Denise Diaz Payán

Denise Diaz Payán, PhD, MPP, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health, Society, and Behavior at the Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, University of California, Irvine. She directs the Community Health & Innovative Policy (CHIP) Lab and serves as Faculty Director of the statewide California Initiative for Health Equity & Action (Cal-IHEA). She also sits on the editorial board of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has recently been appointed policy expert to UC Merced’s Nicotine and Cannabis Policy Center (NCPC).

Education

• PhD, Public Policy and Management – USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, 2015
• MPP – Harvard Kennedy School, 2010
• BA, History and Science, magna cum laude – Harvard University, 2008

Research Focus

Dr. Payán’s scholarship centers on the intersection of health policy and health equity. She conducts state and local policy surveillance, evaluates community-engaged interventions, and studies how policies shape nutrition, obesity, and tobacco-related outcomes across racial/ethnic groups. Her work spans schools, faith-based organizations, safety-net clinics, and academic medical centers.

Current & Recent Funding

• UC Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives – “Strengthening Policy and Translation Research to Advance Health Equity in California” (PI, 2023-2025, $943,146)
• UC Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program – “Policy Surveillance and Implementation of Local Flavored Tobacco Product Sales Ban in California” (PI, 2022-2025, $773,683)
• Additional support from NIH, CITRIS & the Banatao Institute, and other UC agencies.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award (2025-2026)
• Hispanic Lifestyle Latina of Influence Award (2021)
• Health Career Connection’s 30 Inspiring & Impactful Alumni (2020)
• Best of Pedagogy in Health Promotion Article Collection (2022)

Labs, Centers & Collaborations

Dr. Payán leads the CHIP Lab, which partners with community organizations to design, implement, and evaluate health equity interventions. Through Cal-IHEA she translates research into actionable state policy, while her new role at NCPC focuses on tobacco and cannabis regulation in California’s Central Valley.