Dr. Felina Cordova-Marks Named Tucson ‘40 Under 40’ Woman of the Year

Felina Cordova-Marks, DrPH, MPH, a second-year postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, has received the 2020 “40 Under 40” Woman of the Year honor from the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Daily Star. She was one of 40 people recognized for their demonstrated leadership and community impact.

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“I am very grateful for this honor,” Dr. Cordova-Marks said. “I have always wanted to use my skills to help my community, and I am proud that this award reflects the work that I and many others have been doing to help during a difficult time.”

A member of the Hopi tribe and also of Hispanic heritage, Dr. Cordova-Marks has been instrumental in assisting underserved populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to raise more than $30,000 through direct donations and a GoFundMe account.

“She has an exceptional passion for public service,” said Dr. Cordova-Marks’ nominator, Robin B. Harris, PhD, professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. “You rarely see someone who manages to be so successful in academia and in serving her community at the same time. It takes incredible organization, and I think this is what makes her so uniquely capable of doing so much.”

As a cancer researcher, Dr. Cordova-Marks focuses her efforts on urban American Indian caregiving, studying people who are providing care for an elderly family member, or a family member with cancer, chronic disease or disability, in an urban setting. In March, Dr. Cordova-Marks pivoted her research to study caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We hope our research helps tribes and organizations so that they can better support their caregivers and make any necessary changes to their caregiving programs during the ongoing pandemic,” Dr. Cordova-Marks said.

Dr. Cordova-Marks is also serving as the director of community engagement for the Arizona CoVHORT, a multiyear research study seeking to answer questions about risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection and how the virus impacts long-term health outcomes.

A native of Flagstaff, Ariz., Dr. Cordova-Marks holds three degrees from UArizona, including a bachelor’s degree in microbiology, and master’s and doctoral degrees in public health. Dr. Cordova-Marks has been volunteering with various organizations in Tucson for more than 20 years. To increase volunteerism and volunteer visibility nationally and locally, she founded Indigenous Volunteers and Tucson Volunteers. She also serves as a mentor to undergraduate and graduate American Indian students, and is the recipient of the National Native American 40 Under 40 Award and the UArizona Centennial Award.

“I don’t think she does all that she does for people simply because she can do it,” Dr. Harris said. “I think she does it because she feels she has to do it. It’s personal to her. She feels she has to make a difference.”