Elena Rosario is a veteran public health executive, operations strategist, and equity advocate with more than two decades of experience driving innovation and advancing health equity. As the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Meridian Public Health Group, she leads region-wide initiatives focused on community health, data-driven innovation, and equitable access to care. Recognized for her pragmatic leadership and unwavering commitment to public good, she is widely respected for transforming strategic goals into measurable impact across diverse health systems, research institutes, and nonprofit sectors. Early Life and Education Born in 1978 in San Antonio, Texas, Elena grew up in a bilingual household deeply influenced by healthcare and education. Her mother, a nurse, and her father, a science educator, instilled in her the values of community service and systems thinking that shaped her future career path. Rosario earned a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Biology from Brown University in 2000, focusing on urban health and disparities. During her undergraduate years, she directed a neighborhood wellness program in Providence and researched housing insecurity and maternal health. In 2005, she completed her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where her capstone on Medicaid reform earned recognition from Harvard’s Center for Health Policy Innovation. Career and Accomplishments Rosario began her career as a Health Policy Analyst with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, contributing to Medicaid expansion and community health needs assessments that improved preventive care access for low-income women. While completing her MPH, she interned with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, supporting maternal health framework revisions for Latin America. From 2005 to 2010, she advanced to Director of Program Development at Boston HealthNet, where she launched mobile care units and expanded youth mental health services. She later became Associate COO, scaling integrated care models across 13 clinics. Her leadership trajectory continued at the Commonwealth Center for Public Health Innovation (CCPHI) from 2010 to 2017, where she served as Vice President of Strategy and Operations. There, she led major initiatives in data sharing, maternal health interventions, and state opioid strategies. Under her guidance, CCPHI secured significant CDC and NIH grants and piloted predictive modeling tools for emergency response systems. Since 2017, she has served as COO of Meridian Public Health Group, managing a workforce of 300 across four states. Key achievements include launching a multilingual vaccine outreach system during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating the “Health for All” Fellowship for underrepresented youth, and leading an electronic health modernization project that improved reporting efficiency by 40%. Leadership, Service, and Recognition Known as a people-first leader with an analytical lens, Elena M. Rosario founded Meridian’s Equity and Belonging Council to strengthen organizational culture and inclusive leadership. She also serves on advisory boards for the Massachusetts Public Health Association, the Boston University School of Public Health, and the National Forum on Community Health Systems. Her voice as a keynote speaker is sought at major forums, including the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Health DataPalooza, and the Aspen Health Forum. Recognitions include Public Health Executive of the Year (2021), Latina Health Alliance’s 50 Most Influential in Health (2020), and the Boston Foundation’s Community Health Innovator Award (2018). Personal Life and Vision Outside of work, Elena Rosario enjoys cooking, hiking, and mentoring Boston public school students. She lives in Jamaica Plain with her husband, Carlos, and their children, Sofia and Diego. Recently certified in Behavioral Design and Human-Centered Systems, she remains committed to building a public health infrastructure that is community-led, data-informed, and resilient.