When the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the Bronx, existing health disparities such as asthma, diabetes, and high mortality rates placed communities at increased risk. Tiffany Henley, PhD, associate professor in Pace University’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences Public Administration program, sought to understand how healthcare training and education could improve care for marginalized groups.
Henley worked with colleagues from Pace University’s College of Health Professions and Montefiore Hospital on a study supported by an interdisciplinary research grant from Pace. The team used appreciative inquiry, a qualitative method, to explore how frontline healthcare workers adapted during the crisis. Their research focused on both challenges faced and effective strategies that supported patient care.
“Our research revealed the power of collaboration and real-time learning,” Henley explains. “Healthcare professionals across departments—from nutritionists to critical care nurses—quickly adapted, shared information, and drew on institutional knowledge to meet the needs of patients.”
The study was published in the Journal of Health and Human Services Administration. It highlights the value of interprofessional education, mentorship programs, and diversity initiatives in addressing health disparities.
Henley incorporates these findings into her teaching at Pace University. Students in her courses participate in research projects, community health assessments, and exercises aimed at practical problem-solving. “I want my students to leave with practical skills and a mindset focused on evidence-based solutions,” she says.
During her sabbatical in Virginia, Henley is broadening her community-focused research through a partnership with Kennedy’s Angel Gowns—a nonprofit founded by her sister—to lead a maternal health assessment evaluating community-based doulas’ impact on low-income families. With student involvement and grant funding, this project will produce reports and articles intended to advance maternal health equity.
For Henley, these efforts are driven by personal motivation. “I’ve always felt called to serve the community,” she reflects. “Through research and teaching, I see my role as helping others—whether it’s patients, students, or families—reach their full potential.”
