Alexander Ortega

Alexander Ortega is Dean of the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health and Professor of Public Health at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He earned his BA in Economics from the University of New Mexico, MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Boston University School of Public Health in 1994, and PhD in Epidemiologic Science from the University of Michigan. Recognized as a distinguished alumnus of Boston University, Ortega's career encompasses an assistant professorship in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale University School of Medicine from 1998 to 2003, associate professorships in health behavior and health promotion, faculty roles at UCLA, and directorship of the Institute for Social Science Research at Temple University. His extensive academic appointments reflect a commitment to interdisciplinary social science and public health research.

Ortega's research focuses on advancing health equity, examining health risks and outcomes for Latino and minoritized populations, community resiliency following disasters such as the 2023 Maui wildfires, healthcare access for Latino immigrants, Puerto Rico's health system resiliency, and the influence of mis- and disinformation on health decision-making. As principal investigator, he has directed NIH-funded studies totaling nearly $30 million over 25 years. He has authored over 160 peer-reviewed scientific papers and editorials, including highly cited publications such as "Effective recruitment and retention of minority research participants" (2006), "Mental health care for Latinos: Inequalities in use of specialty mental health services among Latinos, African Americans, and non-Latino Whites" (2002), "Racial and ethnic disparities in health care access and utilization under the Affordable Care Act" (2016), "Health care access, use of services, and experiences among undocumented Mexicans and other Latinos" (2007), and recent works like "Increases in suicides and overdoses during the 2023 wildfires in Maui" (2025) and "Public benefit avoidance among mixed-status Latino families" (2025). Ortega holds positions as Senior Associate Editor of Health Services Research, reviewer for over 60 journals, participant in 21 NIH and AHRQ study sections, member of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Scientific Advisory Committee, and NIH/NHLBI Observational Study Monitoring Board member, amplifying his impact on public health policy and practice.