Racism is a public health crisis in Wisconsin, and Lilliann Paine, who grew up on Milwaukee’s north side, was part of a team that made sure this fact was declared officially, including by Milwaukee County. She has used her interest in racial disparities in health to shine a spotlight on the problem and worked with a Wisconsin Public Health Association team that helped frame the discussion. Lilliann got a degree in psychology and then became one of the first two people to earn a master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Public Health, where she focused on tackling Milwaukee’s high infant mortality rate. She’s also been honored by the WPHA for her work with the Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families, a program to improve birth outcomes for African Americans in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and Beloit. In late 2019, Lillian became the chief of staff for the Milwaukee Health Department, where she is seeing racial disparities play out during the pandemic as well.