Message From The Director

Welcome to City University of New York Institute for Health Equity (CIHE).

CIHE is a CUNY-wide institute that coordinates research, teaching, service and community collaboration using data analytics to eliminate health inequalities and advance the science of health disparities. CIHE’s focus is on studying the determinants that create disparities, applied research, community capacity building, and in the translation of evidence-based programs, interventions and policies in community-settings.

Academic Year 2020-2021 I was honored to lead a visioning process to define the Institute’s mission and outline CIHE’s first-ever Strategic Plan – 2021-2026. This was participatory process with input from: a distinguished group of committed CUNY Faculty, community partners, Lehman College’s leadership, and CIHE advisory board members.

Promote workforce skills development related to Health Disparities Research and Health Equity (HD & HE).
Advance the Science of Health Disparities and Health Equity Research.
Provide CUNY students and alumni with opportunities to develop analytical skills to address health disparities and inequalities from a multidisciplinary perspective.
Develop meaningful outreach and engagement strategies within CUNY and with external community stakeholders, academic, and political partners to improve population health and community involvement.

I am excited and honored to lead CIHE activities and endeavors. I bring to CIHE a decade long career of holding leadership positions in academic, federal and international organizations, as well as an established research portfolio in health policy and health economics.

CIHE’s success is the result of the interaction between CUNY’s leadership, faculty and students that have partnered with community organizations and champions that seek to reduce the inequalities in the City of New York, the State, and beyond.

Maria Isabel Roldós, DrPH
Director, CUNY Institute of Health Equity
Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences