PHILADELPHIA—In March 2022, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health announced the promotion of Palak Raval-Nelson, PhD MPH to the position of Deputy Health Commissioner. This newly created position oversees the divisions of Environmental Health Services, Air Management Services, the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office, and the Public Health Lab.
“I am grateful to have someone with Dr. Raval-Nelson’s expertise in environmental health and deep knowledge of the public health department and of Philadelphia as Deputy Health Commissioner, and it is particularly satisfying to appoint a longtime staff member who started with the department as a sanitarian to this role,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole. “Dr. Raval-Nelson’s commitment to health equity and public health has been an asset in Environmental Health Services, and I am excited to see her work towards environmental justice and equity.”
“As an immigrant who came to the United States not knowing how to speak English, I am so humbled to have been promoted to this position,” said Deputy Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson. “Being able to work my way up through six different positions in the Health Department has given me the ability to understand how decisions made at the executive level can affect not only our staff, but also the communities in which they work and live. As a proud resident of Eastwick, I know that there are communities in Philadelphia that are still struggling with issues of environmental justice. It’s my hope that being in this position will allow me to create linkages within the Health Department, the City, and in vulnerable communities throughout Philadelphia to help us work towards environmental justice and equity. Looking back, I can say that being in the position of Deputy Health Commissioner for Philadelphia is my American Dream come true.”
Dr. Raval-Nelson has worked for the Health Department since 1996, when she began work as a Sanitarian, and was subsequently promoted to: Sanitarian Specialist, Sanitarian Supervisor, Environmental Health Program Manager, Environmental Health Program Administrator, and Environmental Health Services Director. She received her BS in Biology from Temple University and her MPH from MCP Hahnemann University, graduating with the distinguished Hiega Society Award and her PhD in Environmental Health and Policy from Drexel University.
During her time as Director of Environmental Health Services Dr. Raval-Nelson oversaw an expansion of the division, going from 60 positions and three program areas to 120 positions and five program areas.
Dr. Raval-Nelson serves as adjunct faculty at Drexel University’s School of Public Health and Temple University. She teaches courses on environmental and occupational health, and vulnerable populations and the environment. She has presented many papers at NEHA, PPHA and APHA and has had several publications in the National Journal of Environmental Health. In 2008, she had her first book published: Breast Cancer Politics: An Evaluation of the Current Funding Policies. She has also graduated from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Environmental Public Health Leadership Institute.
A headshot and brief biographical sketch are provided on the Health Department’s Staff webpage. Dr. Raval-Nelson is available for interview upon request.