494 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine HEALTH AND WELLNESS work on their response, where she learned that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s trauma-informed care framework had never been formally evaluated. Her doctoral dissertation was the first formal evaluation of the framework, which is now widely used in mental health care delivery and research. The study paved the way for the Elijah Cummings Healing City Act, mandating all Baltimore government workers be trained in trauma-informed care. Looking ahead, Dr. Damian plans to continue training the next generation of health equity leaders, researchers and practitioners. Additionally, she aims to further develop innovative patient and community-centered programs in health care, public health and health services research. She is committed to influencing policy and decision-makers through her scholarship in order to create a more equitable and just health care system for all. A successful health care executive and social activist, Dr. April Joy Damian celebrates 25 years of service to advancing health equity and justice. Growing up in San Francisco, California, she witnessed firsthand how factors such as food and housing stability, education, and employment opportunities played a crucial role in determining the health outcomes of her family and community. Dr. Damian developed a holistic approach to mental health through interdisciplinary study. She holds a BA in ethnic studies from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree in medical sciences from Harvard Medical School, and a PhD in mental health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Traveling and working with diverse worldwide communities broadened her perspective, enabling her to view access to high-quality, equitable health care as a solution to a problem and as an opportunity to uplift the humanity, strength and voices of marginalized populations. A defining moment in Dr. Damian’s doctoral training was the death of Freddie Gray and the subsequent unrest that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. She was subsequently recruited by the Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department to APRIL JOY DAMIAN, PHD, MSC, CHPM, PMP VICE PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR Weitzman Institute Washington, DC
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