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Maria L. Portela, MD,MPH

Health Workforce Diversity Initiative
GW/SMA/Mullan Institute
BETHESDA, Maryland, United States

Dr. Portela is the Chief of the Family Medicine Section within the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical Faculty Associates at George Washington University (GW). Through this role she works towards expanding the footprint of Primary Care and Family Medicine at GW and the Medical Faculty Associates to improve access and quality of care in the community as well as to increase family medicine exposure and mentorship opportunities for students. Dr. Portela is an Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine, where she serves as a Professional Development Mentor and a Public Health Mentor at the medical school and Principal Investigator of OMH Health Equity Leadership Development Initiative (HELDI).

Dr. Portela prior worked in HHS at the Health Resources Services Administration leading efforts to re-envision primary care training focused on transforming health care delivery systems aimed at improving access, quality of care and cost-effectiveness. Dr. Portela previously provided volunteer clinical services at Unity Health Care, a Federally Qualified Health Center in DC and in 2017 was an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity at George Washington University.

Previously, while pursuing medical school training in her native Puerto Rico, she shared in the development of an assessment on the health and education sectors for President Obama's Task Force on Puerto Rico's Economic Development. Subsequently, she pursued residency training at Duke, and completed the Commonwealth Fund Mongan Fellowship in Minority Health Policy at Harvard, where she obtained her master's degree with concentrations in Public Health Leadership and Health Policy and Management.

Dr. Portela has taken diverse leadership roles and has served in Health Equity local, state and national boards and committees. She is passionate about increasing access and quality of health care services to vulnerable populations, and about teaching, mentorship, diversity, and inclusion.

Disclosure information not submitted.

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