Leslie Kowalewski serves as the Executive Director of Maternal, Child and Family Health at CMQCC and CPQCC, and the Prematurity Research Center, all housed at Stanford Medicine. In this role, Leslie is responsible for strengthening collaboration across three organizations and working with both Stanford Neonatology and Obstetrics faculty and other experts to ensure a multidisciplinary approach to advancing research in epidemiology, health disparities, and quality improvement across the birthing person-baby care continuum.
Prior to her promotion, Leslie served as the CMQCC Administrative Director from 2020 - December 2022, leading the development and implementation of strategic and tactical plans for growth in quality improvement, educational and research activities. In addition, she led and developed staff leaders who oversee and implement initiatives and priorities to end preventable morbidity, mortality, and racial disparities in maternity care.
Leslie's commitment to improving maternal and infant health spans two decades. Prior to joining CMQCC, she led the buildout of statewide programs and coordinated state and local partnerships in her role as Chief of the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Prior to joining CDPH, Leslie spent 20 years at the March of Dimes Foundation where she established the March of Dimes Big 5 Perinatal Collaborative and co-led the development of the Elimination of Non-medically indicated (Elective) Deliveries Before 39 Weeks Gestational Age toolkit in partnership with CMQCC. Leslie holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Education from Oregon State University.