Marie Gabriel, chair of NHS North East London, was awarded the damehood recognising her service throughout her 45-year career and voluntary endeavours.
Dame Marie is the founding chair of NHS North East London Integrated Care System, and through this role she sits on the Mayor of London’s Health Board and is co-chair of the London People Board.
NHS North East London serves more than two million people across Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
In 2020, Dame Marie was appointed founding chair of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, chairing a board of world-renowned experts and taking a leading role in work to tackle racial bias in health and care.
She said: “I am thankful to receive this recognition and to all those involved in my nomination.
“I know that this is really a reflection of the achievements and contributions of the organisations, communities and people that I work with.
“I am most pleased that it is an illustration of the importance of the ongoing work we do to further equity and improve health outcomes.”
Dame Marie has more than 20 years’ NHS board-level experience and, alongside her current roles at NHS North East London and the NHS Race and Health Observatory, she is an associate non-executive director for the UK Health Security Agency and a commissioner on the Institute For Public Policy Research’s Commission on Health and Prosperity.
Dame Marie’s outstanding contribution to the NHS was recognised in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours list when she was awarded a CBE, and her contribution to her local community saw her awarded the Freedom of the London Borough of Newham.
Zina Etheridge, chief executive of NHS North East London, said: “This is a much deserved recognition for Marie who has worked tirelessly across an extraordinary career to improve the lives of people across north east London and beyond.
“Her contributions at a local, regional and national level on issues of health inequity, anti-racism and wider health improvement are hugely impactful and this honour is testament to all of her achievements and dedication.”
