America Bracho

America Bracho is the President and CEO of Latino Health Access (LHA), a center for health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Santa Ana, California. With over 40 years of experience in public health, America is dedicated to addressing the Structural Determinants of Health through community-centered initiatives that promote equity and sustainable change.

Originally a physician in Venezuela, she earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan. In 1987, America established the first HIV outreach program for the Latino community in Detroit and co-founded The Midwest Hispanic AIDS Coalition, focusing on HIV-related services for vulnerable populations.

Under her leadership, LHA spearheaded the Latino Equity Coalition to address COVID-19 impacts in low-income Latino and immigrant communities in Orange County, California. America advocates for creating healthy, equitable communities and trains diverse audiences in community engagement across the U.S. and internationally.

She serves on the Board of Trustees for Casey Family Programs and has consulted for the Pan American Health Organization. America has received numerous awards, including the California Leadership Award and the Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree. She is a co-author of the book “Recruiting the Heart and Training the Brain: The Work of Latino Health Access.”