Denisse Rojas Marquez

Denisse Rojas Marquez envisions a health care system where no individual is excluded. Growing up as an undocumented immigrant, she and her family had limited health care options and as a result, they would delay treatment for illnesses and use free or subsidized health care. Through these difficult experiences, Marquez was inspired to become a doctor in underserved communities that advocates for all patients and is a leader in shaping health care policies.

Marquez was less than a year old when she and her family left Mexico for the United States. As a resident of Fremont, California, her family found new opportunities that enabled Marquez and her two siblings to attend college. Due to her status, Marquez was ineligible for financial aid and was often discouraged that school counselors could not offer guidance on her educational goals. Moreover, Marquez was painfully separated from family members who, as a result of stalled policies on immigration, left for Canada.

Marquez remained steadfast in her aspirations and graduated from UC Berkeley with majors in Sociology and Integrative Biology in 2012. That same year, Marquez co-founded a national organization called Pre-Health Dreamers (PHD) to provide advising, resources and advocacy for undocumented youth like herself. In just a few years, PHD has reached over 800 members in 42 states. Through Marquez's leadership, the organization co-sponsored legislation to allow California licensing boards to award professional licenses to individuals regardless of immigration status, given all other requirements are met, and engage in institutional advocacy in partnership with other academic groups. She co-authored an article in Academic Medicine that provides guidance on considering DACA recipients for residency positions. As a result of PHD’s advocacy, more health professional programs will consider undocumented students for admission.

Marquez has also been a spokesperson for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that was created by then President Obama in 2012. Her story has been featured in CNN Money, National Public Radio’s Latino USA, and Forbes magazine recognized Marquez in its ‘30 Under 30’ most influential entrepreneurs in education. For her achievements as a New American and her potential to contribute to American society, Marquez also received the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans.

Marquez completed her MD at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and her Masters in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She is currently an emergency medicine resident at Boston Medical Center. Marquez has devoted herself to a life of service through direct care, research, and policy to ensure that quality health care is accessible to all underserved communities and higher education is attainable for underrepresented minority students.