Building Bridges Through Data and Innovation: Dr. Marico Bryant Howe Receives Bridge Award

Marico Bryant Howe, PhD, Chief Quality and Informatics Officer at Community Health Centers of Arkansas, received the Heartland Whole Health Institute Bridge Award. The award recognizes individuals who exemplify what it means to bridge gaps in care by connecting people, resources and action to improve health across Arkansas.

Throughout her career, Marico has worked at the intersection of data, health care delivery and community impact. In her current role, she supports Federally Qualified Health Centers across Arkansas, helping organizations strengthen quality improvement efforts, advance value-based care and improve outcomes for populations that often face significant barriers to care.

Known for her ability to turn complex information into practical solutions, Marico has helped health centers use data to improve preventive care, chronic disease management and population health strategies. Her leadership has also fostered collaboration among clinicians, quality leaders and informatics teams across the state, creating new opportunities to improve care for Arkansans living with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

Marico previously directed the Arkansas Department of Human Services' Money Follows the Person program, overseeing more than $100 million in federal funding that helped individuals transition from institutional settings to community living. She also improved Arkansas' statewide trauma reporting system while serving at the Arkansas Department of Health and helped prepare future health professionals through leadership roles in higher education.

By bringing together data, systems and people, Marico has helped strengthen health care delivery across Arkansas. Her commitment to improving access, quality and outcomes for communities statewide embodies the spirit of the Bridge Award and its mission to advance better health for all Arkansans.

"Congratulations to Dr. Marico Howe on this very well-deserved Bridge Award. Marico brings so much to her work and to the health centers she supports across Arkansas. Through her leadership of our health center-controlled network, she has helped health centers turn data into meaningful action—strengthening quality, improving outcomes, and ultimately making a real difference in the lives of the people they serve. We are incredibly proud of Marico and grateful for the knowledge, dedication, and genuine commitment she brings to this important work every day. This recognition is a wonderful reflection of the impact she has made and continues to make across Arkansas."

— Mia Stark, Chief Operating Officer of Community Health Centers of America

Each Bridge Award recipient receives $1,000 and an invitation to an annual event with Heartland Whole Health Institute founder Alice Walton to discuss Arkansas' health care needs and help shape the future of the award.

Members of the public are encouraged to nominate recipients for the Bridge Award. Those nominating an individual should include specific and inspiring examples of why they are an excellent candidate for the award.