Public health leader to spearhead expansion of Sing for Hope’s impactful arts-based Public Health & Wellbeing program.
New York, United States Nov. 15, 2024 – Sing for Hope, the pioneering non-profit organization known for its two decades of impactful work bringing hope and healing to communities through the transformative power of the arts, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello as its inaugural Chief of Public Health Innovation.
Dr. Kalyanaraman Marcello is a highly respected public health leader, researcher, and advocate with over 20 years of experience developing, implementing, and evaluating programs that address health disparities. Her community health and health equity expertise will be invaluable to Sing for Hope as the organization seeks to optimize and scale its evidence-based, high-impact programming.
“Dr. Kalyanaraman Marcello’s appointment as Chief of Public Health Innovation marks a significant step forward in Sing for Hope’s commitment to the burgeoning field of arts and health,” said Renée Fleming, world-renowned soprano and arts advocate, Sing for Hope founding board member. “Her expertise will be invaluable in strengthening our evidence-based programs and solidifying Sing for Hope’s position as a leader in this fast-evolving field.”
Prior to joining Sing for Hope, Dr. Kalyanaraman Marcello served for six years as Senior Director of Research and Evaluation in the Office of Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation’s largest municipal healthcare system. In this role, she led rigorous evaluations of initiatives to address health inequities, conducted innovative studies on COVID-19 disparities, designed training to promote COVID-19 vaccination, and launched initiatives to improve access to healthy food. Earlier in her career, she served for five years at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she played a key role in establishing a new unit to centralize and strengthen the agency’s capacity to develop and enact innovative public health policies. She has also worked as a communications and strategy advisor to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
In this newly created role, Dr. Kalyanaraman Marcello will spearhead the strategic development and expansion of Sing for Hope’s Public Health and Wellbeing program. This impactful program was one of the nation’s most robust employers of musicians during the pandemic with its arts-in-vaccine-confidence programming. Its initiatives bring the healing power of the arts to diverse settings, including healthcare facilities, community centers, and public spaces. She will also lead research initiatives to measure programmatic impact on individual and community wellbeing, further strengthening Sing for Hope’s evidence-based approach.
“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Kalyanaraman Marcello to the Sing for Hope team,” said Camille Zamora, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Sing for Hope. “Her exceptional leadership and deep commitment to public health will be essential as we continue to grow our programs and serve communities in need,” added Monica Yunus, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Sing for Hope.
Dr. Kalyanaraman Marcello will join Sing for Hope’s team of leading arts-in-health colleagues, including Director of Arts in Health Lis Chirinos and Healing Arts Programming Consultant Patty Reitkopf. “I am honored to join Sing for Hope,” said Dr. Kalyanaraman Marcello. “As a lifelong musician, the organization’s mission of creating a better world through the arts deeply resonates with me. The arts have a unique power to heal, inspire, and unite us all, and I look forward to working with the Sing for Hope team to advance the organization’s vital work.”
Dr. Kalyanaraman Marcello is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, from which she earned a Doctor of Public Health degree, a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Certificates in Health Communication and Vaccine Science and Policy. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from Yale University, where she studied music performance and played violin with the Yale Symphony Orchestra. A violinist, pianist, and singer, she lives in Brooklyn with her family.
Sing for Hope harnesses the power of the arts to create a better world. Our creative programs bring hope, healing, and connection to millions of people in hospitals, schools, care facilities, refugee camps, transit hubs, and community spaces worldwide. A non-profit organization founded in New York City in response to the events of 9/11, Sing for Hope partners with hundreds of community-based organizations, mobilizes thousands of artists in creative service, and produces artist-created Sing for Hope Pianos across the U.S. and around the world.
The official Cultural Partner of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, Sing for Hope champions art for all because we believe the arts have an unmatched capacity to uplift, unite, and heal.
Sing for Hope’s work is made possible by the Sing for Hope Founders’ Circle: The International Foundation for Arts and Culture (Dr. Haruhisa Handa, Chairman, Sing for Hope Global Patron), The Arnhold Foundation in loving memory of Sissy and Henry Arnhold, The Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, The Anna-Maria & Stephen Kellen Foundation, Jacqueline Novogratz and Chris Anderson, The Seedlings Foundation, and Ann Ziff; New York State Council on the Arts, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Fosun International, and the generosity of donors like you.
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