CEO
.ASI
Chicago, IL, United States
Marta Cerda is a transformational leader who uses innovation, strategic governance, intentional oversight, and ambitious goal setting to change systems and corporations. With more than 38+ years spent in corporate, not-for-profit, philanthropic, and political arenas, Marta is CEO of ASI. This $12 million-dollar not-for-profit organization provides home care services and employment and training programs. During her tenure, she streamlined operations, converted the agency from traditional home care to an innovative care continuum, and leveraged new technology to increase service hours and improve efficiency.
A dynamic leader who is directly credited with leading a hospital away from the edge of bankruptcy and closure, Marta has a clear understanding of corporate P&L, knows how to institute change in critical areas, and meet needs in real-time.
Marta has proactively impacted on her community by serving on many different boards, both nonprofit and corporate. The organizations where she has served as a board member and chairman have addressed some of the most challenging issues facing society today, especially health access. She holds leadership roles in the National RECOVER Taskforce (NIH), Puerto Rican Agenda, and Illinois Unidos. She is the Chair of the Alzheimer’s Association of Illinois, President, Illinois Association of Community Care Program Homecare Providers and was Chair of Norwegian American Hospital. She is involved in community development through leadership in: Former Vice Chair, Illinois Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation; Trustee – National Museum of Mexican Art; Illinois Latino Agenda and Arquitina. She serves on the Chicago Commission on Human Relations board. She was a founding member of the Young Leaders Fund, Chicago Community Trust and served on the Executive Committee of the Golden Apple Foundation.
One of her current projects is to build a Health & Workforce Development Center. This 19,000 square-foot Health and Workforce Center will anchor programming and services, including a comprehensive workforce center, a training institute, a memory care center, and home health/home care administrative offices. Marta strongly believes that in order to alleviate health disparities and inequities, the workforce center would have to be in a predominantly Black and Brown community that has historically suffered from disinvestment and barriers to resources that gravely impact life expectancy.
Crain’s Chicago Business recognized Marta as a Notable Healthcare Leader (2022) and Notable Latino Leader (2024). In 2023, Chicago United recognized her as a Business Leader of Color. Latino Leader magazine presented her with the Maestro Award. This July 2025, Marta received Negocios Now’s Community Champion Award.
Marta earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University's Chicago School of Law. She is a candidate for the Northwestern-Kellogg School Executive Scholar Program and was a National Hispana Leadership Institute Fellow, where she attended the Center for Creative Leadership and a Harvard Kennedy School public policy course. She was a How Women Lead - Women Leaders of the World fellow.
Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose.
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