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Danya Keene, PhD

she/her/hers
Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences)

Contact Information

Danya Keene, PhD

Appointments

Biography

Danya Keene is an Associate Professor of Social Behavioral Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health. Her research examines housing and housing policy as determinants of population health equity. Moving beyond a focus on housing and individual health, her work considers how an ongoing history of racially discriminatory housing and urban policies have constrained housing access for non-white Americans, and thus contribute to racial health equity. Her work has examined a range of topics including public housing demolition, home foreclosure, the stigmatization of marginalized communities, and the housing experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals. Much of her current work is focused on examining the population health implications of the affordable rental housing crisis. For example, she is using local and nationally representative data to explore whether and how access to federal rental assistance can improve type 2 diabetes management and outcomes. In other work, she is investigating the impact of eviction prevention policies during the COVID 19 pandemic. Dr. Keene is recognized as an expert in qualitative methods and frequently employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches in her work. She teaches a core MPH course called Social Justice and Health Equity and is the founding director of YSPH's US Health Justice Concentration.

Education & Training

  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar
    University of Pennsylvania (2013)
  • PhD
    University of Michigan (2009)
  • MAT
    Johns Hopkins University (2001)

Honors & Recognition

AwardDate
Yale School of Public Health Distinguished Mentor Award2017

Professional Service

OrganizationRoleDate
Housing Authority of New HavenBoard Member2020 - Present

Departments & Organizations