Paula Tran
40 Under 40 Class of 2023
Monona, Wisconsin
State Health Officer
Wisconsin Department of Health Services
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Health equity is a central theme in my own personal story as a child of immigrants. Policies and systems that my family experienced addressed our social determinants of health and allowed my family to thrive.
Three words to describe me:
passionate, visionary, compassionate
The best part of my job:
The endless opportunities to make positive change alongside incredibly committed people
Something that would surprise others about me:
I enjoy alone time.
Paula is the State Health Officer and Administrator of the Division of Public Health at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, leading the vision for statewide public health and health equity strategies. She oversees aging and disability resources, communicable diseases, community health promotion, environmental and occupational health, health informatics, policy and practice alignment, and preparedness. Her career has focused on embedding health equity and empowerment concepts into public health practice, policies, and scholarship.
Paula previously served in a variety of roles with government, nonprofit, and academic organizations. She has led community-engaged research projects, led statewide health equity initiatives, and provided training and technical assistance on the social, economic, and environmental determinants of health to advance health equity. Paula has a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
