Dr. Lourdes Rodríguez

Dr. Lourdes Rodríguez is a public health expert and CEO of the David Rockefeller Fund, as well as an Adjunct Faculty member at the UTHealth School of Public Health Austin Regional Campus. With a background in interdisciplinary social sciences, including sociology, history, political sciences, psychology, and anthropology, Dr. Rodríguez examines the complex pathways that lead individuals, networks, and communities to health, or not. She takes an assets-based stance, looking at communities as a source of solutions rather than problems to be solved.

Prior to her current roles, Dr. Rodríguez served as Senior Program Officer for Women’s Health at the Saint David’s Foundation, and as Associate Professor and Director of Community-Driven Initiatives at the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. Her scholarly production includes peer-reviewed publications, a co-edited book, and the use of videos, blogs, and earned press coverage to disseminate best practices.

Dr. Rodríguez holds degrees in Industrial Biotechnology, Public Health, and a Doctorate in Public Health, and is a member of the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine’s Roundtable on Population Health Improvement. Along with her husband and children, she is an active member of the local Puerto Rican Community Center in Northeast Austin. Dr. Rodríguez is known for bringing humor and joy to her work and interactions with others while co-creating solutions with partners and building relationships.