Diana N. Derige is the National Director of Health Initiatives at Urban Strategies where she leads the national health strategy development, program implementation and evaluation of the organization’s broad health equity agenda.  She is also co-director of the Center for Latina Maternal and Family Health Research at the University of Houston. Prior to joining Urban Strategies, Diana was a program officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. She supported local investment by serving as a convener, collaborator and catalyst, responsible for nurturing opportunities for affecting positive systemic change in communities. Over the past fifteen years, Diana has designed and managed several private philanthropic, government, and non-profit programs.  Throughout her career, she has concentrated on promoting public health and social equity for marginalized communities.