Debbie Salas-Lopez, MD, MPH

Currently serving in a leadership role at Northwell Health, an integrated health care network in Long Island, New York, Debbie Salas-Lopez, MD, MPH, has a long history of achievements in community and population health – including locally in the Lehigh Valley. She is now, and has for a long time, been involved in many areas of community relations and health management. She previously worked for Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), holding various academic and clinical leadership positions. She was appointed the Leonard Parker Pool Chair of Medicine, a role in which she served from 2009 to 2015, when she became an associate chief medical officer. In 2017, she was appointed chief transformation officer at LVHN, a role she held until 2019.

In her academic positions, Dr. Salas-Lopez has collaborated with many community- and faith-based organizations on issues related to social needs, prevention, health disparities and health care access. She has led initiatives to improve quality of care and the health of the community. She is a nationally recognized speaker and educator on health care disparities and equity in care, cultural awareness and language-appropriate services and the impact of social and economic factors on health.

In 2021, Dr. Salas-Lopez was honored by the Healthcare Association of New York State with a Community Health Improvement Award. She also earned a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Leadership Award, the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless Key of Excellence Award, the Empire Whole Health Heroes Award and the Tribute to Excellence in Health Care Award from the United Hospital Fund. She was recognized that same year by Modern Healthcare as a Woman to Watch. In 2024, she was named by Becker’s Healthcare as a top Hispanic health care executive in the country and by Crain’s as a New York Notable Leader in Health Care.