Dr. Emanuel Alcala, PhD

Dr. Emanuel Alcala, PhD, is the Assistant Director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute (CVHPI) at Fresno State, where he plays a lead role in developing and designing methodology for research and program evaluation. Throughout his tenure with CVHPI, Dr. Alcala has collaborated with local government agencies, researchers, and community members to conduct local and regional research.

In his work with the San Joaquin Valley Public Health Consortium (SJVPHC), Dr. Alcala, in collaboration with other researchers, developed region-wide reports on the social and environmental determinants of health across the life-course including children, adolescents, and older adults. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals across a wide range of health topics including pediatric asthma, ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, mental health hospitalizations, and risky drinking behaviors associated with youth.

Prior to joining CVHPI, Dr. Alcala earned a BA in psychology and an MA in General/Experimental Psychology from California State University, Fresno. He received his PhD in the Department of Public Health at the University of California, Merced, and is a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Research Scholar fellow.

Dr. Alcala's main focus is on conducting place-based research including neighborhood-level social and environmental determinants of health in the San Joaquin Valley. He aspires to work toward health equity by conducting research that impacts local and regional policy.