Public Health CEO on Making the Case for Public Health

Public health, explained: Sign up to receive Healthbeat’s free national newsletter here.As the child of Haitian immigrants, Dr. J. Nadine Gracia says her professional journey into public health began with her parents’ courage and her own desire to have a career of service.She initially gravitated toward medicine as a way of caring for others, then served in government, eventually becoming deputy assistant secretary for minority health and director of the Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama administration.Since 2021, Gracia has served as president and CEO of the Trust for America’s Health, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan public health research and policy organization that for 25 years has worked across administrations recommending evidence-based policies to improve public health. She previously served as the organization’s vice president and chief operating officer. In this 5 From the Field interview, Gracia shares insights on