In this heartfelt and grounded conversation, Dr. Pascale D. Edouard shares how faith, lived experience, and servant leadership have shaped her bold path in public health. From speaking up in systems that often fail to listen, to imagining a future with community-led solutions and more Black women in C-suite leadership, she offers a vision rooted in equity, grace, and courage. Dr. Edouard reminds us that public health must do more than talk the talk—it must walk alongside the people it serves.

Meet Dr. Pascale D. Edouard

Dr. Pascale D. Edouard (she/her) is the founder and Executive Director of the Black Women in Public Health C.O.N.N.E.C.T. Collective, a non-profit dedicated to advancing the professional growth and careers of Black women in public health.

A passionate public health leader and advocate for health equity, Dr. Edouard's work sits at the intersection of social justice and public health. With approximately 15 years of experience across nonprofits, government, academia, and national organizations, she is deeply committed to addressing the root causes of health inequities particularly those impacting Black and historically marginalized communities. She has served in multiple leadership roles including at the Florida Department of Health in Manatee and Sarasota counties, Manatee County Government, and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors.

She has led initiatives to recognize racism as a public health crisis, expand access to healthcare to underserved populations, led initiatives to improve maternal and child health, and develop workforce programs to include Manatee County Governments Community Health Worker's program and the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors Public Health AmeriCorps programs. Dr. Edouard earned her DrPH from the University of South Florida's College of Public Health, where her dissertation focused on the impacts of residential segregation on type 2 diabetes management.

A proud Haitian American born and raised in Miami, Dr. Edouard brings her lived experience, professional expertise, and unwavering commitment to equity into every space she enters including her role as the Founder and Principal Consultant of PDE Public Health Consulting, LLC.

Listen To This Episode of The Courageous Public Health Podcast

Conversation Highlights

• Rooted in Faith — Dr. Edouard shares how her Christian faith grounds her decisions, nourishes her courage, and reminds her she doesn’t have to “do it all” to be worthy or effective.
• First-Gen Public Health Leader — She reflects on being a first-generation college student and the eldest daughter of Haitian immigrants, and how that shaped her relationship to education, responsibility, and success.
• Courage in the Classroom — From advocating for students navigating trauma to calling out institutional failures, she shares moments when she chose to speak up and center humanity in academia.
• Servant Leadership — Dr. Edouard discusses how remembering her “why” has helped her show up with grace, courage, and integrity—especially when systems fail the very communities they’re meant to serve.
• A New Vision for Public Health — She challenges the field to embody the diversity it claims to value by including more Black women at the C-suite level and investing in community-led problem solving.
• Personal Liberation — Dr. Edouard reflects on shedding external expectations and embracing a courageous, creative path outside traditional career models—where she can lead, build, and serve on her own terms.

“We talk a good game about diversity in public health. But it’s time we walk the walk—especially at the C-suite level.” — Dr. Pascale D. Edouard

Stay In Touch:

Dr. Pascale D. Edouard on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pascalededouardmph/

Dr. Pascale Edouard and PDE Public Health Consulting, LLC on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/pdepublichealthconsulting/

Email Dr. Kristi McClamroch - [email protected]

Dr. Kristi McClamroch on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-mcclamroch/

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