Mercedes Gutierrez is a medical doctor, public health leader, and expert trainer. She has extensive expertise in child care health consultation, health services, COVID-19 policies and procedures, environmental health, physical health, infectious disease, and injury prevention. For over 10 years, she supported Head Start programs in promoting the health and safety of young children and their families.
Currently, Gutierrez is a senior training and technical assistance associate for the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety. She designs and delivers trainings and products that build the capacity of Head Start programs to address social determinants of health and improve health outcomes.
Before joining EDC, Gutierrez was a student health services administrator, a Head Start child care health consultant, a Head Start health and nutrition manager, and a youth health educator. She is the co-author of an article published in Journal of Health Communication.
Gutierrez holds an MPH from Benedictine University, an MD from Universidad Iberoamericana, and a BS in Public Health from Temple University. She is fluent in English and Spanish.