Ashwin Vasan
Dr. Ashwin Vasan, ScM, MD, PhD, is an internist, epidemiologist, and health policy leader recognized nationally for advancing innovative, data-driven public health solutions. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Yale School of Public Health and Affiliate Faculty at the Jackson School of Global Affairs, following a decade on the faculty at Columbia University.
From 2021 to 2024, Dr. Vasan served as New York City’s Health Commissioner and Senior Public Health Advisor to the Mayor, where he led the city’s recovery from COVID-19 and launched HealthyNYC, a comprehensive initiative aimed at raising life expectancy by reducing preventable, premature deaths. His tenure was marked by major policy advances in healthcare affordability, mental health, and overdose prevention, including efforts to relieve $2 billion in medical debt and the creation of New York City’s first Office of Healthcare Accountability to increase transparency in hospital pricing.
A leader in public-private collaboration, Dr. Vasan integrated technology and policy to modernize public health systems. He founded the Center for Population Health Data Science, an advanced citywide health informatics hub, and mobilized more than 30 private-sector partners through HealthyNYC’s Champions Initiative. He also spearheaded digital mental health programs such as NYC TeenSpace, delivering licensed tele-mental health services to over 50,000 adolescents, while expanding supportive housing and rehabilitative care for individuals with severe mental illness.
Prior to his role as Commissioner, Dr. Vasan was President and CEO of Fountain House, where he transformed the organization into a national leader in mental health advocacy, expanded Medicaid-reimbursable services, and secured significant philanthropic investment. Earlier in his career, he worked in global health with Partners In Health and the World Health Organization to expand access to HIV/AIDS treatment.
A native of Chicago with roots in Chennai, India, Dr. Vasan holds degrees from UCLA, Harvard University, the University of Michigan, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He currently serves as an advisor to the Milken Institute and on the boards of several national mental health organizations.
