Dr. Nadine J. Barrett is Senior Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Equity in Research at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Atrium Health. Prior to that she held senior leadership roles as CTSI Co-Director for Equity and Stakeholder Strategy.
A medical sociologist by training, Dr. Barrett is a health disparities researcher, expert equity strategist, and a nationally-recognized leader in facilitating community/stakeholder and academic partnerships to advance health equity and developing training and methods to address implicit bias and structural and systemic racism that limits diverse participation in clinical and translational research and access to quality healthcare. Her goals are to integrate diverse stakeholder engagement in the research process and quality improvement in healthcare systems, enhance enrollment and retention of underrepresented groups in research through innovative interventions such JUST ASK, a nationally recognized program adapted by ACCC and ASCO, and diversify the healthcare workforce, and advance health equity.
Prior to her aforementioned role at Duke, Dr. Barrett was the founding director of the Duke Cancer Institute’s Office of Health Equity, where for eight years she led a team to create a nationally awarded community engagement model to advance health equity, through patient navigation, nationally funded pipeline training programs for underrepresented race and ethnic groups, and authentic community partnerships to inform and drive research and quality healthcare as advisors, experts, and participants. Her leadership in both nonprofit and academia spans local, national, and international partnerships to better serve and engage historically marginalized and underserved populations.
