Ninez A. Ponce, PhD, MPP, professor of health policy and management in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, has received the 2024 Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award for her accomplishments in data and health equity. Sponsored by the CDC Foundation and the James F. and Sarah T. Fries Foundation, the prestigious award is conferred annually to an outstanding individual who has made significant contributions to health education and health promotion.
Dr. Ponce accepted the award on March 20 at the annual meeting of the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), where she delivered her lecture entitled "No Equity without Data Equity."
In addition to her role as principal investigator for the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), one of the nation's largest state health surveys, Dr. Ponce also serves as director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Her collaborations with CTSI Community Engagement Program's (CERP) Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities have lead to the creation of the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Data Policy Lab, which aims to address gaps in data and research for NHPI populations.
Dr. Ponce also sits on the CTSI Internal Advisory Board (IAB). The IAB provides an interface with subject experts at CTSI partner institutions and UCLA professional schools as well as with patients and the community.
Read the full press release in the UCLA Newsroom.
Image source: UCLA