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Building Healthy, Equitable Communities
Building Healthy, Equitable Communities
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Shireen Malekafzali
Senior Manager for Health Policy, Planning and Equity

Staff Profile

Shireen manages the Health Policy and Planning Program with a focus on achieving healthy, equitable places where all San Mateo County residents have the opportunity to lead healthy, prosperous lives. She brings over 15 years of experience advancing health and equity through multi-field partnerships, community leadership, policy advocacy, grant-making and research.

Post Shireen Malekafzali

See you in my new role - from Shireen Malekafzali, Health Equity Officer and Manager of Health Policy and Planning 

It’s with both excitement and sadness (and a little trepidation) that I share this news - I will be taking on a new role with the County as Chief Equity Officer working out of the County Managers Office. I have absolutely loved the opportunity to lead the Health Policy and Planning program and the Get Healthy San Mateo County collaborative for the last 7.5 years. It’s been an honor to work with great colleagues and community leaders dedicated to advancing health equity. I’ve learned and grown with many of you.

Staff Perspective Shireen Malekafzali

A Year of Change

The start of a new decade hit us with a pandemic that no one saw coming. An abrupt economic crisis followed, along with anxiety, isolation, and uncertainty. The pandemic highlighted and exacerbated the existing inequities within our county and country. To say that it’s been a challenge is an understatement. Families have lost so much – from loved ones, to jobs, financial security, and their normal family and community connections.

Staff Perspective Shireen Malekafzali

Forging Ahead with a Stronger Framework

Dear Get Healthy SMC,

It’s hard to imagine that we are in the home stretch of our 2015-2020 Get Healthy SMC Strategic Plan. Five years ago, you told us that being healthy wasn’t just about getting to the gym, having vegetables with lunch, and cutting out soda for kids. You shared your experiences and those of your families and communities that demonstrated that we can’t be healthy in isolation – we need healthy, equitable communities for all.

Staff Perspective Shireen Malekafzali

Reflections from the PolicyLink Equity Summit

Colleagues and Friends – I feel more energized than ever to continue our fight for health equity in San Mateo County! I had the great opportunity to join over 4,000 professionals last week at the 2018 PolicyLink Equity Summit. The Summit shared an inspiring vision of diverse leadership paving the way for a more equitable, healthy and prosperous future. It was clear that the issues of Get Healthy San Mateo County are also the issues of the nation, and we were able to dig into them with other jurisdictions and leaders working on similar issues.

Staff Perspective Shireen Malekafzali

Reflections from the PolicyLink Equity Summit

Colleagues and Friends – I feel more energized than ever to continue our fight for health equity in San Mateo County! I had the great opportunity to join over 4,000 professionals last week at the 2018 PolicyLink Equity Summit. The Summit shared an inspiring vision of diverse leadership paving the way for a more equitable, healthier and prosperous future. It was clear that the issues of Get Healthy San Mateo County, are also the issues of the nation and we were able to dig into them with other jurisdictions and leaders working on similar issues.

Staff Perspective Shireen Malekafzali

Reflecting on Our Work in 2017

Hello Colleagues and Friends – As 2017 is coming to a close, I wanted to take the time to reflect with you on our collective priorities under Get Healthy SMC. We are half way through the five year strategic plan and have learned a lot as a collaborative on how the four community-identified priorities come together to impact healthy, equitable communities. We have now built strong partnerships with the leaders working across the priority issues and sharpened our strategies to have impact. I have one or two highlights for each priority that I want to lift up and celebrate with you.

Staff Perspective Shireen Malekafzali

A Year of Implementing Your Healthy Vision

 Get Healthy San Mateo County Partners and Friends,

It’s been almost one year since we released our 2015-2020 strategic plan that highlights the four key priorities you identified for the collaborative. As Health System staff supporting Get Healthy San Mateo County (GHSMC), over this last year we’ve learned a lot about the key priority areas, engaged new areas of work, built new skills, and developed new partnerships. We’ve learned from all of you!

Staff Perspective Shireen Malekafzali

Renewed Energy, Clear Vision

Get Healthy San Mateo County Family and Friends,

2016 is here and what an exciting year it promises to be for Get Healthy SMC and our partners! The vision of healthy, equitable communities that all of you developed over the course of 5 workshops, focus groups and surveys, was compelling, comprehensive and inspiration:

News Shireen Malekafzali

Stemming the Displacement Tide

Curious what’s being done to help people stay in their homes? Join the Federal Reserve Bank of SF’s panel discussions tomorrow, 8/26 from 9am to 12:30pm and hear from Bay Area researchers, advocates, and policy makers who at the forefront of statewide and national anti-displacement efforts. Learn about innovative and collaborative data analysis, advocacy networks, and policy tools that are driving changes in policy and practice across the Bay Area. Our own Shireen Malekafzali, Senior Manager for Policy, Planning and Equity, will be on one of the panels.

Staff Perspective Shireen Malekafzali

Supporting a Healthier, More Equitable San Mateo County Together

Hello, Get Healthy Friends and Family – It’s great to have this venue to talk with you directly! I manage the Health Policy and Planning Program and the Get Healthy initiative for the San Mateo County Health System. It’s been a pleasure to meet so many of you in our network who are dedicated to improving the lives of San Mateo County residents and workers. Working with you gives me confidence that our collective impact will help us achieve our shared goals around healthy, equitable communities –a vision that I feel strongly about.