Jennifer Wong, Ph.D. uses her extensive research and policy background to guide her current work as a consultant for social impact and as an adjunct professor at the University of Montana. During her fellowship year, Dr. Wong worked on rural health care policy for the Washington Health Care Authority and aging policy for Seattle & King County - Public Health. Social determinants of health/health-related social needs, integrated care delivery, behavioral health across the lifespan, the impact of the built environment, and community stakeholder engagement are of great interest to her.
Dr. Wong recently concluded her position as the inaugural director of Wallis Annenberg GenSpace, a cutting-edge community center dedicated to supporting the creativity, connection, and lifelong learning of older adults in Los Angeles. GenSpace aimed to defy ageist stereotypes while serving as a warm, welcoming center for older Angelenos to try new things and meet new people. Dr. Wong is focused on changing the narrative around aging in America and, as the leader of GenSpace's leadership initiative she forged partnerships with leaders in business, entertainment, tech, academia, and beyond to shift the conversation and elevate the issue of aging and longevity.
Before her work at GenSpace, Dr. Wong assisted the California Department of Aging, helping to develop Governor Newsom’s Master Plan on Aging as California's over-65 population is projected to grow sharply in the next decade. She completed her Doctorate in Experimental Psychology from the University of Montana, holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from Sacramento State, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of San Francisco. Dr. Wong is passionate about ensuring that our current systems provide quality care and services to older adults so they may achieve their goals.
Why I Applied to be a Fellow
"America is aging rapidly. I am passionate about ensuring that our current systems provide quality health care and services to older adults so they may achieve their goals. As individuals age, their risk for experiencing disability increases. I believe that research can help provide evidence for how adults are currently aging with a disability or aging into a disability. However, research is only a part of the effort in how we prepare for our growing aging population. I am fascinated by the mechanisms of how empirical evidence influences policy and how policy influences research, which led me to apply to be a Health and Aging Policy Fellow. My experiences as a fellow have supported my long-term goals of being a well-versed researcher, a strong advocate for equity and welfare, and contributor to the improvement of health care policy and reform."
Program Info
Program Track
Non-Residential
Placement
Washington State Healthcare Authority, Seattle-King County
The 2018 Fellows
