Unpacked with Papa

Edward Garcia (Eddie), MHS-PH, is the Founder and Chair of the Foundation for Social Connection – a US-based non-profit organization dedicated to the translation of scientific research to real-world solutions to address social connection. He is the Vice Chair of its sister-organization, the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness – a non-profit advocacy organization fighting to raise national awareness and policy change to address the negative impacts of social isolation and loneliness within the US. He is also the Co-Founder and Board Member of the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection, a partnership with 15 countries across the globe, the World Health Organization, and the European Union focused on raising global awareness, supporting knowledge dissemination, and the development of systemic, nationally-based strategies to address social connection.

Eddie’s 20 years working in U.S.-government health care and social services programs has made him knowledgeable in a multitude of health and social policy issues. He has led and been actively involved in numerous multi-stakeholder coalitions aimed at improving the U.S. healthcare delivery and financing systems and served within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Congress between 2006-2016. Eddie currently serves as a Partner at Healthsperien, a U.S.-based healthcare and social services consulting firm focused on transforming systems of care for the most vulnerable populations. Eddie holds degrees in political science and comparative health politics from Boston University and a Master of Health Science in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Eddie works and resides in Washington, DC.