Health Disparities and Opportunities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cindy Hou, DO, MA, MBA, CIC, CPHQ, CPPS, FACOI, FACP, FIDSA, FAPIC, is the Infection Control Officer and Medical Director of Research for Jefferson Health – New Jersey and an Infectious Diseases specialist. She has expertise in sepsis, antibiotic stewardship, infection control, patient safety, clinical quality, equity, and language access.

Dr. Hou is the Chief Medical Officer of Sepsis Alliance and a member of its Board of Directors. She earned her M.B.A. and M.A. from Boston University, a D.O. from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and her B.S. from Yale University.

Dr. Hou is the principal investigator for an Office of Minority Health grant to reduce inequities in those with limited English proficiency. She is the co-editor of the book, “COVID-19 Viral Sepsis: Impact on Disparities, Disability, and Health Outcomes.”

Dr. Hou has a Certification in Infection Prevention and Control, is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, and is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety. Dr. Hou is a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Internists, American College of Physicians, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.

Ms. Azar is a health services researcher at the Sutter Health Center for Health Systems Research (East Campus, currently operating as Sutter's Research Development and Dissemination) and has worked with Sutter’s Research Enterprise since 2009. She has diverse clinical experience as a public health and preventive cardiology nurse both domestically and abroad, and has worked with vulnerable and socioeconomically diverse populations throughout her career. Her research expertise includes improving the prevention and management of chronic conditions such as cardiometabolic diseases and mental illness. She also develops and evaluates innovative behavioral interventions, exploring how health technology can be used to enhance care and improve care outcomes. Ms. Azar’s research is aimed at identifying and addressing health disparities and examining the impact of social determinants of health on chronic disease risk and management. She is a founding member of Sutter’s Advancing Health Equity initiative, led by Dr. Steve Lockhart, and continues to serve on Sutter’s Health Equity Leadership Team.  She is currently enrolled in a doctoral program for Epidemiology and Translational Science at the University of California, San Francisco. 

Born in Santa Monica, CA and raised in Los Angeles. Dr. Casillas obtained a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. He then completed medical school at UC San Diego before returning home to Los Angeles for Emergency Medicine residency at Harbor UCLA Medical Center. In 2007, he joined the medical staff at Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center. In 2015, Dr. Casillas moved into a new position as Medical Director for the Emergency Department at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital (MLKCH) and helped open this new non-profit hospital in South Los Angeles. Since 2015, MLKCH has quickly grown into one of the busiest Emergency Departments in Los Angeles County. While at MLKCH, Dr. Casillas has been an active medical staff participant, serving on the Medical Executive Committee and numerous other clinical committees. Dr. Casillas is married with four children and has also enjoyed coaching sports at the youth and high school levels for the past 20 years. 

Selena Gilles, DNP, ANP-BC, CNEcl, FNYAM is Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Program at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Dr. Gilles has a DNP from Monmouth University (2014), a MS in Adult Health Nursing from Hunter College, City University of New York, (Cum Laude, 2010) and a BS with a major in Nursing from Long Island University (with honors, 2005). Dr. Gilles is a certified Clinical Nurse Educator and is also certified in Critical Care Nursing. Dr. Gilles has been an Adult Nurse Practitioner for 12 years, specializing in Neurology and Pain Management. She is passionate about the management of acute and chronic pain, as well as opioid overdose prevention. Additionally, she is the Program Director of the Greater NYC Black Nurses Association Opioid Overdose Prevention Program. Dr. Gilles has a passion for strong community advocacy as well as global health, and is currently working with organizations aimed at serving underprivileged and underserved communities in Haiti and Ghana. She has participated in five medical missions. Dr. Gilles is currently a member of eight professional organizations/associations, including serving as Past President and current Treasurer of Meyers’ Sigma Upsilon Chapter and Programming and as Community Service Committee Chair for the Greater NYC Black Nurses Association. Dr. Gilles is currently on the Board of Trustees of CGFNS International. Dr. Gilles is an NLN LEAD Alum (2019) Penn Wharton Nurse Executive Leader Alum (2020). She has received the NBNA Under 40 Award (2019) and Nurse of the Year Award for Community Service (2020). She has also received the Leota P Brown Community Service Award from Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. (2021) and several citations and certificates of recognition for her community work. Dr. Gilles is the recipient of the GNYCBNA Nurse of the Year for Community Service (2021) and the NYU Meyers Humanitarian Award (2021). Dr. Gilles is also a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine (2020).

On completion of her training at the University of Minnesota Family Medicine Residency Program in Minneapolis, MN, Dr. Owen returned to Juneau, Alaska to serve her tribal community. After 11 years of full-scope family practice, she returned to Minnesota to lead the Center of American Indian and Minority Health at the University of Minnesota where she teaches on issues in Native American health and serves the broader Native American community by recruiting Native American students to medical school. She practices medicine once weekly for a Minnesota Ojibwe community.