Imelda Garcia, MPH
Imelda Garcia is associate commissioner for the Texas Department of State Health Services' (DSHS) Division for Laboratory and Infectious Disease Services. She has more than 10 years of experience with DSHS where she has held several key positions, including director of Community Health Services and director of Infectious Disease Prevention. In these positions, she has overseen prevention and control activities for zoonotic and emerging and acute infectious diseases, tuberculosis, HIV and STDs as well as programs for child and adult immunization, family planning, and breast and cervical cancer services.
In recent years, Ms. Garcia has been involved in response activities for Hurricane Harvey, Ebola, Zika, and other infectious disease outbreaks.
She began her career in public health at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, focusing on infant mortality reduction. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and holds an MPH from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.