Public Health Heroes!

13. Nilufar Kayhani, BS

Nilufar Kayhani graduated with her bachelors in public health from UC Berkeley in May 2022. Kayhani is the child of Afghan refugees and is committed to resolving health inequities among forcibly displaced communities. Motivated to address the health needs she witnessed growing up, Nilufar decided to pursue a career in public health. During her time at UC Berkeley, she initiated multiple community-based participatory research projects with historically marginalized populations. Nilufar is passionate about health equity and ensuring all communities have access to the resources they need. Kayhani is the co-founder of the Afghan Clinic, a health education initiative by and for Afghans, dedicated to promoting the wellbeing and agency of Afghan people. The program not only provides health education relevant to Afghan people, it provides public health services in order to promote the strength, wellbeing, and autonomy of the people it serves. Thank you, Nilufar Kayhani, for being a public health hero! This biography is based on publicly available information and was edited by Hugh Dunn and Adam Graczyk.

12. Dr. Salvador Moncada

Dr. Salvador Moncada is a Honduran-British Pharmacologist and professor born in 1944. He studied medicine at the University of El Salvador, and earned his doctorate at Royal College of Surgeons in London. His research has contributed substantially to the understanding of cardiovascular disease and diabetes treatment. Dr. Moncada helped discover how aspirin works in the body, which led to the use of low doses of aspirin as a preventative tool in millions of people. He also contributed to the development of many life saving medications. Despite his contributions to public health, Dr. Moncada was not considered for a Nobel prize with his colleagues for their work in cardiovascular disease. Today, he is spearheading initiatives to improve medical education programs in Latin America. Thank you, Dr. Moncada, for being a public health hero! This biography is based on publicly available information and was edited by Hugh Dunn and Adam Graczyk.

11. Dr. Margaret Chung

Dr. Margaret Chung lived from 1889 to 1959. Dr. Chung was born in Santa Barbara in 1889 to Chinese immigrants and was the oldest of 11 children. She studied at the University of Southern California, obtaining her bachelor's and medical degrees. She was the first American born Chinese woman to become a physician. She was originally rejected by her medical missionary due to her race, but instead worked as a surgical nurse and did her medical residency in Chicago. She started one of the first Western Medical Clinics located in San Francisco's Chinatown in the 1920s, providing care to chinese immigrants who often had no access to care. She supported hundreds of military servicemen who lovingly referred to her as their adopted mom. During World War 2, she used her influence to work for the allied war effort, sending letters, gifts, and care packages to her adopted children on the front lines. She was also known for hosting weekly dinners for these family members. She fought for the creation of WAVES, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, which allowed women to join the military. Thank you, Dr. Chung, for being a public health hero! This biography is based on publicly available information and was edited by Hugh Dunn and Adam Graczyk.

10. Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías

Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías lived from 1929 to 2001. Dr. Trías studied at the University of Puerto Rico and graduated in 1960, completed her residency in Pediatrics and began teaching there. She established Puerto Rico’s first infant health clinic, and her efforts paid off, reducing infant mortality by 50 percent. Dr. Trias moved to New York in 1970 and headed the Pediatrics department at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, serving primarily Black and Latino patients. In the 1980s, she worked as the medical director of the New York State AIDS Institute and co-founded the hispanic caucus of the American Public Health Association. She was the first Latina to be elected President of this famous organization. She fought for women’s reproductive rights and to end sexism in healthcare, while fighting against forced sterilization of women some countries used as population control. In 2001, President Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential Citizens Medal. Thank you, Dr. Rodriguez Trías, for being a public health hero! This biography is based on publicly available information and was edited by Hugh Dunn and Adam Graczyk.

9. Lisa Pivec, MS

Lisa Pivec was born in 1969, and is a Cherokee Nation citizen in Oklahoma. She has worked for the Nation for over 25 years, most recently serving as Cherokee Nation's senior director of Public Health. Under her leadership, Cherokee Nation Health Services became the first accredited tribal public health department in the United States. The Cherokee Nation public health department educates citizens on healthy eating and exercise habits, and also provides a large number of prevention programs for Cherokee people. Pivec and the Nation's Health Services received the Public Health Innovation Award, which is given to organizations that best exemplify the advancement of public health for Native Americans and Alaskan Natives. Cherokee Nation Health Services currently operates the largest tribal-run health system in the country, with more than one million patient visits per year. Thank you, Lisa Pivec, for being a public health hero! This biography is based on publicly available information and was edited by Hugh Dunn and Adam Graczyk.