Patty Takawira, MPH

Patty Takawira leads the Aging and Healthy Communities Unit within the Center for Health Promotion at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Patty works with a small but mighty team passionate about advancing health equity and healthy aging. Her work focuses on collaborating with statewide partners to co-create solutions that help reduce dementia risk, detect dementia earlier, and improve the health and wellbeing of caregivers and people living with dementia. She also works to strengthen public health’s role in ensuring that we all have equitable opportunities to attain the best possible health and wellbeing as we age in Minnesota. In her “free” time, Patty enjoys playing in nature with her three young children and all the humor and joy they bring.