Staff Bio
Laura Chanchien Parajón, MD, MPH
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
Dr. Chanchien Parajón serves as NCCDPHP's chief scientific and program advisor to the director and other senior staff across the center and provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and oversight of complex scientific programs.
Role at CDC
Laura Chanchien Parajón, MD, MPH, is the Principal Deputy Director for the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. She serves as the chief scientific and program advisor to the director and other senior staff across the center.
Dr. Chanchien Parajón provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and oversight of complex scientific programs. The role requires a synthesis of scientific acumen with administrative expertise to direct policies and operations that significantly impact public health.
Previous experience
Dr. Chanchien Parajón's professional journey has given her a breadth of experience that spans continents, cultures, and health systems. From the remote villages of Nicaragua to the bustling communities of New Mexico, her work has always broken new ground, bringing to life the principles of equity, empowerment, and education. In her role as the New Mexico Department of Health's deputy secretary of health and state health officer, Dr. Chanchien Parajón managed and oversaw the department's Epidemiology Response Division, Public Health Programs Division, and Scientific Laboratory Division and served as the acting state epidemiologist and acting epidemiology response division director. She is also an associate professor in the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center's Department of Family and Community Medicine, with a secondary appointment at the College of Population Health.
During her career as a public health leader, Dr. Chanchien Parajón has been involved in many topics relevant to NCCDPHP, ranging from data modernization to community health workers. Her role in developing community-based participatory research and evidence-based interventions reflects her commitment to leading-edge science. She has consistently incorporated the latest research findings into practical applications, enhancing public health practice and health care outcomes. Notably, Dr. Chanchien Parajón's nearly 2 decades of work as medical director and cofounder of AMOS Health and Hope in Managua, Nicaragua, had a tangible impact on health care delivery systems, particularly in underserved communities. Her legacy there exemplified her deep-seated commitment to providing real-world, on-the-ground results.
Education
Dr. Chanchien Parajón earned her MPH from the University of New Mexico's School of Public Health and her MD from the university's School of Medicine. She is board certified in family medicine, and she is the lead author on scholarly publications across a broad range of fields. Her long list of professional honors includes, most recently, an Excellence in Leadership and Community Service award from the New Mexico Department of Health (2022) and the Jerry Montoya Health Equity Award (2021).