Valen R. Diaz

M.P.H., MCHES

Valen R. Diaz, MPH, MCHES (she/her) is a public health professional with over a decade of experience in health equity research, practice, education, policy advocacy, and administration in Connecticut. She has worked on a wide array of public health efforts first at Yale University and then at Southern CT State University, including community-engaged research with Black and Latino communities, diversity and inclusion initiatives, the CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health program, and graduate and undergraduate public health education. Her work is focused on how systems change efforts led by those who are disproportionately impacted by racism and other forms of oppression can advance health and racial equity. Currently, she serves as the Projects Director at HDI, where she designs and leads processes and projects across the center to eradicate racism and racial inequities in health and to elevate practical, collaborative solutions driven by community priorities.