Bentonville economic-renewal nonprofit Heartland Forward has hired Anusuya Roy Chatterjee as its director of health.
According to a press release, Chatterjee assumes the role on the firm’s growing research team led by Chief Research Officer Dave Shideler. She will focus on economic implications on heartland businesses and talent. As an economist, Chatterjee has led research efforts on chronic disease prevention and management, obesity, the economics of nutrition, investment in medical technologies and aging.
“It is a very competitive landscape to find someone like Anu and what she brings to the table,” said Ross DeVol, president and CEO of Heartland Forward. “Anu and I had an opportunity to work together during my tenure at the Milken Institute, so I am aware of the caliber of her work. With her joining the team, we look forward to building out our focus on health and wellness and furthering our mission of economic renewal in the heartland.”
Chatterjee co-authored several influential articles with DeVol on the economic consequences of unhealthy behaviors and making the economic case for investments in prevention. Forbes and the San Diego Union Tribune have published Chatterjee’s opinion articles and cited her as a field expert.
As part of her work with HF, Chatterjee will dedicate time to the Whole Health Institute (WHI), an organization founded by Alice Walton with a commitment to radically redesign the systems impacting our health and well-being. Her research will focus on current health care trends facing employers, insurers, governments and communities. This research will then be transferred into recommendations for policy actions at the state, regional and local levels.
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