In this engaging conversation, Dennise Rosas, MPH, shares her journey as a Latina healthcare professional, discussing the importance of courage in both personal and professional contexts. She reflects on her experiences navigating the healthcare system during her father's illness, her leadership roles in public health organizations, and her commitment to advocating for diverse voices in healthcare. Dennise emphasizes the need for collaboration in public health and expresses her vision for a more inclusive future, while also highlighting the significance of self-care and community connection. Meet Dennise Rosas, MPH Dennise Rosas is a Berkeley Public Health alum, MPH '11. She currently serves as an Area Director in Sutter Health's Greater Silicon Valley division overseeing Medical Specialty departments including Nutrition Services, Travel Medicine, Adult Weight Management and Health Education. Dennise previously led the performance improvement team and strategic initiatives at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Dennise is President of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE) Northern California Chapter and a network leader with Lean In Latinas, a global affinity group. In her spare time, Dennise practices and teaches yoga, loves going to the beach and visiting nearby wineries. She is a Bay Area native from San Jose. Listen To This Episode of The Courageous Public Health Podcast Conversation Highlights Dr. McClamroch reconnects with friend and colleague Dennise Rosas — sharing their journey from Public Health Connected Board members to personal friends and collaborators. Dennise shares her early story — growing up bilingual between San Jose, California, and summers in Mexico, and how that shaped her identity and leadership style. A courageous moment in personal life — Dennise opens up about navigating her father's kidney cancer diagnosis during the COVID-19 pandemic, stepping into the role of healthcare advocate for her family while also holding onto her identity as his daughter. Courage in professional leadership — Dennise shares how she became the founding President of the Northern California chapter of the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives (NALHE), even when she wasn't seeking the spotlight. Stepping into visibility — how Dennise is learning to own her power, use her platform, and model leadership in spaces that don't always welcome diverse voices. Embodying power as a Latina and Mexican-American woman — sharing her lived experiences, honoring her family and community roots, and pushing back against systems that were never designed with her in mind. The future of public health — Dennise's inspiring vision for building more collaborative, connected public health systems — where coalitions replace silos and shared purpose drives the work forward. Personal dreams and growth — Dennise hints at new directions she's exploring in wellness and yoga, and the importance of community, connection, and joy. A call to courage — the importance of staying involved, staying connected, and finding light even through hard times. "Courage is doing the hard thing even when your heart is breaking." - Dennise Rosas, MPH Stay In Touch: Dennise Rosas on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennise-rosas/ Email Dr. Kristi McClamroch - [email protected] Dr. Kristi McClamroch on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-mcclamroch/ www.CourageousPublicHealth.com Subscribe to Weekly Courageous Public Health Podcast Updates - http://eepurl.com/jcgQv6 **Remember to Like the Episode, Subscribe, and Leave a Review!** Public Health Consulting To Support You At Courageous Public Health, we are turning up the volume on courage among public health professionals. We support public health organizations through workshop design and facilitation, and speaking engagements. Interested in working with us? Reach out on email, LinkedIn, or our website!

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