Dr. Lathan is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of LathanHarris, Inc. (LHI). Founded in 2007, LHI is a minority and woman-owned project management, evaluation, and training firm dedicated to advancing health equity and improving community well-being. In her leadership role, Dr. Lathan has managed and evaluated federal, state and corporate multi- year and multi-site public health projects. Dr. Lathan has played a pivotal role in the development of city and county-wide strategic health plans, needs assessments, and equity analyses aimed at addressing disparities among low-income, minority, and unhoused populations.

With a deep commitment to community health, Dr. Lathan has developed and implemented comprehensive public health programs focused on infectious and chronic disease prevention, emergency preparedness and response, and access to healthcare services. She has evaluated program delivery systems of local health departments, federally qualified health centers, and social service agencies to ensure e8ectiveness and equitable access to care. Additionally, Dr. Lathan has spearheaded workforce development initiatives, community-centered science, technology, engineering, aviation and mathematics (STEAM), violence prevention, and court diversion programs.

Dr. Lathan previously served as the Chief for the Immunization Section at the Illinois Department of Public Health, where she led statewide immunization efforts, and as the Assistant Chief for the Department’s HIV/AIDS Section, where she oversaw state of Illinois HIV/AIDS fiscal operations, and prevention, care and treatment programs. Her expertise extends to launching national and international media projects and coordination of conferences and trainings that promote public health awareness and strengthen capacity of health professionals and community organizations.

In addition to her professional work, Dr. Lathan is dedicated to civic engagement and public service. She currently serves as the Sangamon County Board Member for District 22 and is a member of the Springfield Sangamon-County Regional Planning Commission

Dr. Lathan holds a Ph.D. in Community Health with specializations in Public Policy and Program Evaluation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Illinois-Springfield. She is also an appointed member of the Springfield (Illinois) High-Speed Railroad Community Advisory Commission, an Institute of Medicine-Chicago Billings Fellow, Erikson Institute Executive Fellow, and a W.K. Kellogg Foundation HRDI Multicultural Executive Leaders Fellow.

Her lifelong dedication to public health, policy, and advocacy underscores her commitment to building healthier and more equitable communities.