Dreisen Heath

Dreisen Heath is a leading reparations expert, movement strategist, and human rights advocate working on behalf of descendant communities impacted by settler colonialism, enslavement, and anti-Black racism. As the Principal of Heath Strategies & Consulting LLC and as an independent consultant, she supports numerous reparative processes across governments, institutions, private industries, and family-led efforts providing strategic advice, research, communications support, and coalition-building guidance. Dreisen is the Founder and Convener of the Why We Can’t Wait Reparations Coalition and served as Co-Chair of the New Jersey Reparations Council’s Public Education and Narrative Committee, among several other roles. In addition to her broader federal advocacy for reparations via H.R. 40 / S. 40, she co-authored and advised on landmark federal reparations legislation with former Congresswoman Cori Bush in 2023, now under the leadership of Congresswoman Summer Lee. Formerly with Human Rights Watch, her research and advocacy—including her pivotal Tulsa reparations report—have shaped lawsuits, legislation, and public discourse. Dreisen has testified before U.S. Congress and municipal governments and has been featured in NPR, The Washington Post, Reuters, PBS, The Guardian, The Independent, The Nation, USA Today, The Oklahoma Eagle, among others. A graduate of Wesleyan University, she brings both analytical rigor and a deep commitment to justice—and finds joy in creating delicious meals, watching and playing sports, and dwelling in nature.