Denise D. Payán

Dr. Denise D. Payán, PhD, MPP is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at the University of California, Merced. She leads the Community Health & Innovative Policy (CHIP) Lab and serves as Deputy Director of the California Initiative for Health Equity & Action (Cal-IHEA). Her research focuses on health policy, obesity interventions, and nutrition-related disparities.

• School: School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts
• Department: Public Health
• Academic Rank: Assistant Professor

Dr. Payán's work examines the intersection of policy and health behaviors, with an emphasis on equity-driven solutions. She has received training through a postdoctoral fellowship in health services research at UCLA Fielding School of Public Policy.