NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Diana Wong is the IRB Chair and Senior Director of OGC Administration at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In her role at the Health Department, she leads the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and oversees the administrative functions of the Office of General Counsel (OGC). With over 15 years of experience as a certified IRB professional, she ensures the ethical review and regulatory compliance of research involving human subjects, upholding federal regulations, ethical standards, and agency policies.She also serves on research review committees for the NYC Department of Education and the Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence, playing a key role in cross-agency collaborations. Her work involves partnering with teams across various divisions and bureaus to advance the Health Department’s initiatives.
As a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and leadership (DEL), Diana actively contributes to DEL initiatives within the Health Department. She collaborates with cross-functional teams to promote inclusive practices in research ethics and organizational governance, working to ensure that policies and decision-making processes are grounded in equity. Through her role on the IRB, Diana champions the inclusion of underrepresented populations in research studies and prioritizes the ethical treatment of all study participants, particularly those from marginalized communities. Her leadership emphasizes transparency, fairness, and the responsible conduct of research.
Before joining the Health Department, Diana worked in clinical research at the University of Arizona and served as the clinical research manager for the Center for Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Therapy at Columbia University Medical Center, where she also worked within the institution’s Human Research Protection Office.
Diana holds a Bachelor of Science in molecular cellular biology with a minor in criminal justice and a graduate certificate in public health from the University of Arizona. She furthered her expertise in research ethics at the University of Baltimore and earned an executive juris doctor degree from Purdue Global University. Additionally, she completed the NXT-GEN Fellowship for Moral Leadership at the HOW Institute for Society.
In addition to her professional work, Diana enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring different cultures, languages, and philosophical traditions, constantly broadening her global perspective.
C05 - IRBs Greatest Challenges for Youth-Centered Research
Monday, November 18, 2024
3:30 PM – 4:45 PM PT