Health Equity Leadership
Message from the NCDHHS Office of Health Equity Director
North Carolinians have major differences in their health, their healthy lifestyle, resources and medical care depending on where they live. People often face challenges such as access to healthcare providers, medications, transportation services, digital equity, and caregivers.
Health disparities are driven by a complex interaction between social, lifestyle, environmental, and biological determinants of health, including a long history of implicit bias and structural racism embedded in the nation’s systems of healthcare. Factors that influence health disparities include lack of employment, inadequate housing, food insecurity, less education, digital inequity and less access to healthcare. People in rural areas often face major challenges in access to healthcare providers, medications, transportation services and caregivers.
Together we have made great strides in North Carolina. But there still is much work to do. YOU are vital in the efforts to help achieve more across our beautiful state of North Carolina. Whether you are a cancer survivor, caregiver, policymaker, employer, community health worker, school staff or student, community leader or public health or healthcare professional, your contribution and participation are vital in the process to help eliminate health disparities.
Health disparities touch more than race or ethnicity. They touch the unique individuals, homes, communities, small businesses, services and resources, geographic areas, etc. Those that are the most vulnerable and affected by compounding factors affect all of us. It is important that everyone has equal ability to access what is needed. It takes all of us to find that common mission to work together and identify the issues, share resources, time, and efforts to keep our communities healthy and safe.
Anyone that truly knows me will tell you about my drive, heart and love for people, building healthy communities, and serving as a connector and ambassador for health equity.
I invite you to join together with us!
NCDHHS Health Equity Acting Director Portia Pope, Ph.D., MPA
Before her current role as Acting Director of the Office of Health Equity, Dr. Portia Pope was the Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity. She also led the Durham Children's Developmental Services Agency within the Division of Child and Family Well-Being, providing federally funded early intervention services to children and families in the central part of the state. Previously, she spent 13 years in C-suite executive leadership for a federal agency through a government contract, where she oversaw services for all 50 states and U.S. territories, managing a $200M budget. Dr. Pope has over 20 years of experience directing state programs in North Carolina and California, supporting vulnerable populations, and promoting mental and emotional well-being.
Dr. Pope holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and was also a Woodland Hall Leadership Fellow. She earned a Master's in Public Administration, a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education, and a Bachelor's in Social Work. Additionally, she holds national certifications in project management, agile project management, contract management, Lean Six Sigma, and an endorsement from the North Carolina Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Association. Dr. Pope is a visiting scholar and instructor with the University of the Virgin Islands, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and the University of Massachusetts at Donahue Institute's National Center on Program Management. She is a member of the Duke University Autism Center of Excellence (ACE) Community Engagement Advisory Board, the North Carolina Infant Mental Health Advisory Group, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region IV Health Equity Council Advisory Group. She is also a published author on the topic of leadership and resides in rural North Carolina.