Tyra Bryant-Stephens, MD is a board-certified pediatrician, academic leader, and national advocate for health equity whose work focuses on improving health outcomes for children with asthma and addressing structural drivers of health disparities. Dr. Bryant-Stephens received a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, where they studied Music and Education, and earned a medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. They completed residency training in Pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia and subsequently served in the U.S. Public Health Service National Health Service Corps, providing care to underserved communities.
Dr. Bryant-Stephens has spent the majority of their career at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where they rose through the academic ranks from Clinical Assistant Professor to Professor of Pediatrics in General Pediatrics. They have held numerous leadership roles at CHOP, including Attending Physician in the Division of General Pediatrics, Medical Director of the University City Primary Care Center, Director of Asthma Education for Primary Care Providers, and Medical Director of the Community Asthma Prevention Program (CAPP). Through CAPP, Dr. Bryant-Stephens developed innovative community-based asthma education models that integrate community health workers, caregiver education, and partnerships with schools to improve asthma outcomes in high-risk communities.
In 2021, Dr. Bryant-Stephens became the inaugural Senior Director of the Center for Health Equity at CHOP and currently serves as Chief Health Equity Officer, leading institutional strategies to address health disparities, strengthen community partnerships, and embed equity into clinical care, education, and research.
Dr. Bryant-Stephens is actively engaged in regional and national professional and community organizations. They are a member of the American Thoracic Society (2007–present), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Asthma Education and Prevention Program (2018–present), and Physicians for Social Responsibility (2011–present). They have served on the Board of Directors for Public Citizens for Children and Youth (2011–2016), the Philadelphia School District Asthma Committee Planning Sub-Committee (2014–2016), and currently serve on the Philadelphia Board of Health (2016–present), the WHYY Health Advisory Committee (2018–2025), and the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine Health Equity Champion Roundtable facilitated by Independence Blue Cross (2023–present).
Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens current interests include community-engaged asthma prevention, health equity leadership, workforce development through community health worker training, and strategies to eliminate structural inequities that affect child health outcomes.