Re-Designing Public Health for Health Equity

Alyce S. Adams, PhD (Moderator) is the inaugural Stanford Medicine Innovation Professor and Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health and of Health Policy, as well as Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement in the Stanford Cancer Institute and an Associate Director for Stanford Impact Labs. Dr. Adams’ research seeks to inform and evaluate health system and policy level strategies with the most promise for reducing disparities and promoting equity in chronic disease treatment outcomes. She also serves as Vice Chair for the Board of Directors for AcademyHealth.

Sandro Galea, MD, MPH, DrPH (Panelist), a physician, epidemiologist, and author, is dean and Robert A. Knox Professor at Boston University School of Public Health. He previously held academic and leadership positions at Columbia University, the University of Michigan, and the New York Academy of Medicine. He has published extensively in the peer-reviewed literature, and is a regular contributor to a range of public media, about the social causes of health, mental health, and the consequences of trauma. He has been listed as one of the most widely cited scholars in the social sciences. He is past chair of the board of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health and past president of the Society for Epidemiologic Research and of the Interdisciplinary Association for Population Health Science. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine. Galea has received several lifetime achievement awards.

Rhonda McClinton-Brown, MPH (Panelist) joined the Santa Clara County Public Health Department in 2019 as Healthy Communities Branch Director. In this role, she oversees nine programs that strive for chronic disease prevention and that foster healthy and safe communities for all county residents. Rhonda brings 26 years of experience leading various public and community health initiatives focusing on race and health equity. She served for 12 years as the Executive Director for the Office of Community Engagement within Stanford University’s School of Medicine. At Stanford, she worked closely with students, faculty, and community partners to develop meaningful academic-community partnerships within the domains of medical education, clinical services, and community-engaged research. Prior to Stanford, Rhonda has dedicated over eighteen years to working directly with community health centers, county-operated health systems, and community-based health initiatives.operated health systems, and community-based health initiatives.