Meet the Team
Julia Iyasere, MD, MBA
Executive Director, NewYork-Presbyterian Dalio Center for Health Justice
Julia Iyasere, MD, MBA, is Executive Director of the Dalio Center for Health Justice and Vice President at NewYork-Presbyterian. In this role, she leads the Center’s efforts to address longstanding health disparities due to race, socio-economic differences, limited access to care, and other complex factors that impact the wellbeing of our communities disproportionately. Established in 2020, the Center for Health Justice works collaboratively with representatives from NewYork-Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons to be a leader in the understanding and improving of health equity, and to drive action that results in measurable improvements in health outcomes for all. Dr. Iyasere brings more than a decade of experience in medicine to her role. She was previously the Associate Chief Medical Officer for Service Lines and the Co-Director of the Care Team Office. She was also Director of the Leadership Education and Development for Physicians (LEAD) Academy, Associate Designated Institutional Official for Graduate Medical Education at NYPH, and the Associate Program Director of the Columbia Internal Medicine Residency Training Program. An Assistant Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Dr. Iyasere continues to see patients as an internist in the Section for Hospital Medicine.
Emme Deland
Senior Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer
Senior Advisor, the Dalio Center for Health Justice
Emme Deland is Senior Vice President of Strategy and Senior Advisor to the Dalio Center for Health Justice at NewYork-Presbyterian. She assumed this position in the fall of 2020. Emme is the strategic advisor to the Center’s efforts to address longstanding health disparities due to race, socio-economic differences, limited access to care, and other complex factors that impact the wellbeing of our communities disproportionately. Prior, Emme was the Chief Strategy Officer responsible for developing clinical and corporate strategies for the enterprise, and for identifying, disseminating, and commercializing new innovation. She also served on the board of the NewYork-Presbyterian Health Policy Center. Ms. Deland joined NewYork-Presbyterian in 2000. Previously, she worked at Mount Sinai Medical Center and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Prior to joining the health care field, she was an international banker at Chemical Bank. Ms. Deland graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies and obtained her Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. She is a Director of the Kornfeld and Zeitz Foundations, a board member of The American Memorial Hospital in Rheims, France, The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, The Brooklyn Botanical Garden, The Park Avenue Armory, and Clear Scientific.
Amelia Shapiro
Director of Community and Clinical Strategy and Program Development
Amelia Shapiro, MBA, is the Director of Community and Clinical Strategy and Program Development for the NewYork-Presbyterian Dalio Center for Health Justice. In this role, she is responsible for the strategic planning, development, and implementation of new and expanded clinical and community programs focused on the elimination of health disparities. Amelia joined NewYork-Presbyterian in 2016 as a Director in the Strategy Office, and previously served as the Vice President for Health Economics and Finance at the Greater New York Hospital Association and the Deputy Director of the Interboro RHIO at Elmhurst Hospital. Amelia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Columbia College at Columbia University, and a Master of Business Administration from the Baruch/Mt. Sinai Program in Health Care Administration.
Whitney C. Harris, MSN, RN, ACCNS-P, CPNP-PC
Manager of Clinical and Community Strategy
Whitney C. Harris, MSN, RN, ACCNS-P, CPNP-PC, is the Manager of Community and Clinical Strategy for the NewYork-Presbyterian Dalio Center for Health Justice. In this role, she is responsible for the center’s strategic planning, development, and implementation of new and expanded clinical and community programs focused on the promotion of health equity and the elimination of health disparities. Whitney joined NYP in 2016 as a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Morgan Stanley’s Children’s Hospital (MSCH). In 2018, she then took on the role of Nurse Practitioner Program Director at MSCH. Whitney earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Hampton University, and then obtained her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of California Los Angeles as a dually certified Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Pediatric Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Molly Lawson
Sickle Cell Program Manager- Dalio Center for Health Justice
Molly Lawson, MAS, RN, is the Sickle Cell Program Manager for the Dalio Center for Health Justice. In this role, she is responsible for managing the enterprise-wide Sickle Cell Program, providing system support and clinical improvements and standardization across all NYP campuses. Prior to joining the Dalio team, Molly was the Cellular Therapy Program Manager at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Columbia University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from New York University and her Master of Applied Science in Global Health Planning and Management from Johns Hopkins University.
