Danielle Laraque, MD

Dr. Danielle Laraque-Arena, is a prolific and internationally renown pediatrician, board-certified in general pediatrics and child abuse pediatrics who has advanced maternal-child health in under-served and disenfranchised communities, holding multiple leadership positions regionally, nationally, and internationally.  Her scholarly work has made explicit the necessary link between the elimination of health disparities and the attainment of equity in the representation of diversity in the health professions.  Her current portfolio includes child rights, violence prevention, mental health, health disparities and health equity.  Over a 35-year plus career she created sustainable change by establishing, as Pediatric Resource Center Director (Harlem Hospital (HH)), the medical home model of care for thousands of Harlem children, children with HIV/AIDS, pregnant and parenting teens, and as founding member of HH Injury Prevention Program demonstrated the effectiveness of a community-based injury prevention intervention leading to the formation of the National Injury Free Coalition for Kids; established 3 child protection multi-disciplinary teams; and moved New York State (NYS) to recognize child trauma as a qualifying chronic disease criterion for health home designation.  She has published over 120 peer-reviewed manuscripts, numerous chapters, multiple media resource and educational materials including the books Principles of Global Child Health: Education and Research (2019), Ending the War Against Children: The Rights of Children to Live Free of Violence (2021), and Leadership at the Intersection of Gender & Race in Healthcare and Science: Case Studies and Tools (2022).  She has mentored hundreds of trainees, served on the Institute of Medicine Committee on Integrating Primary Care and Public Health, is President & Professor Emerita, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Past President of the Academic Pediatric Association, Co-chaired NYS Governor's Task Force on Maternal Mortality and Disparate Racial Outcomes (2018-2019) and currently serves on the board of Prevent Child Abuse America, Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation for which she is President (2022), and Vaccinate Your Family for which she is Chair-Elect.