Dr. AsherLev (Asher) Santos’ academic training has always been global. His undergraduate degrees from Seattle University are in International Studies, Foreign Language and Humanities. After living and working in Japan he completed a Masters of Pacific International Affairs from the University of California San Diego (UCSD); and recently completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health, Global Health awarded by the Joint-Doctoral Program in Public Health between UCSD and San Diego State University (SDSU). His overall interest is in health diplomacy or how relationships between nations impact health outcomes. Of particular interest to him is the relationship between developing nations. He has focused on Brazil and its relationship with other Lusophone or Portuguese speaking countries, and is interested in Brazil’s role as a regional and international leader in health.

His applied experiences range in geographic location and in organization perspective. Dr. Santos has spent time studying in France, doing research in Brazil, and leading a study project in Jamaica. Additionally, he has worked for Japanese educational agencies and with the World Health Organization in Switzerland. He has experience conducting educational programs abroad, taking groups of students through Central Europe, Australia and Argentina. Both his international academic and practical training have grown his skills in several languages, and comfort at navigating different professional and cultural settings.

Locally Dr. Santos was a program director at UPAC (Union of Pan Asian Communities), and worked for the San Diego LGBT Community Center on youth and API youth targeted projects. He has worked as an HIV Prevention Health Planner for, and still works with, the HIV, STD and Hepatitis Branch of Public Health Services (HSHB).

Dr. Santos is a Seattleite who has made San Diego home with his husband, Davey, and their chocolate lab, Pogi.

Asher's Curriculum Vitae