David B. Waters

David B. Waters is the CEO of Community Servings, a nonprofit organization that delivers medically tailored meals to individuals with acute, life-threatening illnesses across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Waters has been involved with the organization since its founding, progressing from volunteer to board member, director of development, and ultimately CEO. Under his leadership, Community Servings has expanded from a neighborhood initiative into a regional program, providing thousands of clients with specialized nutrition to support health and recovery. The organization is recognized as the largest research site in the United States studying the impact of medically tailored meals on patient outcomes and healthcare costs, positioning Waters as a leader in the food is medicine movement.

Waters has developed partnerships with healthcare payers and providers, designing some of the country’s first health insurance contracts for prescription meals. His advocacy has contributed to the integration of medically tailored nutrition into the healthcare system, demonstrating improvements in patient outcomes and reductions in medical spending. As a founding member of the national Food Is Medicine Coalition and former board chair of the Association of Nutrition Service Agencies, Waters has influenced national policy and practice around nutrition and health equity. His fundraising initiatives, including LifeSavor and Pie in the Sky, have served as models for similar programs nationwide.

A frequent public speaker, Waters has received recognition such as being named a Barr Foundation Fellow and one of the Boston Business Journal Innovators in Healthcare. He draws on experience in food service management and nonprofit leadership to advocate for individuals living with critical illnesses and the role of food as medicine, making him a prominent voice in healthcare and social justice.