJ prepares to retire later that month, this celebration will recognize her extraordinary leadership and spotlight other remarkable individuals driving meaningful change in women’s health across the region. The event marks the launch of a new Adagio Health annual fundraising tradition.
Under BJ’s leadership, we expanded our reach, added new services, and centered our mission around the needs of women and families — particularly those in medically underserved communities. Her vision has fueled progress across the organization, including:
- Expansion of adult preventive care and services
- Addition of treatment programs for HIV and Hepatitis C
- Launch of food cupboards and farmers markets to combat food insecurity
- Integration of behavioral health and care navigation
- Implementation of progressive family leave for staff
BJ also championed specialized care for women veterans and prioritized access to compassionate healthcare across all communities Adagio Health serves.
At a time when reproductive health access, Medicaid coverage, and critical nutrition programs like SNAP-Ed are facing serious threats, Leadership and Legacies is more than a celebration — it’s a reminder of what’s at stake. Supporting this event is one way to stand up for the health, dignity, and future of women and families across western Pennsylvania.
“BJ is an exceptional leader,” says Lisa Scales, President of the Adagio Health Board and CEO of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “Her passion for community health, her advocacy for women and families, and her steady leadership have left a powerful mark on Adagio Health and the region. It has been an honor to serve alongside her, and I know her legacy will continue to inspire the important work ahead.”
BJ continues her civic engagement through board service with Pittsburgh Water and the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women. Earlier this year, she received the Moe Coleman Award for Excellence in Community Service, a further testament to her lifelong dedication to equity and community well-being.
We are proud to recognize BJ’s service, vision, and unwavering commitment to women’s health. Her legacy is one of growth, compassion, and lasting impact, one that continues to guide and inspire Adagio Health’s mission.
Leadership and Legacies will also honor extraordinary healthcare providers and women’s health advocates, including:
- Dr. Elizabeth Miller of UPMC
- Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew of AHN/Highmark
With additional honorees still to be announced.
For more information, visit: Leadership & Legacies: Recognizing Pittsburgh Women’s Health Heroes