MD – Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Residency – Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY

Biography: Dr. Angela Venegas Murillo, pediatrician, is interested in child health services research, applying rigorous methodology to community partnered participatory research, and to reducing disparities for under-resourced ethnic minority children and their families, especially those who have experienced life-threatening trauma.  She also aspires to become a political leader in her community of South Central Los Angeles in order to advocate for health equity and fair hiring practices.   

Dr. Venegas Murillo’s main research and community partner project is titled “Can elementary afterschool programs address and prevent child mental health disparities?” Her mentors on this project were Drs. Sheryl Kataoka and Paul Chung at UCLA.  Her community partner is Mrs. Pia Escudero, Director of the LAUSD School Mental Health.  Other partners include LA Trust / LAUSD Wellness Centers; Dr. Patricia Lester at UCLA Nathanson Family Resilience Center; LA’s BEST; and Dr. Keosha Partlow, Director of the Urban Health Institute at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.   

The findings of this pilot were presented to LA’s BEST staff and the existing Wellness Center Learning Collaborative for sharing of lessons learned and feedback from the broader Wellness Center network of 14 sites. Findings were also be shared with the national School-Based Health Alliance and national afterschool alliances. The information will also be presented to the local community through a community presentation and submission of work for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.  Other methods of dissemination included an article in the school bulletin, a PTA meeting presentation, and through a school assembly. 

With this mentor team, Dr. Venegas Murillo designed and executed a preventive clinical outreach program on conflict resolution and resiliency for trauma afflicted communities. Community Health Workers were trained to mediate an afterschool classroom curriculum for both children and their caregivers on problem solving skills, relationship building and coping skills through the utilization of various evidence-based psychotherapeutic methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. A proposal was developed to pilot an intervention addressing the gap in mental health care in the elementary afterschool setting.   

Dr. Venegas Murillo completed the Masters of Science in Health Policy Management in Spring 2018 and was approved to extend her NCSP fellowship for a third year and was selected as a UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute TL1 postdoctoral trainee for the 2018-19 academic year.  Angela was awarded the 2019 Academic Pediatric Association Young Investigator Award for $15,000. 

Dr. Venegas Murillo is currently appointed as an Assistant Professor in the College of Medicine at Charles Drew University and continues in her roles as General Pediatrician & Health Service Researcher.