PROJECT: Improve health literacy among farmworkers, specifically for occupational hazards, such as heat-related illness and pesticide exposure, and increase insurance enrollment by holding education sessions at laundromats. 

Denise Jimenez-Tapia is the proud daughter of immigrant farmworkers. Fields of grapes and pears shape the landscape of Lakeport, a small rural agricultural town in California, which her family calls home. From a young age, Jimenez-Tapia joined her parents as a migrant cherry picker, an experience that illuminated the critical role of education in addressing the health disparities faced by farmworkers.

Currently pursuing her MD and MBA through the UCLA PRIME-LA medical and business program, Jimenez-Tapia’s academic journey began as a first-generation college student at UCLA, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology and Society in 2016.

Jimenez-Tapia is the co-founder of La Cosecha, the first medical student organization at the David Geffen School of Medicine focused on the health of farmworkers. La Cosecha trains future health care providers to be allies and advocates for farmworkers while delivering essential health education to farmworkers in order to protect their well-being in the fields.

Jimenez-Tapia currently serves as PRIME council president and is part of the UCLA Latino Medical Student Association. In 2024, she was awarded the Charles E. Young Humanitarian Award in honor of her outstanding contributions and commitment to public service.