50 Most Influential Latinos

Suleima Salgado

Director, Telemedicine & Rural Health Initiatives

Georgia Department of Public Health

Suleima Salgado, MBA is the Director of Telemedicine & Rural Health Initiatives for the Georgia Department of Public Health. Suleima has over 15 years’ experience in government, healthcare education, communications, and public relations and has led several state and local public health initiatives.

As the director of telehealth for the state of Georgia for the past seven years, Suleima is responsible for setting strategic goals to increase access and bring health equity to underserved and rural areas of the state, using two-way, real-time, video conferencing. With dedicated circuits in all 159 counties, and over 500 end points, she manages the day to day operations and works with state and federal agencies, health systems, county health departments, private providers, public schools, colleges/universities and non-profits to develop and implement telemedicine programs across Georgia.

Prior to this role, Suleima served as the Deputy Director of Communications for the department where she oversaw all aspects of internal and external communications for the Department and its programs and divisions. The division managed all marketing and communications plans, media relations, and vendor relations while guiding health communicators in Georgia’s 18 public health districts.

Mrs. Salgado holds a Master of Business Administration from Southeastern University in Florida.

Not only is she very involved in her field, but she also serves her community as an active Rotarian with the Rotary Club of Gwinnett, is an active member of the American Telemedicine Association, the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is on Medical Reserve Corp- Georgia East Metro response team, a board member of MentorEvolution and serves on the Duncan Creek Elementary PTA.