Author: Deborah Prothrow-Stith
Alternate names: Deborah, M.D. Prothrow-Smith
Born: 1954
Bio: Deborah Prothrow-Stith, M.D. is dean and Professor of Medicine for the College of Medicine at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Prothrow-Stith is an internationally recognized public health leader, who since 2008 has advised top-tier healthcare, life sciences, academic and not-for-profit institutions on leadership and executive talent in her role as a principal at the global executive search consulting firm, Spencer Stuart. Prior to joining Spencer Stuart, she served as the Henry Pickering Walcott Professor of Public Health Practice and Associate Dean for Diversity at the Harvard School of Public Health where she created and led the Division of Public Health Practice.

As a physician working in inner-city Boston, Dr. Prothrow-Stith broke new ground with her efforts to define youth violence as a public health problem.  She developed and wrote *The Violence Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents*, a forerunner of violence prevention curricula for schools and communities.  She has authored and co-authored over 100 publications.

In 1987, Governor Michael Dukakis appointed her the first woman Commissioner of Public Health for Massachusetts.  She established the nation’s first Office of Violence Prevention in a state department of public health, expanded prevention programs for HIV/AIDS and increased drug treatment and rehabilitation programs.  Dr. Prothrow-Stith and her family lived in Tanzania during her husband’s tenure as U.S. Ambassador where she worked with several local organizations, including Muhimbili National Hospital and an NGO that runs the first HIV clinic in Tanzania.

She is a graduate of Spelman College and Harvard Medical School. In 2003, Dr. Prothrow-Stith was elected to membership in the prestigious National Academy of Medicine. She is the recipient of the 1993 World Health Day Award, the 1989 Secretary of Health and Human Service Award, and a Presidential appointment to the National Commission on Crime Control and Prevention.  In 2015, she was inducted into the honor roll of women physicians in the Massachusetts Medical Society.

Source: [Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science](https://www.cdrewu.edu/people/deborah-b-prothrow-stith-md)