Diane Tan, MSPH, PhD(c) is a PhD candidate in Health Policy and Management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She is currently writing her dissertation on racial/ethnic disparities within health insurance coverage stability in the US and its implications for access to care for those living with a chronic condition. In addition, she holds an MS in Public Health and obtained her BA in History from UCLA.
As the eldest child of immigrant parents from Cambodia, her parents’ struggles inspired her pursuit of a career in social justice, purposefully addressing issues plaguing the most vulnerable members of society. After college, she spent a brief amount of time working with people living with HIV/AIDS in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco. While there, her clients quickly taught her about the often harsh realities of living with HIV/AIDS, and dealing with the simultaneous challenges of homelessness, substance abuse, social isolation, and poor mental health. This had a profound effect on her, and has since added influence to her research efforts. Ultimately, she hopes to use the full scope of her background to bridge the gap between policy and practice.
In her spare time, she enjoys trying out new recipes and learning how to sew. She looks forward to one day impressing her not-so-easily impressed mother with her newly acquired cooking skills, and being able to complete a clean, straight hem.
Each month, we’re featuring a member of our CHIPTS family and their work! To see past spotlights, check them out on the spotlights page and make sure to check back to see who we feature next!