Mebrak D. Kahsai
Project Manager- Dalio Center for Health Justice
Mebrak D. Kahsai, MPA-HSA, is the Project Manager for the Dalio Center for Health Justice. In this role, she is responsible for end-to-end project management, process improvement, and project implementation. Prior to this role, Mebrak served as the Patient Experience Program Manager for NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Irving Medical Center. She is a member of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's Emerging Leadership Council and Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. Mebrak graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies and African American Studies. She obtained her Master in Public Administration, with a concentration in Health Service Administration from the University of San Francisco.
Jacqueline Tran
Project Manager- Dalio Center for Health Justice
Jackie Tran, MSPH, is a Project Manager for the Dalio Center for Health Justice. In this role, she is responsible for end-to-end project management, process improvement, and project implementation. Prior to this role, Jackie joined NYP in 2018 as a Community Benefit Fellow on the Community Affairs team before transitioning over as a Government Affairs Analyst in 2019. She is the Professional Development Chair of NYP’s Emerging Leadership Council. Jackie graduated from Pomona College with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy Analysis. She obtained her Masters of Science in Public Health, with a concentration in Sexual and Reproductive Health, from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Alia Koch, DDS, MD
Director, NYP LEAD Academy
Alia Koch DDS, MD, is the Director of the New York Presbyterian Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Academy for Physicians. LEAD Academy, introduced in 2017, provides education to rising-star physicians in the NYP health system. The Academy’s curriculum includes the highest yield components of an MBA and MHA through a partnership with Columbia Business School and the Department of Health Policy and Management. As a graduate of LEAD Academy herself, Dr. Koch is responsible for driving the direction of LEAD, providing individualized mentorship to the LEAD attendings, as well as selecting capstone projects. Dr. Koch graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics. She then obtained her DDS from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, and her MD from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. After completion of her residency program at New York Presbyterian – Columbia University Medical Center, Dr. Koch joined the faculty, and now serves as the Program Director for the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center-New York Presbyterian, and is an Associate Professor of Dental Medicine (Oral Surgery) at Columbia University Medical Center, where she continues to see patients in the Faculty Practice. She is also an active researcher in multiple NIH funded projects, and has published numerous book chapters. Dr. Koch is a Diplomate and Board Examiner for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons.
Lauren De La Cruz
Program Manager- LEAD Academy
Lauren De La Cruz, MBA, is the Program Manager of LEAD Academy, a physician leadership and career development program at NewYork-Presbyterian. In this role, she collaborates with internal and external partners on the LEAD coursework, which provides the highest-yield components of an MBA and MHA curriculum. Prior to joining NewYork-Presbyterian, Lauren served as Senior Resource Development Coordinator within Hospital for Special Surgery's Professional Education Department and Communications Assistant at the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center. Lauren earned her BA in English at Barnard College and her MBA in Strategic Healthcare Management at Hofstra University.
Latoya Benjamin
Coordinator- Dalio Center for Health Justice
Latoya Benjamin, MS, is the Coordinator for the Dalio Center for Health Justice. In this role, she is responsible for supporting administrative activities and project management tasks. Prior to this role, Latoya served as an Executive Assistant in the Human Resource, Total Rewards Department. Latoya joined New York Presbyterian Hospital in 2012. Latoya graduated from the Northern Caribbean University, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She also obtained her Masters in Human Resource Administration from Nova Southeastern University and is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Walden University, completing her degree in Public Health with an Epidemiology emphasis.
Koma Ogaye, MPH
Data Analyst – NewYork-Presbyterian Analytics
Koma Ogaye, MPH, is a Data Analyst III of Population Health Analytics for NewYork-Presbyterian, supporting the Dalio Center for Health Justice with data visualizations. In this role, she is responsible for building dashboards and maps to identify and track trends over time for various projects. Koma joined NYP in 2017 and previously worked at the Comprehensive Health Program supporting clinical and operational data needs. Prior to NYP, she worked at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducting qualitative research in HIV/AIDs as well as the development, implementation and data analysis for a Behavioral Health initiative. Koma earned her Bachelors of Science in Biology from Syracuse University, and holds a Master of Public Health in Population & Family Health and a Certificate in Research Methods from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.