Jen Cruz, PhD, MPH, is a Senior Scientist and Associate Director of Noncommunicable Diseases at the New York Academy of Medicine. She is an applied social epidemiologist whose work focuses on advancing health equity through community-engaged and practice-based research. Dr. Cruz has extensive experience working with rural and urban populations in the United States and globally across a range of health areas, including cancer prevention and control, diabetes management, gender-based violence, and sexual and reproductive health. Her broader research interests center on developing and applying methods that integrate epidemiology, community engagement, and systems science to inform evidence-based policy and practice. Grounded in both personal and professional experience, Dr. Cruz is committed to community-centered approaches that elevate local knowledge and address structural drivers of health inequities. She earned her PhD in Population Health Sciences from Harvard University, her MPH in Global Health Epidemiology from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and her BS in Psychology from Seattle University.