History and Mission

History

The Center was established in 2001 as a Texas A&M University Board of Regent’s approved center by the inaugural director, Dr. B. Lee Green. CHEER is the only Center at Texas A&M University that focuses exclusively on health equity.  Upon Dr. Green’s departure in 2006, there have been several Center directors who have led the charge of promoting better health outcomes to achieve health equity through Center research, education, and outreach including Dr. Mary Shaw-Ridley (2007-2012), Dr. E. Lisako J McKyer (2012-2015), Dr. Idethia Shevon Harvey (2015-2021), and Dr. Tamika Gilreath (2021-2022). 

Mission

The primary mission of CHEER is leveraging innovative health equity research to improve the quality of life and health outcomes across the lifespan among at-risk populations globally. To achieve this mission, CHEER is committed to:

1. Conducting novel interdisciplinary research through an intersectional lens that has a significant public health impact;
2. Training the next generation of health equity scholars and leaders
3. Providing health equity evaluation services to state, national, and private agencies to improve health outcomes in disenfranchised communities and socially marginalized populations