Health Equity Leadership Development Initiative

Laura is a first-generation Mexican American born and raised in Dallas, TX. Her academic background has primarily focused on policy and social/health inequities marginalized communities face. She holds a bachelor’s degree in government from The University of Texas at Austin with a certificate in social inequality, health, and policy, and an MPH from George Washington University with a concentration in health policy. During her academic journey, Laura found a passion in health equity and how policy can address this issue, specifically at a local and state level.

Her professional endeavors include working as a medical biller in clinical settings, and most recently, as a Health Department Service Aid for Prince George’s County. Here, she evaluated the county’s Health in All Policies (HiAP) strategy and wrote a white paper on chronic illnesses among the Hispanic/Latinx population residing in the county. Her interest in local health departments grew while meeting with various department leaders and community members to understand what needs to change in order to meet the increasing needs of the community.