Desiree de la Torre, MPH, MBA, is dedicated to creating healthy communities through increasing access to quality care and moving beyond the walls of the hospital to address the social, economic, and environmental conditions that contribute to poor health outcomes and higher healthcare costs.

Ms. de la Torre is the Director of Community Affairs and Population Health Improvement for Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, where she leads the organization’s community health improvement strategic planning process, including partnerships with community organizations, resources to address health disparities, and compliance with federal and local community benefit regulations. She is responsible for the development of new models of care that improve health equity and impact the social determinants of health. This includes multi-sector collaborations with community organizations, schools, government agencies, and payors.

Ms. de la Torre is a member of several local and national councils and associations, including the Chair of the Commission on Health for Montgomery County, Maryland. She is a Presidential Leadership Scholar, a program that serves as a catalyst for a diverse network of leaders brought together to collaborate and make a difference in the world as they learn about leadership through the lens of the presidential experiences. Ms. de la Torre holds a master’s degree in public health from Boston University, a master’s degree in business administration from Johns Hopkins University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles.