Ralph Forquera (pronounced Four-Care-Uh) is Executive Director for the Seattle Indian Health Board and the Director of the Urban Indian Health Institute. A member of the Juaneño Band of California Mission Indians, Mr. Forquera is a recognized authority on urban Indian health, has authored articles and book chapters on the subject, and served as the executive producer and panelist on a video documentary on the creation of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act that codified the urban Indian health program for the nation. He has a master in public health degree from California State University, Northridge. He holds a faculty appointment as an associate clinical professor for the University of Washington, School of Public Health. He lectures extensively on urban Indian health throughout the nation. He represents the interest of urban Indians on numerous state and national health disparities and health reform initiatives. In creating the Urban Indian Health Institute in 2000, Mr. Forquera recognized the importance of scientifically-sound data as the foundation for social and health policy planning and advocacy. His work has expanded discussion around the inclusion of data on small and mostly invisible populations like urban Indians with government entities responsible for gathering and analyzing information on the health of Americans.

Read more about Mr. Forquera