WASHINGTON, D.C. – Deborah (Debbie) Meade, CEO Emerita of Health Management, today was named the 2026 recipient of the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). This award recognizes her extraordinary leadership, commitment to quality improvement, and decades of service advancing excellence in long term and post-acute care.
“Debbie is incredibly deserving of this award, as she is the definition of a true champion,” said AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Clif Porter. “Her steady presence has been a source of confidence and reassurance for our members, and when she speaks, we can feel her passion for this profession and her commitment to quality. She has given so much of herself to advancing long term care nationwide, and it is befitting to honor her with this award.”
Throughout her career, Meade has been a driving force behind innovative quality improvement efforts, helping providers adopt new approaches that have led to measurable improvements in resident care. During her many leadership roles with AHCA/NCAL, including serving as Chair of the AHCA Board of Governors and as Co-Chair of the AHCA Quality Cabinet, Meade championed policies that put residents first and strengthened quality care with the motto, “do the right thing, the right way.” Her role as Board Chair coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, where her remarkable leadership and relentless advocacy helped support the long term care community through one of the most challenging periods in its history.
She worked closely with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other stakeholders to advance collaborative approaches that better support residents and their caregivers, encouraging a shift from a solely punitive regulatory approach toward systems that drive quality improvement. Meade is a third-generation, independent owner-operator of skilled nursing, long term care, and assisted living communities.
“Debbie is a tireless advocate for quality care in skilled nursing and assisted living and is truly worthy of the Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award,” said AHCA Board Chair Chris Wright. “Her unwavering dedication to improving the lives of residents is evident in the countless hours she has spent working at the bedside and with policymakers to promote a more effective, compassionate approach to care.”
The Mary K. Ousley Champion of Quality Award, one of the six awards from the Provider ACE Awards program, is named in honor of longtime quality advocate Mary K. Ousley. The award recognizes an individual whose leadership and commitment to quality have made a lasting impact on long term and post-acute care.
Meade will be formally presented with the award during Delivering Solutions 26, the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo, October 11-14, 2026, in Boston, Mass.