Kevin Sykes, PhD, MPH

Kevin Sykes, PhD, MPH is the chair of the APHA Science Board and an ex-officio member of the Executive Board. He has been a member of the Science Board since 2019. As an active member of the International Health Section, he serves as a Governing Councilor, a position he has held since 2018. From 2013 to 2019, he was the Co-Chair of the Policy and Advocacy Committee for the International Health Section.

Dr. Sykes is a healthcare disparities researcher and the Director of Clinical Research for the Health and Wellness Center at Baylor Scott and White Health in Dallas, Texas. Previously, he worked for the University of Kansas Medical Center as a Research Associate Professor and the Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and held teaching, mentoring, and research responsibilities in the Department of Population Health. Dr. Sykes’ primary research interest is the development of interventions to solve healthcare inequities, inefficiencies, or gaps in quality for those historically underserved by medicine. He has been funded and published on a range of topics including clinical trials for patients with cancer, community health worker workforce development, sense of smell measurement, and effective models for international medical missions. Dr. Sykes holds a PhD in Health Policy and Management along with a Master of Public Health degree both from the University of Kansas. His Bachelor of Science in Biology is from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee.