Last May, the Medical Association of Atlanta formed a task force with a goal of advancing evidence-based policies that improve social determinants of health and result in improvement of the health outcomes and economic well-being of Atlantans. This is the first in a three-part series that will touch on how physicians and healthcare systems can help influence housing, transportation, and food insecurity in Atlanta. This webinar will cover what is being done in Atlanta to tackle housing affordability challenges. Our goal today is to discuss how physicians can help move this work forward, but also to talk about how housing impacts physicians. Featuring Dr. Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber and Colin Delargy.

Theresa Rohr-Kirchgraber, M.D., M.A.C.P., F.A.M.W.A: California native Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber graduated from California State University, Long Beach, and Weill College of Medicine at Cornell. Training as an Internist at University Hospitals of Cleveland, she is a professor of medicine and clinician educator who joined the faculty of AU/UGA Medical Partnership in March 2021. A physician advocate, leading efforts to improve the health of women and their families, her leadership positions have included 1st Hispanic president of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), vice-chair of the American Medical Association (AMA) Women’s Physician Section, AMA Minority Affairs Governing Council and the Dissemination and Implementation Steering Committee for the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative with the American College of OBGYN. An inaugural fellow of AMWA Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber, is the recipient of many leadership and teaching awards. As an underrepresented in medicine professor of medicine, Dr. Rohr-Kirchgraber is passionate about the need for increased diversity in healthcare. Developing programs and mentoring, she strives to assist physicians and others to find satisfaction in their careers. Teaching to ensure our future physicians have a well-rounded background in clinical medicine and understand the social determinants that affect health and wellbeing, her clinical expertise is in primary care for adults and adolescents, especially those with chronic conditions.

Colin Delargy: Colin Delargy is Assistant Director of Strategy for the Housing Innovation Lab, part of the City of Atlanta’s Housing team. Colin focuses on strategies to increase the production and preservation of affordable housing in Atlanta, and to ensure that that housing meets the needs of residents and neighborhoods. Colin holds Masters degrees in Public Policy and City and Regional Planning from Georgia Tech, and a Bachelors in City and Regional Planning from the Technische Universität in Berlin, Germany. Colin currently resides in the Sylvan Hills neighborhood in Atlanta.

Last May, the Medical Association of Atlanta formed a task force with a goal of advancing evidence-based policies that improve social determinants of health and result in improvement of the health outcomes and economic well-being of Atlantans. This webinar is part of a series that will touch on how physicians and healthcare systems can help influence housing, transportation, and food insecurity in Atlanta. I am here today with Matthew Pieper, Chief Executive Officer of Open Hand Atlanta, and Aleta McLean, the Senior Director of Client Services & Outcomes Tracking. We will speak today about what is being done in Atlanta through Open Hand Atlanta to tackle food insecurity issues, touching on reliability, safe access, and more. Our goal today is to discuss how physicians can help move this work forward.

Open Hand Atlanta Resources:

Get Meals: https://www.openhandatlanta.org/get-meals/

Open Hand Research: https://www.openhandatlanta.org/food-is-medicine/research-impact/

Tufts University Cost Savings Study: https://now.tufts.edu/2025/04/07/medically-tailored-meal-programs-could-yield-significant-health-care-savings-across-49

Food is Medicine Coalition Published Research https://fimcoalition.org/research/published-research/

Good Measure Meals: https://www.goodmeasuremeals.com/

Volunteer at Open Hand: https://www.openhandatlanta.org/get-involved/volunteer/