Celeste Davis

Celeste is passionate about the intersection of health equity, law, and education, and thus her professional roles have centered around advancing public health advocacy and community-engaged learning. As the Haas Center’s Director of Community Engaged Learning in Health, she leads the center’s initiatives connecting health-focused academic work with community impact, reporting to Star Plaxton-Moore, Associate Director of Community Engaged Learning and Research. In this role, she leverages design-thinking frameworks to develop impactful health curricula and strengthen partnerships that empower both students and community organizations.

She previously served as the Director of the Public Health Scholars program at American University, where she led a community-engaged cohort program of undergraduate students studying public health. Prior to that, she was the Chief Health Policy Officer at the Baltimore City Health Department, leading the agency’s policy advocacy efforts toward systemic health equity in the city. She also brings valuable experience from her time as a Clinical Fellow at the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School. Celeste holds a Juris Doctor from Boston University, a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Bennett College for Women. She is also a proud fifth-generation Michigander with rich ancestry tracing back to the Underground Railroad in Ontario, and she recently expanded her expertise in curriculum design at the Stanford d.school's Teaching and Learning Studio.

Outside of work, Celeste is an avid art collector and museum enthusiast who loves exploring galleries all over the world. Her favorite way to travel, however, is exploring new cities with her Boston Terrier, Roxy.