Since 1971, UC Irvine’s Alumni Association (UCIAA) Lauds and Laurels Awards Ceremony, one of the university’s most prestigious events, has recognized over 800 distinguished alumni members for their outstanding contributions to the university, community, and beyond. At this year’s ceremony on Thursday, October 10, the UC Irvine community celebrated those alumni who have made a lasting impact, including Susan Polan, PhD, an alumna of the doctoral program at the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology. The UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health originated in the department where Dr. Polan received her PhD degree, making her an alumnus of the very beginnings of Wen Public Health.
I am a firm believer that if we want to create healthy people in healthy communities, we need to take a public health approach, which means focusing on upstream determinants like education, housing, and transportation, and addressing systemic racism. This is how we make sure that everybody has an opportunity for health and well-being.”
Susan Polan, PhD, Wen Public Health Alumna & Lauds & Laurels recipient
Nominated by Founding Dean Bernadette Boden-Albala, Dr. Polan’s ongoing efforts to promote health equity, support students, and engage communities reflect the spirit of the award and the mission of Wen Public Health.
“Her valuable advice as a member of our Community Advisory Council has significantly impacted our school’s trajectory,” said Boden-Albala. “As her vast experience indicates, Susan is an influential role model in the field of public health – not only for our own students, but those around the country.”
From her early work with the American Cancer Society, where she expanded federal government relations to tackle tobacco control and chronic disease prevention, to her leadership roles at Partnership for Prevention and Trust for America’s Health, Dr. Polan has consistently championed public health initiatives aimed at protecting vulnerable populations.
As the associate executive director for public affairs and advocacy at the American Public Health Association (APHA), Susan has been instrumental in shaping policies and programs that address health inequities. Her leadership has driven initiatives such as the Healthiest Cities & Countries Challenge and the APHA Fellowship Program, helping communities across the country tackle determinants of public health. She has also created new opportunities for our Master of Public Health students by introducing a lucrative scholarship through the Kaiser Permanente National Community Benefit Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation.
Her work has left a lasting impression on the next generation of public health leaders. Her drive to improve public health stems from the values instilled in her by her parents. Today, she is further motivated to leave the world better than we found it by her son, Lincoln.
Gerry Flynn-Polan, honoree Susan Polan, Jack Polan, and Daryl Salrin.
“I am a firm believer that if we want to create healthy people in healthy communities, we need to take a public health approach, which means focusing on upstream determinants like education, housing, and transportation, and addressing systemic racism. This is how we make sure that everybody has an opportunity for health and well-being,” said Polan, who is also a member of Dean’s Community Advisory Council.
