MDH Speaks: "Guided by an Inner Voice & Courage: My Path to Public Health" by Dr. Brooke Cunningham

Dr. Brooke Cunningham was appointed the commissioner for the Department of Health in January of 2023. Previous to that role, she was the assistant commissioner of Health Equity Bureau at the Minnesota Department of Health. Dr. Cunningham is a general internist, sociologist, and assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining MDH, her research focused on developing strategies to reduce racial disparities in health, including addressing the adverse impacts of exposure to racism. She also co-directed the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Thread in medical education.
Dr. Cunningham received her doctorates in medicine and sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing residency in internal medicine at Duke University, she completed fellowships in health services research, health policy, and bioethics at Johns Hopkins University and an Academy Health Delivery System Science Fellowship at the Medica Research Institute. She received her bachelor’s degree in history and African American studies from the University of Virginia.