Zena Simmons

Zena Simmons is a rising physician leader, professor, researcher, and advocate dedicated to advancing community health, global medicine, and education. She earned a B.S. in Sports Medicine from Pepperdine University with a focus on foreign language and global health and is fluent in French and Spanish. Her global health experiences and mission work have taken her to more than 20 countries, including Switzerland, Argentina, Haiti, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Fiji. She earned both a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences and a Master of Public Health in Urban Health Disparities from Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, graduating summa cum laude and receiving the Academic Excellence Award. Her academic and research efforts have focused on health disparities and underserved communities. Dr. Simmons received her M.D. from the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, where she served as a Vice Chancellor’s Mission-Based Advocacy Regional Community Health Scholar. Throughout medical school, she held numerous leadership positions, including Co-President of Organized Medicine, American Medical Association Outreach Leader, California Medical Association-MSS Chair, and board member of the SSVMS Health Equity Advisory Committee. Her accomplishments include receiving the inaugural Dr. Prentiss Taylor Scholarship from National Medical Fellowships, recognition for global health work by Best in California magazine, the Education 2.0 Outstanding Leadership Award in Dubai, and the 2026 Emerging Leader in Healthcare and Education Award. She has authored multiple scientific and clinical research publications and has been recognized with numerous honors throughout her career. A frequent speaker and educator, Dr. Simmons has served as a featured panelist at London LOSD, she is a guest lecturer at Sacramento State University, and appointed faculty member at Sac State BHC. She remains committed to advancing equitable healthcare through leadership.