Director, Immigrant Health Policy; Associate Director, Racial Equity & Health Policy
KFF
Arlington, Virginia

Meet Drishti Pillai, a dedicated advocate for health equity and the director of Immigrant Health Policy and associate director of Racial Equity and Health Policy at KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. Pillai’s journey began at Emory in 2014, where she pursued her master’s of public health and discovered her passion for advancing health equity. During her time at Emory, she served as the vice president of the Rollins Student Government Association and interned with the American Cancer Society.

In 2016, Pillai moved to DC to pursue a PhD in public policy at George Washington University. As a first-generation immigrant, she was motivated to use her knowledge and training to highlight the disparities immigrants face and their many contributions during a time of strong anti-immigrant rhetoric. While pursuing her PhD, Drishti was inducted into the prestigious Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society. She later led the research department at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum and served as a faculty member at George Washington University, focusing on mentoring women of color before moving to her current role at KFF.

Pillai enjoys reading or binge-watching Netflix, and exploring new restaurants with friends and family. She also loves visiting museums, hiking, traveling to new cities, and volunteering at the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC).

Pillai finds fulfillment in seeing her research and policy analysis inform the public and lead to significant policy changes that advance health equity. One of her proudest moments was when the Biden-Harris administration published new regulations expanding health coverage for DACA recipients, referencing several KFF analyses conducted by her team.

She says Emory helped shape her interest in health equity and provided invaluable research experience. The mentorship she received from professors and the opportunities at Emory set her up for success in her PhD program and beyond. Emory’s mission of using knowledge in the service of humanity continues to guide her endeavors.