Takeda – Health Equity
Dr. Lauren Powell, M.P.A., Ph.D., Vice President, US Health Equity & Community Wellness at Takeda, a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader discusses the importance of improving health outcomes in the most marginalized communities, how Takeda plays a unique role as a collaborator and convener for health equity, and her passion for dismantling the roots of oppression that keep people and communities from wellness.
Lauren Powell, MPA, PhD, Vice President, US Health Equity & Community Wellness at Takeda
Recently named among Fortune’s 40 Under 40 in Healthcare, Dr. Lauren Powell is the President & CEO of The Equitist, LLC and concurrently serves as the Vice President, US Health Equity & Community Wellness for Takeda Pharmaceuticals. In this role she spearheads efforts to drive health equity through Building trust, and investing in building generational community wellness in diverse under-resourced communities across the US.
For more than a decade, Dr. Powell has been immersed in broad and progressive leadership positions where she’s been unapologetically outspoken about racial injustices and health inequities. Her professional and personal experiences spearheading equity efforts in healthcare, state government, academia, and public health, make her a nationally sought after leader, speaker, and consultant on all things health equity.
Formerly the Director of Health Equity for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Dr. Powell was the youngest Black woman and the first with a PhD to serve in this powerful role where she led statewide strategic plans and initiatives towards pushing Virginia’s 8.5 million residents closer to health equity.
Dr. Powell has an established track record as a community-engaged, social epidemiologist with doctoral training on leveraging data for equity. She earned a Master in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical and Population Health Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Powell deeply values mentorship and community engagement. She actively seeks opportunities to help mold and encourage the next generation of leaders in health equity.
