Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith has been named one of the three co-chairs of President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus task force. She will be accompanied by Dr. David Kessler, a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, and by Dr. Vivek Murthy, former surgeon general under President Barack Obama.
Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith has a lengthy resume. She is an associate professor of internal medicine, public health, and management with a focus on healthcare equity. She has also advised Gov. Ned Lamont on Connecticut’s pandemic reopening strategy.
Nunez-Smith has degrees from Swarthmore College, Jefferson Medical College and Yale. She is founding director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center, director of the Center for Research Engagement and deputy director of the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation.
In a statement Monday, Nunez-Smith said she was “honored” to serve on Biden’s task force, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on people of color.
“Everyone is affected by this pandemic, yet the burden is disproportionate,” Nunez-Smith said. “We know communities of color are grieving at high rates and are facing substantial economic impact. The transition advisory board is setting a course for everyone in our country to experience recovery.”
According to her Yale School of Medicine’s bio, her research has focused on “promoting health and healthcare equity for structurally marginalized populations with an emphasis on supporting healthcare workforce diversity and development, developing patient reported measurements of healthcare quality, and identifying regional strategies to reduce the global burden of non-communicable diseases.”
“Marcella was one of the key leaders on the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group,” Geballe said. ”She was very influential in actions we took … [such as] focused testing in our cities, additional supports for people who need to quarantine and isolate who may not have room in their homes. Her thinking is woven throughout our COVID response, and we’re so proud that she was chosen for this tremendous responsibility. “
In addition to Nunez-Smith, Kessler and Murthy, Biden’s task force, there is Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, who has sometimes advised Lamont during the pandemic and nine other experts from across the country. The group will provide Biden with guidance regard the country and COVID-19.
