Oussama Mokeddem serves as the Director of State Policy at Public Health Advocates, one of California’s leading public health advocacy organizations, which works with communities to establish policies, systems and norms that promote health and racial justice. Oussama holds a Bachelor of Art in Political Science and African American Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. His research interests focus on the social implications of race on institutions and policy that revolves around the United States educational system. As a VèVè A. Clark Institute for African American Studies scholar, Oussama presented preliminary research findings at the 2017 University of California, Berkeley St. Clair Drake Research Symposium, a conference aimed at engaging in interdisciplinary conversations on topics of blackness and Black life. Previously, he served as the Policy and Advocacy Manager for the Sacramento Valley / Central California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, where he worked with local and statewide legislators, as well as community partners, to develop and advocate for community-centered policy pertaining to civil rights, criminal justice, public health, and immigration. Oussama has also served in various community leadership positions, such as the Northern California Regional Coordinator for MSA West, through which he served Muslim student populations across the state of California by advocating on their behalf to ensure that their diverse academic and socioeconomic needs are met. In his free time, Oussama loves to travel, chasing and surfing the gnarliest waves or enjoy a specialty coffee with people – meeting and connecting with people, as well as sharing your interests/special moments with loved ones is the foundation for a healthy and genuine society.