EPISODE 40
Nov 13, 2024

the good fight with theresa cullen

Dr. Theresa “Terry” Cullen is on a mission to make Pima County, Arizona one of the healthiest in the nation. It will take dedication and plain gutsiness, qualities Terry has in spades. From her work as a rural doctor in the Indian Health Service, to deploying to West Africa during the Ebola crisis, and now her current role, Terry’s life is a masterclass in bravery, service, and fighting for what is right. 

We discuss:
  • Her work as a rural doctor with the Indian Health Service 
  • Deploying to West Africa in 2014 for the Ebola crisis
  • Why the VA and DOD could not agree on electronic health records
  • Her commitment to make Pima county one of the healthiest in the nation
Terry reminds us that sometimes we need to step back and look at the work we do through a new lens:

“My husband's an artist, and he challenges me all the time to look at something and look at the light. Look at the composition. Look at where it is. What's the pattern there? You know, a lot of medicine is based on pattern, but think of a disruptive pattern. Think of a puzzle where the piece doesn't fit and what do you need to do to make that piece fit? Because if it falls into place, maybe the whole thing will heal.”

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ABOUT OUR GUEST

Theresa Cullen is currently the Public Health Director of Pima County, Arizona. She has developed a strategic approach to transformational health status change with a goal of health equity through supporting a learning public health system model based on data and action. She continues to work closely with Tribal, federal, state and local partners to ensure that community needs are integrated into planning with a goal of health justice. Dr. Cullen, RADM (retired) USPHS, began her family medicine clinical career with Indian Health Service (IHS) and worked in leadership positions for 25 years with American Indian/Alaska Native communities with a goal of improving health status through innovation and data informatics. Dr. Cullen worked as the Chief Medical Information Officer for the Veterans Health Administration from 2012-2015 and Associate Director of Global Health Informatics at the Regenstrief Institute. She has been honored with multiple local, state and national awards including the USPHS Distinguished Service Medal, the University of Arizona Medical College Alumni Award, and the AMIA Don Detmer Award for informatics health policy contributions.

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