(Jun 11, 2025) Indian-American physician Dr Monica Bharel, recently appointed as Vice Chair of the Harvard University’s Board of Overseers Executive Committee, still vividly recalls the eyes of an elderly man she once saw on the streets of Kolkata. His silent gaze; filled with both helplessness and quiet resignation haunted her, planting the seed of what would become a career devoted to public health and social justice.
“When I was young we would go to India in the summers a lot. I loved being there. Poverty was so visible. Once I noticed an old gentleman and our eyes locked, and the next day when we walked in that same area, I noticed that there was a blanket covering his body. Life seemed to go along around him,” she recalled in a video made by Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program after she was honoured with the 2024 Dr. Jim O’Connell Award. “Was there something that could have been done to prevent his death? That really started my lifelong journey, wanting to focus on justice, fairness and health,” she remarked.
That moment, brief yet unforgettable, set her on a path to serve the vulnerable and voiceless, the kind of people whose needs are often overlooked.
Dr Monica Bharel
As Bharel steps into her new role at Harvard, the institution itself is facing unprecedented turmoil. The university is embroiled in legal battles with the Trump administration over visa restrictions that threaten its international student body, with nearly 27% of its students caught in the uncertainty. Harvard has also been forced to defend its financial standing after federal funding freezes and threats to its tax-exempt status2. In this climate of upheaval, Bharel’s appointment comes at a time when leadership and institutional resilience are being tested like never before.
The road to public health leadership
A graduate of Boston University School of Medicine and later the Harvard University Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy, Bharel spent over two decades as a practicing internist. Her clinical work spanned academic hospitals, community health centers, and veterans’ facilities, always centered on underrepresented and underserved populations.
From 2003 to 2015, she served as the Chief Medical Officer at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), where she treated the city’s most vulnerable residents. It was here that she built her reputation not just as a physician, but as a fierce advocate for equity. Her deep understanding of street medicine eventually drew the attention of state leadership.
In 2015, Governor Charlie Baker appointed her Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), making her the state’s chief physician.
Leading through crisis
As Commissioner from 2015 to 2021, Bharel’s leadership was tested on multiple fronts. The state was in the grip of a devastating opioid crisis, and later, at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Monica Bharel’s calm, evidence-driven approach brought order and clarity during times of fear and confusion.
She spearheaded the creation of the Public Health Data Warehouse, one of the most advanced tools for linking state health data across agencies to better address issues like substance use and chronic disease. Under her stewardship, Massachusetts consistently ranked among the healthiest states in the United States.
“I understand the need of our health care providers, and I appreciate the urgent needs of our patients and health care professionals,” she said during one of the many press briefings she led through the pandemic’s darkest days.
Her legacy at DPH was also marked by her commitment to systemic change. She collaborated with the Massachusetts Medical Society and the state’s four medical schools to promote anti-racist, inclusive, and equitable medical education and culture.
A city in crisis, A doctor called to act again
In 2021, Boston’s newly elected mayor Michelle Wu called on Bharel once more. This time to address the humanitarian emergency at Mass and Cass, an area plagued by addiction, homelessness, and mental health crises. Bharel led the city’s response with a model grounded in public health and equity, focusing on treatment and dignity rather than punishment or neglect.
Her work was again met with praise and gratitude, as she delivered holistic solutions that treated individuals as people, not problems.
Recognition and new frontiers at Google Health
In 2022, the Massachusetts Medical Society recognized Dr. Monica Bharel’s contributions with two prestigious honours. She received the Special Award for Excellence in Medical Service and the Woman Physician Leadership Award. Dr. Carole Allen, MMS President, had noted during that time that “Her entire career has been spent in the service of patients and marginalized communities…she has excelled in advancing public health.”
Later as the Global Clinical Lead for Public Sector and Public Health at Google Health, she brought her deep field experience to tech-driven health innovation. She continues to bridge gaps between policy, practice, and technology, all with the goal of improving outcomes for the world’s most vulnerable.
Now, stewarding the future of Harvard
Recently, Monica Bharel has been appointed as the Vice Chair of the Board of Overseers Executive Committee, alongside former U.S. Health Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, who was named President.
One of Harvard’s governing boards, the Board of Overseers provides strategic guidance, oversight of academic programs, and alignment of the university’s mission with its broader societal responsibilities. Members, many of them distinguished alumni, are elected by Harvard graduates and work closely with university leadership on long-term vision and policy.
For Bharel, this isn’t just an administrative seat. It’s a chance to shape future leaders in medicine, public policy, and science.
“My time as a student at Harvard was transformative,” she said after the prestigious appointment. “In addition to the courses and analytical frameworks I was exposed to, the fellowship and camaraderie of people working together to solve complex problems expanded my own capacity and ability to imagine new ways of approaching solutions that work for everyone.”
Monica Bharel with Sylvia Mathews Burwell
A legacy still being written
From a young girl stunned by a nameless death on a Kolkata street, to a physician navigating Boston’s darkest corners, to a public health steward during pandemics and public emergencies, and then a prestigious Harvard appointment Monica Bharel’s story is full of conscience, courage, and conviction.
Her journey highlights leadership not as dominance, but as service. As she helps lead Harvard into a new chapter, her legacy is more than personal achievement; it is a promise to ensure that both medical as well as academic institutions remain accountable to the people they serve.
She once asked, “Was there something that could have been done to prevent his death?” Today, in boardrooms and city streets alike, Dr. Monica Bharel is answering that question, not with words, but with action.
- Follow Dr Monica Bharel on LinkedIn
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