Dr. Denise Tahara is the Health Policy and Management Division Director and an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health at New York Medical College (NYMC). In addition to her teaching, she is responsible for advising, and curriculum development and management. Since joining NYMC, Denise developed an applied research experience required for the MPH degree, expanding community impact and enabling students to work directly with over 40 community-based organizations. Prior to her work at academic institutions, Denise was an independent consultant assisting stakeholders develop strategic solutions to advance the mission of their organizations. Working with senior leadership, she helped them focus on leveraging existing resources within the organization to innovate and engage; create strategic partnerships with local community leaders and invest community members in the long-term health of their neighborhoods

Denise continues to donate her time and consulting expertise by working with foodbanks on food insecurity and other public health community-based challenges. Systems thinking, design and innovation are her primary areas of research, focusing on both the patient journey and system efficacy of healthcare systems. Other areas of research include: Team-based approaches to chronic diseases management; Performance improvement through use of data analytics; Educating communities about healthy lifestyle choices; and Increasing sustainability practices in healthcare. Dr. Tahara received her BS from Cornell University, her MBA and PhD from New York University, and her CPA from New York State. Denise joined the New York State Public Health Association Board of Directors in 2015 and was elected Vice President in 2016.