Walae has many years of experience in healthcare delivery, research, and grassroots advocacy. Walae’s previous experience includes Emergency Medical Services (EMS) direct care and education, psychiatric clinical research exploring disparities in care delivery in acute settings, emergency management during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as various consulting services in higher education institutions.
In 2020, Walae founded ROYA, a nonprofit organization, dedicated to building creative community for social advocacy through bridging the arts with public health to Educate, Advocate, and Empower. She is a Board Member of the West End House Boys and Girls Club and serves in an advisory capacity for other local organizations and collaboratives focusing on resources for BIPOC and historically marginalized peoples.
Walae has a BSc in Behavioral Neuroscience from Tufts University and MPH in Community Assessment, Program Development and Evaluation with a focus in Health Policy from Boston University School of Public Health. Walae finds joy in the arts, reading, writing, and bringing people together.
Embedding Equity in the Fabric of Our Work: Lessons from a Small Nonprofit
In a Q&A, Allston Brighton Health Collaborative Director Anna Leslie and Steering Committee member Walae Hayek reflect on successes, challenges, and lessons from collective efforts to embed equity at the organization.