Our Team | Center for Reducing Health Disparities | UC Davis Health

Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of the Center for Reducing Health Disparities (CRHD)

Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis. He is the Founding Director of the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at UC Davis Health and the Director of the Community Engagement Program of the UC Davis Clinical Translational Science Center (CTSC). 

Director of Education, Center for Reducing Health Disparities (CRHD)

Hendry Ton is the Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office for Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Diversity, and a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. 

Biostatistician, Center for Reducing Health Disparities (CRHD)

Miriam Nuño, Ph.D., is a professor of Biostatistics in the Department of Public Health Sciences at University of California, Davis. She brings expertise in biostatistics and applied mathematics, with a strong focus on mental health outcomes and interventions, infectious disease modeling and forecasting. Her work centers on turning data into action for justice and equity, using rigorous analytics to inform strategies that advance health equity and support community-driven solutions.

Chief Administrative Officer

Andrea Nuñez serves as the Center for Reducing Health Disparities' Chief Administrative Officer and joined the Center in 2017.

Projects and Personnel Manager

Maria Alaniz is the Projects and Personnel Manager for the Center for Reducing Health Disparities. She joined the Center in 2018.

Finance and Grants Manager

Gabriela Alaniz is the Finance and Grants Manager for the Center for Reducing Health Disparities. She joined the Center in 2021.

Community Outreach and Communications Coordinator

Yanele Ledesma is a Community Outreach and Communications Coordinator working with multiple projects and the Center's social media. She joined the Center for Reducing Health Disparities in 2023.

Project Manager

Katherine Ferry (she/her/ella) is the Project Manager for the Accountability, Coordination and Telehealth in the Valley to Achieve Transformation and Equity (ACTIVATE) project and the California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP) Latino Technical Assistance Provider grant. She joined the Center for Reducing Health Disparities in 2022.

Junior Project Coordinator

Jacob Fraga is the Junior Project Coordinator for the Together For Wellness | Juntos por Nuestro Bienestar project. They joined the Center for Reducing Health Disparities in 2023.

Project Manager

Elliott Housman-Turrubiate is the Project Manager for the Together for Wellness | Juntos por Nuestro Bienestar project. Elliott joined the Center for Reducing Health Disparities in 2022. 

Project Coordinator

Karla Ornelas Hernandez is Project Coordinator for the Accountability, Coordination, and Telehealth in the Valley to Achieve Transformation and Equity (ACTIVATE) project. Karla joined the UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities in 2021. 

Community Engagement Program Manager 

Vanessa Trujillo is the Community Engagement Program Manager for the Clinical and Translational Science Center and Center for Reducing Health Disparities at the University of California, Davis and joined in this role in 2021.  

Project Manager

Kristen Weeks-Norton is the Project Manager for the California-wide, Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) STOP COVID-19 project. She joined the Center for Reducing Health Disparities at University of California, Davis in 2022.

Consultant

Heather Diaz, Dr.P.H, M.P.H. is an Associate Professor at Sacramento State University in Health Sciences, assigned to the Community Health Education curriculum. 

Consultant

Rachel Guerrero, is a License Clinical Social Worker, with over 40-years of experience in the field of mental health both as a direct services provider and public mental health state administrator.