Rutgers Equity Alliance for Community Health (REACH) Announces Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa as the new Principal Investigator 

Rafael E. Pérez‑Figueroa, MD, MPH, Associate Dean for Community Engagement, Population Health, and Global Public Health, at the Rutgers School of Public Health, is the new Principal Investigator of Rutgers Equity Alliance for Community Health (REACH). Dr. Pérez‑Figueroa brings extensive expertise in community‑engaged public health research and practice, focusing on the mechanisms that drive health inequities in under-resourced communities and the implementation of public health interventions to address those health inequities. Dr. Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa with Dr. Denise Rodgers

After a distinguished career in medicine and community health, Denise Rodgers, MD, FAAFP, has retired, stepping down from her role as Principal Investigator of REACH. Dr. Rodgers’ career has been a testament to her unwavering commitment to health equity. REACH stands as a legacy of her advocacy, pairing community and academic expertise to create sustainable changes to ongoing, solvable problems. Under her visionary leadership, REACH was launched at Rutgers with significant funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in December 2021, and has expanded its impact, supporting community‑academic collaborations focused on education, employment, housing, food access, and population health in Camden, New Brunswick, and Newark. 

“It has been an honor to serve as Principal Investigator for REACH and to work alongside so many dedicated colleagues and community partners. I am deeply proud of what we started and have accomplished, and equally confident the program is well-positioned for its next chapter,” said Dr. Rodgers. 

In his new role, Dr. Pérez‑Figueroa will lead REACH’s ongoing efforts to build equitable and sustainable partnerships between Rutgers and surrounding communities. His appointment ensures REACH continues its mission while building on the strong foundation established by Dr. Rodgers’ remarkable career. 

“REACH’s work is grounded in the belief that those most affected by inequities must be central in defining, designing, and implementing solutions,” Dr. Pérez‑Figueroa said.  

Funded by a $10 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and additional support from the Rutgers University Office of the President and the four University Chancellors, REACH bridges the wisdom of community-based organizations' focus on lived experience with the rigorous research of university faculty, staff, and students. Through these longitudinal partnerships, we are uplifting our faculty’s academic priorities while solving real-world problems and empowering communities through knowledge and discovery.  

“I am deeply honored to take on this role,” Dr. Pérez‑Figueroa continued, “and look forward to strengthening REACH’s collaborations with community partners, faculty, students, and stakeholders to continue advancing health equity in alignment with strengthening Rutgers’ mission of supporting the needs of communities across our state.” 

RWJF is a leading national philanthropy dedicated to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime. Through funding, convening, advocacy, and evidence-building, RWJF works side-by-side with communities, practitioners, and institutions to get to health equity faster and pave the way together to a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right.