Thu Quach, MPH '00

Thu Quach, PhD, MPH, is a visionary public health leader whose work has transformed care and expanded opportunity for countless individuals and families. As President of Asian Health Services (AHS), she oversees medical, dental, behavioral health, research, quality, data analytics, and community services with a deep commitment to ensuring that underserved communities are seen, heard, and supported.

Throughout her career, Dr. Quach has championed strategies that increase visibility in policy and care for historically overlooked communities. At Asian Health Services, she has expanded culturally and linguistically responsive mental health services, creating pathways to healing for families, women, and young people navigating trauma, isolation, and systemic barriers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she mobilized multilingual Asian American and Pacific Islander teams to bring testing, contact tracing, and vaccination services directly to communities.

Her research, service, and advocacy work have been grounded in her own lived experience as a Vietnamese refugee and the struggles her family faced in the health care system. Inspired by her late mother, Dr. Quach conducted groundbreaking research on the health and safety of nail and hair salon workers that has helped shape policy and improve protections for workers.

Dr. Quach currently serves as Board Chair of the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) and sits on the Alameda County Behavioral Health Advisory Board. She also co-founded a national progressive Vietnamese American non-profit organization to promote civic engagement among Vietnamese Americans throughout the nation.

Dr. Quach earned her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health in 2000 and her Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology from UC Berkeley.

In 2026, Dr. Quach was inducted into the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Hall of Fame and received the Hall of Fame Award.