OZLEM EQUILS, MD, FAAP – North Coastal Area Director
Dr. Ozlem Rafaela Equils, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric infectious diseases specialist with more than 20 years of experience in academic medicine, public health, clinical research, and healthcare leadership. She is a former NIH-funded Associate Professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Dr. Equils has dedicated her career to improving the health of children and families through clinical care, research, education, and public health. Her expertise includes pediatric infectious diseases, immunology, vaccines, health equity, and health literacy. During the COVID-19 and mpox public health emergencies, she supported outbreak response efforts with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. She currently works as a Medical Monitor at Novotech CRO, supporting clinical trials.
Dr. Equils is also the Founder and President of MiOra.org, a nonprofit focused on improving health literacy, expanding healthcare education, and mentoring future healthcare professionals, especially students from underserved backgrounds.
She lives in Santa Rosa with her family and is committed to supporting pediatricians across Northern California through collaboration, mentorship, advocacy, and strong communication to improve child health in the North Coastal Region.