Passang Gonrong, MPH | Senior Program Manager, Cancer Prevention

Passang was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. As a child of Tibetan immigrant-refugee parents, she has experienced and seen the disparities Asian and other immigrant communities face navigating the U.S health system. Her interest in public health stems from wanting to create a public health system that is equitable and inclusive for all communities. She received her B.S in Interdisciplinary Health with a concentration in health diversity and her MPH from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. During her MPH program, she did her practicum at the Chinese Mutual Aid Association in Chicago.  

Previously, Passang worked at the Illinois Public Health Institute, where she helped manage federal grants supporting physical activity, nutrition, breast/chestfeeding, and social connectedness strategies across Illinois. Passang has experience working with diverse populations, including communities of color and rural communities. She has an interest in and focuses on creating equitable community-centered health programming.  

As Senior Program Manager for Cancer Prevention, Passang oversees the implementation of federal and state grants supporting health systems and community-based organizations to increase colorectal and prostate cancer screenings and awareness in Illinois.   

In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and biking the lake shore path.