Jennifer Avegno

Dr. Jennifer Avegno is a New Orleans native who received her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Arts in Sociology from Tulane University and her MD from LSU School of Medicine – New Orleans.  She completed her residency at LSU/Charity Hospital Emergency Medicine and joined the faculty at both LSU and Tulane shortly after graduation.  As an academic faculty member, Dr. Avegno worked in medical education and established the Division of Social Emergency Medicine at LSU to facilitate innovative programming, interdisciplinary partnerships, and improved population health outcomes.  In 2018, she was appointed as the Director of the Health Department for the City of New Orleans, where she manages a dedicated team of public health professionals in addressing critical health needs for the community.  Dr. Avegno currently leads the City’s public health response to COVID-19 and developed one of the country’s first mobile community-based testing strategy and program, with intentional core focus on equity and access.