Avenel Joseph is the Vice President for Policy at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), where she leads the Foundation's efforts to advance health equity and racial equity through policy reform. Growing up in Queens, New York, Avenel witnessed the impact of systemic barriers on health outcomes, which inspired her to dedicate her career to breaking down these obstacles through effective policy solutions.Her leadership has sharpened the Foundation's focus on advancing racial equity through governing and policymaking and in fostering partnerships with organizations that share a vision of dismantling structural racism. Avenel has furthered RWJF’s position as a leader and an advocate for policies to improve health equity including Medicaid expansion, access to the ballot measure process, expansion of the Child Tax Credit, and inclusive policymaking as a means for a healthier democracy. Her strategy emphasizes using science, data, and evidence to drive policy.Previously, Avenel shaped policy for more than 10 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Before her career in policy, Avenel conducted research on the impact of environmental chemicals on reproduction and development. Her background as a scientist turned health policy professional expertly positions her to bridge the gap between research and policy implementation. Avenel holds a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology and an MS in Developmental Toxicology from the University of Illinois, Urbana‐Champaign, and a BS in Animal Sciences from Pennsylvania State University.