Cerise Hunt, PhD, MSW, is the Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, director for the Center for Public Health Practice, assistant professor in the Department of Community & Behavioral Health at the Colorado School of Public Health on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She is responsible for collaboratively leading the school’s efforts to advance equity, diversity, and inclusive excellence. Cerise is also responsible for forming community linkages that guide public health practice, providing education and workforce development opportunities, and engaging in public health practice research. Cerise was instrumental in the formation of the Colorado Black Health Collaborative, which is a community-based organization that is committed to improving health and wellness in Colorado’s Black, African, and African American communities through collaborations, and partnerships, with community-based organizations, non-profits, public organizations, private entities, and government agencies.

Cerise’s expertise in promoting health equity builds concretely on her experience with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Office of Health Disparities. She was charged with developing and implementing statewide strategies to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities. Cerise’s research and practice explore topics related to equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI) and organizational transformation, health equity, racial and ethnic health inequities, and community outreach and mobilization among diverse populations. Cerise has more than 15 years of experience in organizational EDI consultation and educational support.