Dr. Omar A. Escontrías Joins the National Health Council as Vice President, Research, Education & Programs

Dr.Omar A. Escontrías Announcement Release (PDF)

Washington, DC, June 6, 2022 – The National Health Council (NHC) has named Omar A. Escontrías, DrPH, MPH, as Vice President, Research, Education & Programs. In this leadership position, Dr. Escontrías will lead the NHC’s research projects, educational programs, and programmatic work.

“We are thrilled to have Omar join the NHC team,” said Randall L. Rutta, NHC’s Chief Executive Officer. “His passion and commitment to improving the lives of people with chronic conditions is second to none. Omar’s extensive experience at both the state and federal levels leading research programs makes him uniquely qualified to advance the research goals of the NHC.”

Most recently, Dr. Escontrías was the Senior Director of Policy Research at the American Dental Education Association where he fostered key strategic initiatives in the policy portfolio to advance academic dentistry and improve the oral health of Americans. Prior to that, he was the Program Director of Policy and Translational Research at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, an adjunct faculty member at the University of Arizona, and Program Manager and Infectious Disease Epidemiologist at the Arizona Department of Health Services. Dr. Escontrías was also a Research Fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH), a Project EXPORT Fellow at the University of Arizona, and a Research Assistant at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Dr. Escontrías earned his Doctor of Public Health, his Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, and his Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ.

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About the NHC

Created by and for patient organizations more than 100 years ago, the National Health Council (NHC) brings diverse organizations together to forge consensus and drive patient-centered health policy. We promote increased access to affordable, high-value, sustainable health care. Made up of more than 145 national health-related organizations and businesses, the NHC’s core membership includes the nation’s leading patient organizations. Other members include health-related associations and nonprofit organizations including the provider, research, and family caregiver communities; and businesses representing biopharmaceutical, device, diagnostic, generic drug, and payer organizations. For more information, visit nationalhealthcouncil.org.