Meet Our Transformative Partner Award Honoree

Dr. Barbara Ferrer is a nationally-known public health leader with over 30 years of professional experience as a philanthropic strategist, public health director, educational leader, researcher, and community advocate. She has a proven track record of working collaboratively to improve population outcomes through efforts that build health and education equity.

Currently, Dr. Ferrer leads the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health which protects health, prevents disease, and promotes equity and well-being among LA County’s more than 10 million residents. She oversees a budget of over $1.3 billion and directs a multidisciplinary workforce of nearly 5,000 budgeted staff. Under Dr. Ferrer’s leadership, Public Health works alongside the Departments of Health Services and Mental Health to comprise the LA County Health Agency. The Health Agency integrates services across the departments to best serve residents across the county’s 4,000 square miles.

Most recently, Dr. Ferrer served as the Chief Strategy Officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, where she was responsible for developing the strategic direction and providing leadership to the foundation’s key program areas, including education & learning; family economic security; food, health & well-being; racial equity; community engagement; and leadership development.

Prior to working at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Dr. Ferrer served as the Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, where she built innovative partnerships and led a range of health programs to address inequities in health outcomes and support healthy families and communities. During her time as Executive Director, Dr. Ferrer secured federal, state, and local funding for critical public health infrastructure and community-based programs. Under her leadership, the City of Boston saw significant improvements in health outcomes, including a decrease in the rates of childhood obesity, smoking, and infant mortality.

Dr. Ferrer also held various leadership positions at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, including Director of Health Promotion & Chronic Disease Prevention, and Director of the Division of Maternal & Child Health. She has also served as a Headmaster at a district high school in Boston, where she led efforts to significantly improve high school graduation rates and ensure that every graduating senior was accepted to college.

Dr. Ferrer received her Ph.D. in Social Welfare from Brandeis University, a Master of Arts in Public Health from Boston University, a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.