Clarisa Medina

Clarisa Medina is a doctoral candidate in Health Services & Policy Research at the School of Public Health at Boston University. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in Global Health and Global Engagement from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Her research focuses on systemic racism in healthcare systems, the intersection of law and health, and the improvement of veterans’ healthcare.

Medina earned her Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Texas A&M University, where she was awarded the department’s “Student Excellence Award.” She completed her undergraduate studies at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies with concentrations in Economic Development and International Development and minors in Intercultural Studies and Spanish. Prior to her doctoral studies, Clarisa served as a Program Officer for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO), supporting adolescent health initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean. She also played a pivotal role in the COVID-19 pandemic response as a manager of vaccine distribution and testing operations in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia regions.

Clarisa is currently a Commissioned Officer in the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) and serves as a Health Services Officer. In this role, she has deployed in various capacities, including case management, logistics, and safety operations, supporting public health initiatives and humanitarian missions such as Operation Allies Welcome.

A recipient of the prestigious Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship, Clarisa remains an active scholar and advocate for equitable healthcare policies.

Research Interests: Social determinants of health, looking at how law impacts health, veterans’ health, and how to improve the role of government in healthcare systems