Nelson Dunlap
40 Under 40 Class of 2023
Hendersonville, Tennessee
Vice President, Public Policy & External Affairs
Meharry Medical College
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Public health is about we, not about me.
Three words to describe me:
passionate, inquisitive, gregarious
The best part of my job:
Having the opportunity to show students and leaders alike that there is always a path towards a more equitable tomorrow
Something that would surprise others about me:
More than half of my closet space is dedicated to cowboy boots.
Nelson J. Dunlap, JD, is a dedicated health policy advocate, author, and experienced public speaker who uses every opportunity to fight on behalf of marginalized communities and push to advance health equity. In his current role as the Vice President for Public Policy & External Affairs in the Institute of Global Health Equity at Meharry Medical College, he helps to lead the public health and health policy initiatives of the Institute, while keeping health equity as a priority in the training of the next generation of public health learners and leaders.
Originally from Austin, Nelson is a recent transplant to Nashville, where he and his wife hope to find new opportunities to serve in the thriving public health community. He graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and received his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law.
