Our People
Leadership
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Dr. Gino Aisenberg
Co-Director
Dr. Gino Aisenberg, an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work, is a bilingual/bicultural Latino mental health researcher. He is the founding co-director of the Latino Center for Health at the University of Washington. Previously, he served as associate dean for diversity and student affairs of the Graduate School from 2013-2019.
Dr. Aisenberg is staunchly committed to addressing inequities in the access and utilization of health and behavioral health services by diverse populations. His research interests focus on three interrelated areas impacting underserved ethnic minority populations:
1. traumatic exposure of children and families to community violence and associated post-traumatic stress disorder,
2. depression care for adults, and
3. evidence-based practice.
Dr. Aisenberg obtained his MSW and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Southern California. Since coming to the University of Washington in 2002, Dr. Aisenberg’s research and teaching have been deeply informed by culture and authentic partnerships with community-based agencies serving marginalized and rural communities.
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Dr. Leo Morales
Co-Director
Dr. Leo Sergio Morales is a professor and assistant dean for healthcare equity and quality in the UW School of Medicine and founding co-director of the Latino Center for Health at the University of Washington. He received his M.D. and MPH degrees from the University of Washington and his Ph.D. from the RAND Graduate School in Policy Analysis. After completing a residency in primary care internal medicine at the UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital, he was recruited to the UCLA School of Medicine where he held faculty positions as assistant and associate professor, and co-directed the UCLA Resource Center for Minority Aging Research.
He is a past recipient of a Robert Wood Johnson Minority Foundation Medical Faculty Development Award and a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Investigator Award. His research focuses on racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in health and the measurement of patient resorted outcomes in diverse population settings. In recognition of his research contributions, he was inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2007.
In recognition of his efforts to improve the health of Washingtonians, he was 2023 the recipient of Washington State Public Health Association (WSPHA) Annual Secretary’s Award and a recipient of a 2021 Washington State Medical Association Grassroots Advocate Award.
Staff
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Angela R. Rambo
Director of Operations
Angela previously worked at the University of Washington for over two decades in student services, admissions, project management, and program management. She earned her MSW from the UW School of Social Work in 2010. Angela possesses a passion for working with diverse communities; residents, and business leaders to help bring lasting changes to communities of color. In addition, she has over a decade of experience working in communities both in the Greater Seattle Area and in Eastern Washington. Angela looks forward to contributing her skills and knowledge to help advance the Latino Center for Health in its mission to promote the health of Latinx communities through community-engaged and culturally informed research that informs policy and practice. Angela is also excited about the new learning and growth that will come from being a part of the Center and contributing to its excellence.
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Emely Diaz Barragan
Graduate Student Intern
Emely Diaz Barragan (She/Her/Ella) was born and raised in the Yakima Valley, Washington. She graduated from the University of Washington with her BA in public health-global health, and is pursuing her MSW at the UW graduate school. Emely joins the center as her practicum placement, where she helps oversee the communication administration relations within the center. Emely practices hands-on clinical work through mentoring, experience, guidance, and training with other staff members from the Center. Previously, Emely worked with the Tubman Center for Health and Freedom as their communication specialist, where she developed her editing, designing, and writing skills in the field of public health. Emely is passionate about topics such as; mental health, helping BIPOC communities achieve health equity, public health communication, public policy, and Latinx health. Her passion for public health is reflected in her current teaching assistant role at the University of Washington School of Public Health department, where she helps public health undergrads understand the history and practice of public health.