Adela N. González, MPA, Ph.D.

Dr. Adela N. Gonzalez is Vice President for Community Affairs and Institutional Diversity at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas. She has over 25 years experience in public health including directing the City of Dallas Health & Human Services Department and serving as Bureau Chief for Community and Rural Health at the Texas Department of Health in Austin, Texas. In her capacity as a public health professional, Dr. Gonzalez has engaged in health education to the Hispanic community by volunteering hundreds of hours to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged populations. She joined the UNT Health Science Center to develop the Master’s of Public Health program and to engage more fully in the education of health professionals.

During the last 12 years, Dr. Gonzalez has developed several community-based programs bringing together coalitions of community leaders to assess the health needs of the emerging Hispanic population in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. During the last seven years, she organized and coordinated the Hispanic Wellness Fair for Fort Worth and Tarrant County. In 2005, the fair served 15,000 individuals, and provided over 20,000 screenings and exams within a period of six hours. 800 volunteers and over 200 health providers helped make it happen. Dr. Gonzalez has been the leader in bringing together community stakeholders in support of a federally funded Community Health Center for Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

Dr. Gonzalez has provided consulting and training to numerous organizations, including the American Public Health Association, Texas Department of Health, Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, LULAC, Texas Hispanic Women’s Network, Texas Association of Mexican- American Chamber of Commerce and others. Furthermore, she served on the advisory committee to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1992-1996. Dr. Gonzalez has worked closely with numerous special interest groups to develop consensus among service providers on funding priorities such as AIDS, homelessness, substance abuse, the elderly, child care and child abuse prevention. Dr. Gonzalez holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Doctoral degree in Health Services administration.

Board appointments currently include:
The United Way of Tarrant County,
The National Council for community and Justice
Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas (President 2005-)

Former Board appointments include:
The American Health Association
Texas Mental Health Association
Tarrant County Mental Health Association
The Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Community Hospice of Texas
Navidad en el Barrio

Membership in Professional Organizations include:
Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas (HWNT, Fort Worth Chapter, Immediate Past Chair)
Hispanic Healthcare Professionals (HISPA)
Women’s Policy Forum
Texas Association of Municipal Health Officials
American Public Health Association
Texas Public Health Association
U.S. Mexico Border Health Association
Executive Women in Texas Government