b LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn has named public health expert and Long Beach resident Jennifer Ponce, MPH, to serve on the County’s Community Prevention and Population Health Task Force.
“There has never been a more important time for us as a County to focus on our approach to health equity for all of our residents,” said Supervisor Hahn. “Our Community Prevention and Population Health Task Force is key to helping us workshop that approach – and with more than two decades of experience addressing health disparities and serving underserved communities here in LA County, I couldn’t think of anyone that would be a better asset to this Task Force than Jennifer Ponce. I am proud to appoint her today.”
Ponce currently serves as the Chief Health Education and Promotion Officer at TCC Family Health, a health care agency known as a leader in the Long Beach area for providing top-notch care to underserved individuals and families. Prior to that, she served as their Director of Special Projects. During her time at TCC, she established the Health Education and Outreach Department, which oversees TCC’s development of health education materials, education classes, and health coverage outreach and enrollment efforts. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Public Health at Cal State University Fullerton, where she teaches Promoting Health in Diverse Populations and Community Health Education.
“Please accept my sincere appreciation for this appointment to serve on the County of Los Angeles Community Prevention and Population Health Task Force,” said Ponce. “In partnership with community and task force members, I will work diligently towards contributing to the movement towards systems and policy change that builds an environment in which everyone can reach their full health and wellness potential.”
The Los Angeles County Community Prevention & Population Health Task Force is a 21-member body dedicated to improving health equity in LA County. It counsels the Department of Public Health on critical policy decisions ranging from improving access to local parks to implementing public health protections for communities living near oil drilling sites. It also serves as an advisory body to the Department of Public Health’s Center for Health Equity. Members are appointed for two-year terms either through selection by the Board of Supervisors or by a nominating committee. The fourth cohort of the Task Force began their term in June 2022, representing a wide array of experience and expertise. Ponce is its newest member.