Sara WilenskyView profile
Academic
Sara Wilensky is a Teaching Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education at the Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University. She holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in Health Policy from George Washington University. Her work focuses on healthcare access and financing for underserved populations, particularly through Medicaid and community health centers. She oversees undergraduate education programs, including majors, minors, and dual-degree offerings, and collaborates across the university to enhance student experiences. Dr. Wilensky’s education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies and Political Science from Amherst College (1993), followed by legal training and public health degrees. Her career spans academia, law, and policy, including roles as a federal judge clerk, law firm associate, and faculty member since 2002. Her research emphasizes Medicaid’s role in addressing safety-net gaps, preventive care access, and childhood obesity. She co-authored the textbook Essentials of Health Policy and Law , now in its fifth edition, and contributes to policy committees at the school and university levels. She is affiliated with the Center for Health Policy Research, Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health Policy, and the Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program. Publications highlight her focus on Medicaid policies, obesity prevention strategies, and the integration of HIV services into clinical care. She has led studies on colorectal cancer initiatives, managed care for disabled populations, and state healthcare funding trends. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the provided text. Her teaching includes courses such as Introduction to Health Policy and Senior Seminar in Public Health . She actively participates in curriculum development and faculty affairs committees.









