Dr. DeSalvo is the Chief Health Officer at Google, a physician executive working at the intersection of medicine, public health, and information technology whose career has focused on improving health and eliminating disparities. She leads a team of health professionals at Google who provide guidance for the development of inclusive research, products, and services, and has been part of the Google COVID response team.
Prior to joining Google, Dr. DeSalvo was National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Assistant Secretary for Health (Acting) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Obama Administration. During her time there, Dr. DeSalvo focused on creating a more consumer-oriented, transparent, and value-based health system. She served as the New Orleans Health Commissioner following Hurricane Katrina and was previously Vice Dean for Community Affairs and Health Policy at the Tulane School of Medicine, where she was also a practicing internal medicine physician, educator, researcher, and leader.
Dr. DeSalvo serves on the Council of the National Academy of Medicine. She earned her MD and MPH degrees from Tulane University, and a Master’s in Clinical Epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“The Program in Clinical Effectiveness has been instrumental in shaping and advancing my career. The training provided an outstanding set of skills to tackle health care and policy challenges through a rigorous evidence-based lens. I also made important and rewarding professional connections with truly remarkable professors and colleagues that have lasted decades and directly shaped my perspectives and career opportunities.”
