Physician and Healthcare Executive; Washington Post Health Columnist; Author; Former Health Commissioner, Baltimore; Former President, Planned Parenthood
Dr. Leana Wen is a practicing physician, healthcare executive, and op-ed columnist for The Washington Post. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Wen has received recognition as one of Governing’s Public Officials of the Year, Modern Healthcare’s Top 50 Physician-Executives, World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders, and TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
Dr. Wen delivers the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health commencement
Dr. Wen’s TEDx talk about innovations in urban public health
Interview with the Harvard School of Public Health’s Dean about the future of public health policy
Discussion with Nick Kristof on the launch of Dr. Wen’s new book, Lifelines
U.S. News Live interview with Dr. Wen on her memoir and her time as Baltimore’s health commissioner
One of the foremost experts on public health and health policy, Washington Post columnist Dr. Leana Wen, can speak on major policy issues in today’s ever-changing landscape. From prescription drug reform to the promises of new technology such as artificial intelligence to the threats to vaccine access and renewed focus on mental health, population health, and integrated care, Dr. Wen presents a compelling picture of the current landscape. She then guides the audience to consider opportunities for how to proceed in light of these trends.
Hear the perspective of a practicing physician and Washington Post columnist who is an expert on the digital transformation of healthcare. She will delve into the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in medicine, going through use cases of predictive and generative AI to explain how AI can improve diagnosis, personalize treatment and reduce inefficiencies. She will also present pitfalls, the need for regulatory guardrails, and why digital fluency is so crucial for the healthcare sector. Depending on interest, she can also into other aspects of tech and health, such as applications of telemedicine and digital health strategies that have enabled remote patient monitoring and at-home diagnostics and “hospital at home” treatment.
Dr. Wen brings audiences insights from her work as a practicing physician and expert in addressing mental health and addiction policy. She shares personal experiences, strategies to combat isolation and reestablish connection, and best practices for employee health from around the world. She describes the often-hidden epidemic of addiction, including to alcohol and opioids, and the growing need for education and regulation of marijuana and psychedelic usage. Finally, she talks about the future of work, and outlines for audiences a framework for incorporating mental and physical wellness and resiliency practices into the office, home and everyday life.
Dr. Wen is a leading national expert on population health. During the COVID-19 crisis, she was asked to testify four times to the U.S. House of Representatives on the unequal impact of the pandemic on communities of color. While she served as Baltimore’s health commissioner, she reconfigured the agency to specifically focus on population health and health equity. She upon these lessons, outlined in her book Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health, and gives specific examples of successful innovations that reduce disparities and improve health for all.
Dr. Leana Wen is a practicing physician, healthcare executive, and one of America’s leading public health experts. She is a columnist for The Washington Post, where she writes a twice-weekly column on medicine and public health and anchors the Post newsletter, “The Checkup with Dr. Wen.” She is also a clinical associate professor at George Washington University, where she is a distinguished fellow of the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity; a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; the host of HLTH’s The Beat Executive Video Series; and a frequently featured on-air commentator, including as a medical analyst for CNN and guest contributor for NPR, PBS and BBC.
Previously, she served as Baltimore’s Health Commissioner, where she led the nation’s oldest continuously operating health department in the U.S. to fight the opioid epidemic, address disparities and mental health access, and improve maternal and child health. She is author of two critically acclaimed books, When Doctors Don’t Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests and Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Wen obtained her medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine and studied health policy at the University of Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. She completed her residency training in emergency medicine at Brigham & Women’s Hospital & Massachusetts General Hospital, where she was a clinical fellow at Harvard Medical School.
A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Dr. Wen has received recognition as one of Governing’s Public Officials of the Year, Modern Healthcare’s Top 50 Physician-Executives, World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders, and TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
Dr. Wen lives with her husband and their two young children in Baltimore. In her free time, she loves cycling, trail running, and open water swimming.
Dr. Leana Wen delivered an outstanding keynote for our Board of Trustees and senior leadership, bringing deep expertise, clarity, and passion to critical issues in public health, health equity, and advocacy. Her ability to translate complex challenges into actionable insights was invaluable, and our leaders left the session both inspired and better equipped to navigate the evolving healthcare landscape. Dr. Wen’s authenticity, engaging style, and real-world experience made her message resonate deeply with our audience. It was a privilege to have her with us, and I highly recommend her as a speaker for any health system or leadership forum.
CEO of healthcare system
Leana is one of the best public speakers I’ve seen. She really knows how to use narrative to convey information. Her presentation at the conference were finely crafted, using brief, compelling stories (and some surprising twists) to make serious points without ever losing the audience’s attention. And unlike many speakers, she seems to be truly enjoying herself on stage.
Technology Company
Having been a trial lawyer, I value communication skills. Dr. Wen delivers powerful messages through her enjoyable presentations. I heard her keynote address—her talk held the room rapt. With an easy conversational tone, she delivered a substantive message subtly, but compellingly.
Law Association
Dr. Wen is an extraordinary speaker. She is passionate about her work and compassionate with the audience she is addressing. Her knowledge and tone earned her some of the highest audience ratings of any of our conference speakers.
Healthcare Trade Association
Dr. Wen’s keynote presentation was 'spot-on'. She was incredibly engaging and addressed the most current issues facing healthcare and hospitals. She customized her content to meet the needs of our audience, delivered the current facts and reality of the healthcare landscape, and left our group with light at the end of the tunnel. She understands technology, and delivered her virtual presentation with passion and energy. It was a pleasure to work with her. We would certainly recommend Dr. Wen to our healthcare colleagues.
Regional Hospital Association
Dr. Leana Wen’s talk was received with enthusiasm by attendees. Attendees commented that she was incredibly engaging and a joy to watch. She was very passionate and sparked similar desire in the listeners. Dr. Wen is such a knowledgeable resource. The attendees expressed how fortunate we were that she made time to share her experiences with us. We greatly appreciated how she tailored her content to the needs of our organization and the theme of the forum. It was a great pleasure to work with Dr. Wen and to have her as our keynote of our event. It will be my honor to invite Dr. Wen to be our keynote speaker at our future events.
Trade Association
Dr. Wen is empowering in a very unique way—a way that allows her audience to connect to the content of her presentation such that they feel they are part of the presentation themselves. Dr. Wen leaves her audience with an unforgettable perspective to contemplate and relate to their own lives.
Hospital
Dr. Wen is both an incredibly accomplished physician and a truly engaging public speaker. When she presents, her words are not only insightful and personal, but highly actionable as well. She challenges conventional wisdom and gives her audience simple recommendations to improve their doctor-patient relationships and ultimately their health outcomes.
Corporate Client
