Est. 2018
Our Story
Women In Public Health was founded in 2018 by a group of public health professionals who saw a persistent gap: women made up the majority of the public health workforce, yet were dramatically underrepresented in leadership. We set out to change that.
Our Why
Closing the Leadership Gap in Public Health
Founded in 2018 by public health professionals who recognized a persistent leadership gap, Women In Public Health was created to help close it.
Women make up the majority of the public health workforce, yet a national study found they held only 54.7% of executive leadership positions and had 45% lower odds of reaching executive leadership than men (Chapple-McGruder et al., 2020).
We exist to change that by providing women with the mentorship, networks, skills, and opportunities needed to advance, lead, and shape the future of public health.
Source: Chapple-McGruder, T., et al. (2020). Leadership Disparities in State Governmental Public Health Workforce: Examining the Influence of Gender. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 26(1), 46–51. Read the full study
Women had 45% lower odds of reaching executive leadership than men — we exist to change that.
Our CORE Values
Advancing Women. Strengthening Public Health.
Community
We build genuine relationships that sustain careers and fuel collective impact across every corner of public health.
Excellence
We hold ourselves and our members to the highest standards of professional practice and ethical leadership.
Equity
We center health equity in all we do, recognizing that advancing women's leadership is inseparable from advancing justice.
Innovation
We stay connected to emerging innovations, discoveries, and breakthroughs shaping the future of women's health.
Advocacy
We amplify women's voices in policy, research, and practice — because representation at the table changes outcomes.
Impact
We measure success by the real-world difference our members make in the health of communities nationwide.
Leadership
Meet the Team
Our board and staff bring decades of experience across epidemiology, health policy, global health, and organizational leadership.
Hope King, PhD, MSPH
Executive Director
Nikkela Tucker, MPH, MBA
Board Member and Director of Programs
Cherra Hampton-Mitchell, DHA, MPH
Board Member
Chrissey Tait, MPH
Board Member
Frances Favela, MPH
Board Member
Laura Forbes, PhD
Board Member
Sadia A Sony, MSc, MPH, BDS
Board Member
Thelma Williams, MPH
Board Member
Ready to Join the Movement?
Become a member and connect with 190,000+ women advancing public health across the country.