Health Equity Leadership
Message from the NCDHHS Office of Health Equity Director
North Carolinians have major differences in their health, their healthy lifestyle, resources and medical care depending on where they live. People often face challenges such as access to healthcare providers, medications, transportation services, digital equity, and caregivers.
Health disparities are driven by a complex interaction between social, lifestyle, environmental, and biological determinants of health, including a long history of implicit bias and structural racism embedded in the nation’s systems of healthcare. Factors that influence health disparities include lack of employment, inadequate housing, food insecurity, less education, digital inequity and less access to healthcare. People in rural areas often face major challenges in access to healthcare providers, medications, transportation services and caregivers.
Together we have made great strides in North Carolina. But there still is much work to do. YOU are vital in the efforts to help achieve more across our beautiful state of North Carolina. Whether you are a cancer survivor, caregiver, policymaker, employer, community health worker, school staff or student, community leader or public health or healthcare professional, your contribution and participation are vital in the process to help eliminate health disparities.
Health disparities touch more than race or ethnicity. They touch the unique individuals, homes, communities, small businesses, services and resources, geographic areas, etc. Those that are the most vulnerable and affected by compounding factors affect all of us. It is important that everyone has equal ability to access what is needed. It takes all of us to find that common mission to work together and identify the issues, share resources, time, and efforts to keep our communities healthy and safe.
Anyone that truly knows me will tell you about my drive, heart and love for people, building healthy communities, and serving as a connector and ambassador for health equity.
I invite you to join together with us!
NCDHHS Health Equity Acting Director Portia Pope, Ph.D., MPA
Dr. Portia Pope serves as the Acting Director of the Office of Health Equity and Community Engagement within the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. She brings over 20 years of experience leading public service programs across North Carolina and California, with a career grounded in advancing health equity and supporting vulnerable populations.
Prior to her current role, Dr. Pope served as Deputy Director of the Office of Health Equity and previously led the Durham Children's Developmental Services Agency in the Division of Child and Family Well-Being, where she directed federally funded early intervention services for young children and their families. Earlier in her career, she spent over a decade in executive leadership through a federal agency contract, overseeing programs in all 50 states and U.S. territories and managing a $200 million annual budget.
Dr. Pope holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and is a former Woodland Hall Leadership Fellow. She also earned a Master of Public Administration, a Master’s in Early Childhood Education, and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She maintains national certifications in project management, agile project management, contract management, and Lean Six Sigma, along with an endorsement in infant and early childhood mental health.
Dr. Pope is a visiting scholar and instructor with the University of the Virgin Islands, North Carolina A&T State University, and the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute’s National Center on Program Management. She serves on the Duke University Autism Center of Excellence Community Engagement Advisory Board, the North Carolina Infant Mental Health Advisory Group, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region IV Health Equity Council. In 2025, she received the prestigious Cheryl Boyce Leadership Award from the National Association of State Offices of Minority Health (NASOMH) in recognition of her exceptional leadership, mentorship, and advocacy in advancing health equity nationwide.
Dr. Pope is also a published author in leadership studies and resides in rural North Carolina.