Joseph Griffin, DrPH

Joseph Griffin is a dedicated public health practitioner, advocate, and researcher with over 15 years of experience, much of which has been spent exploring violence as a public health issue. Joseph completed his doctorate in public health at the University of California, Berkeley, where his research focused on community-level healing from community-wide trauma. Joseph conducted his research in his hometown of Richmond, California, in partnership with Pogo Park, a community redevelopment organization which he first got involved with as a community volunteer. Joseph is a part-time lecturer in the UC Berkeley School of Public Health and the Department of Public Health at San Francisco State University, where he teaches courses on building healthy cities, community organizing and engagement, and community health theory.

Joseph is passionate about building the bridge between research and practice. He is known as an innovative program designer and organizer and has extensive experience working with communities in Oakland, Richmond, and San Francisco. Indeed, Joseph brings a plethora of experiences working in violence prevention, including at Youth ALIVE!, where he held many positions since his initial role as Teens on Target advocacy coordinator in 2009. Joseph has also served as the NNHVIP (the predecessor to The HAVI) project manager, Healing Justice Alliance training officer, Violence Prevention Professional Certification education consultant, and Cal VIP evaluation consultant. He previously led the Department of Peer Learning at the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention. In this role, he supported hospital-based violence intervention programs around the world through collaboration and community building.

Previously, Joseph served as the Director of Strategy for Health Equity and Education at Oakland Thrives, the Joint Powers Authority organization focused on advancing well-being and equity for Oakland children, families, and communities. In this role, he facilitated collaborations between partners working on youth mental health, literacy, and funding efforts.

In his free time, Joseph enjoys spending time with his family. In the fall, he can be found cheering on Cal football and the 49ers. Year round, his love for Hip Hop and new TV shows runs deep and his ears are always open for recommendations.