Barbara A. Dennison

Director of Policy and Research Translation; Clinical Professor
New York State Department of Health; School of Public Health, University at Albany-SUNY

Barbara A. Dennison, MD, is the Director of Policy and Research Translation Unit, Division of Chronic Disease Prevention at the New York State Department of Health and Clinical Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the Department of Health Policy, Management and Behavior at the School of Public Health, University at Albany. She is a policy analyst and public health researcher who focuses on translation of evidence-based strategies to prevent and control chronic diseases across the life span. 

Dr. Dennison’s work has focused on the development, implementation and evaluation of state and local policies to improve population health and increase transparency through public reporting of health outcomes, with a focus on reducing disparities. She has served on national expert advisory panels to prevent obesity and cardiovascular disease, address social determinants of health and promote health equity. Dr. Dennison graduated from the University of Wisconsin Medical School, completed a pediatric residency at the University of Chicago Hospitals and post-doctoral fellowships at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and Cornell University.

  • Starting January 1, 2018, New York State’s Paid Family Leave Act—a new state law mandating that employers provide paid family leave benefits through an employee-paid insurance policy—will be effective. This study will evaluate the impact of this law, focusing on three questions:

    September 27, 2017