Jeanne Ayers

Jeanne Ayers, R.N. MPH, is focused on assuring the conditions necessary for health are available to everyone, everywhere. She has served in leadership roles in public health, healthcare and university settings for over 30 years. She founded Healthy Democracy Healthy People, (HDHP), a coalition of 11 public health organizations committed to strengthening civic and voter participation as a pathway to improving health outcomes. HDHP recently merged with Health & Democracy, Institute for Responsive Government (Responsive Gov) where Jeanne continues as a Fellow. Prior to establishing HDHP in 2020, Ayers held leadership roles in state governmental public health as the Wisconsin State Health Officer and Assistant Commissioner and Chief Health Equity Strategist for the Minnesota Department of Health. Prior positions include director of nursing, preventive services and occupational health at the University of Minnesota, Boynton Health Service. She directed professional continuing medical education for 15 years and founded the Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach at the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota.

Jeanne has long been a recognized leader in national efforts to assure health equity and improve population health. She was selected as the 2010 University of Minnesota Josie R. Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award winner and was responsible for development of the Minnesota Department of Health, award-winning report “Advancing Health Equity in Minnesota: A Report to the State Legislature”. Jeanne has worked extensively with government, academia, health care, community groups and broad-based community organizers to deepen the public understanding of the social determinants of health and their relationship to race, place, class, and power. She led the healthy communities’ initiative in the faith-based organizing group, ISAIAH, and launched and directed Healthy Heartland, a partnership of community organizing groups and public health organizations in five Midwest states building collective capacity to impact public policy. Jeanne sees strengthening civic participation and assuring an inclusive, representative democracy as a prerequisite to advancing health equity and creating healthy communities.