Brandon G. Wilson, DrPH, MHA, joined Community Catalyst as Director of the Center for Consumer Engagement in Health Innovation, following his tenure in federal service as a Public Health Advisor with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health. He led that office’s efforts on sexual orientation and gender inclusion (SOGI) data collection, policy efforts in post-acute care settings, and social determinants of health. He effectively engaged with federal partners and other CMS stakeholders to advance health equity in regulations, payment policy, models, and demonstrations. He also directed a strategic portfolio designed to strengthen the business case for health equity. Brandon most recently received the CMS Impact Award from CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure for advancing health equity and accessibility in COVID-19 for persons living with disabilities.

Prior to joining CMS Office of Minority Health, Brandon led portfolios in CMMI’s Accountable Health Communities Model and the Health Care Innovation Awards. At CMMI, he spearheaded and led the Health Equity Working Group, which laid the foundation for CMMI’s health equity focus in its strategy refresh. He also headed NIH/NIAD’s recruitment and retention approaches for increasing minority screening and enrollment in preventative and therapeutic vaccine clinical trials and participation in NIAID’s Community Advisory Board. Brandon also directed culture of patient safety quality improvement projects for the NIH Clinical Center Office of the Director. For his exceptional commitment and dedication in identifying a solution for a global infectious disease threat by advancing a malaria vaccine through a clinical trial, Brandon received awards from NIH’s Director, Dr. Francis Collins, and NIAID’s Director, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Brandon also brings a wealth of knowledge, skills, and abilities in HIV/AIDS advocacy, policy, and research from national policy organizations as the National Association of People with AIDS.    

Dr. Wilson completed his master’s degree in Health Systems Management at George Mason University in 2013 and his Doctor of Public Health at Morgan State University in 2020, where his dissertation was on culturally adapting NIH’s PROMIS-29 health-related quality of life profile for and with Black Sexual and Gender Minorities living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S., using the Rash rating scale model for psychometric validation. He also holds a Health Sciences (Health Administration and Public Health) faculty appointment at Purdue University, where he has taught courses in health economics and policy, community health needs assessments, and healthcare marketing. His research interests include using patient-centered and indigenous models of care, health economics outcomes research, policy analysis, and community-based participatory and action research to eliminate health disparities and advance health equity in underserved and disinvested communities.