Claradina Soto

Dr. Claradina Soto (Navajo/Jemez Pueblo) is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. She directs the Initiative for California American Indian Health Research and Evaluation. With over 20 years of experience, her work focuses on reducing health disparities through partnerships with American Indian and Alaska Native communities, addressing mental health, cancer prevention, commercial tobacco control, and substance use disorders.

Her research interests span:

• Mental health disparities and cultural resilience
• Commercial tobacco prevention and cessation in tribal communities
• Substance use disorder interventions grounded in cultural practices
• Health equity frameworks for indigenous populations

Publications consistently explore culturally responsive interventions, tribal health policy, and community-based participatory research. Recent work examines smoking cessation aids, opioid treatment implementation in tribal clinics, and multilevel influences on vaccine hesitancy.

She mentors undergraduate and graduate students through USC's Master of Public Health and Health Promotion programs, while leading multiple federally funded projects.