Revonda Darensbourg, DrPH, MPH, MSW
Revonda Darensbourg, DrPH, MPH, MSW, is a passionate public health leader whose work is rooted in a lifelong commitment to serving her community. Inspired from an early age, she began her career in social work as a mental health therapist, supporting individuals through substance abuse challenges and disaster recovery. These early experiences shaped her deep understanding of trauma and resilience, ultimately guiding her transition into public health research and community-based initiatives focused on mental health equity and engagement.
Today, Revonda’s work sits at the intersection of violence prevention and health equity, where she brings a trauma-informed lens to every initiative she leads. With a strong emphasis on addressing social determinants of health—such as access to food, clothing, housing, and safety—she is dedicated to ensuring that programs reflect the real, lived experiences of the communities they serve. Whether through research, program management, or partnerships, she prioritizes trust-building and meaningful engagement, recognizing that sustainable change begins with listening to and uplifting community voices.
Throughout her career, Revonda has combined academic expertise with hands-on experience to design and implement impactful, equity-driven solutions. As a public health professional and advocate, she continues to bridge the gap between research and practice, ensuring that data-informed strategies translate into real-world improvements. Her work reflects a steadfast belief that health equity is not just an outcome, but a process—one that requires compassion, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of others.
• Alcorn State University- B.A.
• Tulane University School of Social Work- M.S.W.
• Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine- M.P.H.
• Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine- Dr.P.H.
• National Honor Society Member
• Community Service Award
• President's Staff Excellance Award
• Spirit of Community Services Award
• Leann Joy Knot Award
• Ronald E. McNair Scholar
• GirlTrek
• The Pad Project
• Girls on the Run New Orleans
• American Heart Association - New Orleans
What do you attribute your success to?
First, I give my spiritual beliefs, of course, my faith in God. I could not have done this without my faith. And then, of course, my family. I've been blessed. It was not easy, and I think during different stages of my educational journey, I experienced trauma - whether it's my father being murdered, losing my mother to breast cancer, still being a mother and having two children to take care of. That was devastating, and you want to give up, but I remember my mom saying what she instilled in me as a little girl - we walk by faith, not by sight, and just continuing to just trust the process. I reach out where I need help, whether to my professors or my husband, who's amazing. My children - looking at their faces, my son was born with a tracheoesophageal fistula repair, something I never heard of. He's had 21 surgeries today. Seeing how he can overcome all of that, I'm like, you know what? No journey is not too hard for me, because if my faith is strong, I know my purpose of why I'm doing this is to inspire them. If I could watch him fight, I know I can fight. Just watching him go through what he went through, seeing how my children are so strong, I'm like, okay, they're looking to mom, but let me make sure I'm submitting this assignment. Let me reach out for help if I need help.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve received is to “walk by faith, not by sight,” trusting the process even when the path isn’t clear. At the same time, I’ve learned that nobody’s coming to save you—you have to advocate for yourself and not be afraid to reach out for support when you need it.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Definitely, I would think, if it's on a personal level, self-care. Be more self-aware, learn who you are as an individual, not even a human being, not so much as just whatever race or identity, just as a human being, learn about yourself. On a professional level, network, build connections, that way you can grow professionally and learn and give back to others. So it's just learn, being more self-aware and building connections as well.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is addressing the social determinants of health—ensuring people have access to basic needs like food, housing, and essential resources—especially for those who have experienced trauma. There is also ongoing work needed to destigmatize issues like menstrual health and improve equitable access to care and resources. At the same time, there is a powerful opportunity to deepen community engagement, apply trauma-informed approaches across programs, and build lasting trust through consistent, relationship-centered work.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are faith, community, being present, building trust, and a deep commitment to serving others.