Jenay Powell

Dr. Jenay Powell is a board-certified physician in both Internal Medicine and Hospice & Palliative Medicine dedicated to advancing health equity and expanding access to compassionate, culturally responsive care for patients with serious illness. Born in Baltimore and raised in Charlotte, NC, she has built her career at the intersection of medicine, ethics, advocacy, and mentorship. As a Black physician in a field where few physicians come from underrepresented backgrounds, she is committed to increasing representation in medicine and improving care for underserved communities.

Dr. Powell earned her undergraduate degree in the History of Medicine from Harvard University, her medical degree from the University of North Carolina, and completed her Medicine residency at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. During medical school, she founded The White Coats Black Doctors Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting future Black physicians. During residency, she was selected as an inaugural scholar in the American Academy of Hospice & Palliative Medicine’s Next Gen Scholars for Equity in Hospice & Palliative Medicine, a national initiative focused on developing future leaders in palliative care.
Following fellowship training at Georgetown University-MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where she focused on clinical ethics, Dr. Powell joined Inova Health System as a palliative care physician. Her clinical, educational, and advocacy work focuses on reducing healthcare disparities, improving access to serious illness care, and ensuring patients receive care aligned with their values. She also serves as a rotation director for resident physicians learning inpatient palliative care and is passionate about developing the next generation of healthcare leaders.

Through her leadership, mentorship, and commitment to equitable healthcare, Dr. Powell advances opportunities for underrepresented physicians and works to create a more inclusive healthcare system.