Ilana has worked for decades holding industries accountable for their inherently dangerous or illicit products and practices. She brings a wealth of experience at the intersection of public health, policy, and the law. Her career has centered on using local, state, and federal policy, advocacy, and litigation support to protect communities from the harms caused by powerful private interests. She has deep expertise in tobacco control — including policy development and navigating constitutional challenges — and previously served as Director of PHAI’s Public Health and Tobacco Policy Center, where she led initiatives aimed at reducing tobacco-related illness and death.

Prior to PHAI, Ilana built her public health policy foundation at the National Association of Attorneys General, serving as counsel in their Tobacco Project. Earlier in her career, she served as a Trial Attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Ilana holds a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.