Dr. Donna Christensen & Dr. Lauren Smith discuss the significance of Minority Health Month from its inauguration, to the work that is being done for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities today.
As part of Google.org's vaccine equity commitments, we have committed $1M to support the CDC Foundation's efforts to connect community-based organizations serving disproportionately affected populations with local public health departments to address vaccine hesitancy and delivery.
About the Panelists
The Honorable Donna M. Christensen retired from the US House of Representatives in 2015 after serving nine terms (18 years). She is the first female physician to serve as a Member in the history of the U.S Congress. During her congressional terms she served in multiple committees and subcommittees, such as: Energy and Commerce, Health during healthcare reform, Homeland Security, Natural Resources and Small Businesses. Additionally, she chaired the Congressional Black Caucus’ Health Braintrust for 16 years. Prior to her election to Congress in 1996, she practiced family medicine and served in several public health administrative positions. Most recently, Dr. Christensen established the Christensen Institute for Community Health and Empowerment and is currently a board member of Consumers for Quality Care, IGT Scientific, Academic and Medical Council, and serves as a public health advisor to the Virgin Islands Department of Health.
Lauren Smith, MD, MPH, is the Chief Health Equity and Strategy Officer for the CDC Foundation. In this role, Smith brings more than 25 years experience working at the intersection of health care delivery and management, public policy and public health fields. She partners with the CDC Foundation’s other senior leaders to develop and drive strategic efforts to embed health equity across the Foundation’s COVID-19 response activities with an explicit focus on addressing systemic racism and its impact on vulnerable populations’ resilience amidst the pandemic. Her previous leadership roles have included serving as the Medical Director and then Interim Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Senior Strategic Advisor for a national innovation and improvement network focused on reducing infant mortality and the Medical Director of the pediatric inpatient service at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Smith also held federal and state government roles as a policy analyst in the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and as a W.T. Grant Health Policy Fellow in the office of the Massachusetts Speaker of the House.
Moderated by Dr. Garth Graham.
#DonnaChristensen #LaurenSmith #MinorityHealthMonth
