Debra Furr-Holden

Dr. Debra Furr-Holden is an epidemiologist with expertise in addiction epidemiology, prevention science, psychosocial measurement and behavioral health equity research, interventions and policy. In 2006, Dr. Furr-Holden was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers by virtue of her early career accomplishments in environmental research. In the past decade, Dr. Furr-Holden’s research has focused on developing environmental strategies, structural and policy interventions to promote behavioral health and health equity.

Dr. Furr-Holden has worked extensively with a wide range of partners including health care systems, community based organizations, local municipal officials, and policy makers. Her research has supported legislative efforts to impact zoning as well as state-level legislation to promote behavioral health equity. Dr. Furr-Holden’s community-based, action-oriented research has been well received by community stakeholders in Flint, MI who are eager to explore policy interventions to help address some of Flint’s and the nation’s greatest public health challenges, with a special emphasis on health equity and policy-level interventions.

Dr. Furr-Holden’s research is grounded in the rubrics of epidemiology and consistent with principles and practices for understanding social determinants of health and health equity. Dr. Furr-Holden is a C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health and the Interim Director at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Division of Public Health. She is also the Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities funded Flint Center for Health Equity Solutions.

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]