Dedra Buchwald, MD

Dedra Buchwald, MD, grew up near Detroit, Michigan. Both of her parents came from Germany, and she was raised bilingual and bicultural. She received her medical degree from the University of California San Diego, and is the Director of the Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH) at Washington State University. Dedra has a broad background in public health and primary care, with special emphases on culturally competent care and the health of American Indians. She was introduced to the field of Indian Health about 25 years ago by her husband, Spero Manson (Pembina Chippewa). She has dedicated much of her life’s work to improving the health of underserved populations, including refugees, immigrants, and racial and ethnic minorities. Dedra leads Partnerships for Native Health, which is one of the world’s largest research programs on American Indian and Alaska Native health. She also founded and directs the Native Investigator Training Program, which is the nation’s most successful career-training program for American Indian and Alaska Native junior faculty. Dedra’s work considers health at the level of the individual, the community, and the health system. She conducts research and interventions that target population health disparities and the social determinants of health, particularly among American Indians and Alaska Natives. In her spare time, Dedra loves to travel, especially in Europe, where she cycles and eats well. She also loves being with family and friends in Seattle.