Athena Roesler

Athena Rae Roesler is a Director at the Milken Institute, where she leads the public health chronic disease prevention portfolio. Her work focuses on translating research into structural change, from advocating for whole-person cardiometabolic care to expanding pharmacy-based clinical services and scaling food is medicine interventions. She has authored more than a dozen research and policy briefs, drawing on a blend of qualitative and survey methods to get at the root of systems issues. Roesler's public health experience began literally from the ground up, teaching farm-based nutrition to thousands of students, and includes research evaluating California's sugary drink tax policies and advancing trauma-informed nutrition security initiatives. She holds an MPH in Public Health Nutrition from UC Berkeley and a BA from American University.