Leela Ramachandran is a Research Assistant for the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts and works on a variety of research and evaluation projects. She was a member of the team who created the Community Health Needs Assessment reports for the Coalition of Western MA Hospitals and Insurers and her current projects include the status of women, girls, and nonbinary individuals report for the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts and the Springfield Public Schools’ 2023 Youth Health Surveys. Leela’s background is in community organizing and advancing health equity, with previous experience in mixed-methods research, local public health initiatives, advocacy related to campus sexual violence, and mentorship of student activists. Her passion lies at the intersection of dismantling systems of oppression, centering historically marginalized populations, and decolonizing the field of public health. She received her bachelor’s degree in Public Health Sciences and a certificate in Civic Engagement and Public Service from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In her free time, Leela enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her German shepherd.