NEW ORLEANS – The Spirit of Charity Foundation, a nonprofit that raises funds to support patient-focused healthcare at University Medical Center New Orleans, has appointed Dr. Juzar Ali as its new Executive Director.
In a statement, the Foundation said Dr. Ali, a nationally and internationally respected pulmonary and critical care physician, educator and health leader, brings decades of clinical excellence, academic leadership and community advocacy to guide the organization into its next chapter of service.
The Foundation said the appointment reflects its continued commitment to leadership rooted in service. Dr. Ali has dedicated more than 40 years to patient care, public health and medical education. He has served on the faculty of LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans since 1991 and now holds the title of Klein Professor Emeritus/Gratis of Medicine. He has also held hospital leadership roles, including Chief Medical Officer and Chief Executive Officer within the public hospital system.
“Dr. Ali’s career represents a rare blend of scholarship, humanitarian service and institutional leadership,” said Warren Bell, Board Chair of the Spirit of Charity Foundation. “His intellectual and global perspective, as well as devotion to the ideals that built Charity Hospital, make him exceptionally suited to lead this Foundation, which not only preserves the Charity legacy, but elevates its influence across academic medicine, community health and patient advocacy throughout our region.”
Background in Public Health and Global Medicine
The Foundation described Dr. Ali as a global leader in tuberculosis and lung disease, noting that he has practiced in Pakistan, India, Kenya, Turkey and the United States. He currently serves as Consultant Director of the TB-NTM-Bronchiectasis Pulmonary Disease Program and works with the Louisiana State Tuberculosis Program in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge regions.
A CDC-recognized TB Champion, his work focuses on tuberculosis, non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease and bronchiectasis. He has participated in multiple national and international clinical studies and has published extensively, including the coauthored textbook Pulmonary Pathophysiology and teaching resources used by generations of medical students and residents.
The Foundation also highlighted his long-standing commitment to mentorship and teaching. During more than three decades at LSU Health, he received multiple Aesculapian teaching awards and the LSUHSC Copping Award. He has trained medical students, residents, allied health professionals and community health partners and continues to mentor physicians and researchers.
His public health service includes appointments to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and representation of LSU on the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. A Fulbright Scholar and visiting international faculty member, he has worked to expand global medical education and collaboration.
“UMC is pleased to welcome Dr. Ali as Executive Director of the Spirit of Charity Foundation,” said Tom Patrias, CEO of University Medical Center New Orleans. “Our partnership with the Spirit of Charity Foundation brings care beyond hospital walls with programs like the NOLA Strong Fund, the HEART Fund and the Julie Newman Scholarship Fund, which support our community and healthcare workers in times of need. We look forward to strengthening philanthropic support to advance patient care, research and innovation under Dr. Ali’s leadership.”
Dr. Ali is also a past recipient of the Spirit of Charity Award (2022), recognizing his decades of service in patient care, teaching, research and leadership within the Charity Hospital system.
“Charity Hospital was never just a building – it was a promise to care for anyone who needed help,” Dr. Ali said. “The Foundation carries that promise forward. I am honored to help strengthen programs that support patients, healthcare workers, students and the research that advances medicine. Compassionate care, education and community partnership will remain at the center of everything we do.”
The Foundation said it will continue investing in programs that support vulnerable patients, develop future healthcare professionals and fund research initiatives aimed at improving outcomes for Louisiana communities.
About the Spirit of Charity
The Spirit of Charity Foundation was established to preserve the legacy of Charity Hospital and support patients, caregivers and the public healthcare mission in the Greater New Orleans region. In partnership with University Medical Center New Orleans, the Foundation advances patient care through philanthropy, education and research investment.
