Speaker Bios
Mitchelle Abuna, ScM, is a mixed-methods researcher with a diverse background in program evaluation, clinical research, epidemiology, and sexual and reproductive health. Mitchelle holds a Master of Science in Global Public Health degree from the Brown University School of Public Health. She is currently the Lead Evaluator of the CDC Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities (CCR) initiative at the Rhode Island department of Health. In her previous role, she was a Clinical Research Intern at the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI), working to support the Cultural Ambassadors Program, a community initiative that increases minority participation in clinical research by directly connecting clinical investigators to community organizations and resources. In her previous and current role, Mitchelle utilizes combined methods, including qualitative and quantitative research design, and community engaged methods. | |
Lucas Allen is the Advocacy Lead for Federal & State Policy at Partners In Health United States, where he leads U.S. advocacy efforts to support community health workers and public health leaders in building strong, community-led health systems. Before joining PIH-US, he worked with the American Academy of Pediatrics federal advocacy team to restore federal funding for gun violence prevention research, ban dangerous children’s products, and advance other children’s health priorities. Lucas holds an MPH in Health Policy from George Washington University and a B.A. in International Studies from Boston College. | |
Luul Ahmed is a Certified Community Health Worker and CHW Supervisor at Franklin County Public Health. Luul started her career at Franklin County as a CHW under the CDC CCR grant and in March of 2023 was promoted to CHW Supervisor. Luul is an ally and advocate for the CHW profession, as well as a local leader within the Somali Community in Franklin County, Ohio. | |
Crescencia Alvarado, CCHW, CHWI has over 25 years of experience as a Community Health Worker, advocate, and instructor. She founded the Promotoras Community Health Workers Association of Travis County and currently serves as the lead Community Worker for the HEART ATX Project at Austin Public Health. She educates and empowers individuals through community-based diabetes education, having taught over 750 individuals and led more than 300 classes.Ms. Alvarado mentors new community health workers, emphasizing both technical content and engaging educational techniques. She leads an innovative project with the Catholic Diocese of Austin, establishing a health ministry and training leaders. During the 2020 pandemic, she was instrumental in the development and piloting of virtual diabetes classes. Ms. Alvarado is a recognized motivational speaker, addressing various conferences and media platforms. Actively involved in the community, she serves on the Board of Directors of People's Community Clinic, participates in advisory committees, and was honored with the 2019 Diversity Outreach Initiative Scholarship. She also presented at the Unity CHW's Conference in 2023. | |
Sabrina Baca is a CHR and a member of the Jicarilla Apache Tribe/Santa Clara Pueblo. She is a wife and mother of two grown children. Sabrina has been a tribal CHR (Community Health Representative) for 16 years in two different communities. She has been a New Mexico state CHW for six years. Sabrina is currently the Director of Jicarilla Health & Fitness Center in Dulce, NM. Within the program, the Jicarilla Health & Fitness Center has the CHR 638 grant and the SDPI (Special Diabetes Program for Indians). The center has a staff of 17, within the two grants as well as tribal funding. Sabrina’s passion is learning, educating, and helping my community in all aspects of Health & Fitness. During her spare time, she coaches girls high school basketball. She loves fishing, hunting, and camping. | |
Carrie Baker has been working in and around health and healthcare policy, quality improvement and management in Columbus and across Ohio for over 20 years. In her various positions, Carrie has focused on advocacy and quality improvement, mainly in health and healthcare. Carrie has worked closely with the Ohio General Assembly and various Ohio Administrations, as well as officials in the federal government, on issues such as payment reform, hospital reimbursement, chronic disease management and child health priorities. Former employers include the Ohio Nurses Association, the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association and as the President of her own consulting group. Since January of 2017, Carrie has served as President and CEO of the Health Impact Ohio (HIO). Health Impact Ohio believes in optimal health outcomes for all individuals in every community. HIO’s mission is to improve social drivers of health, health equity, access, and quality in all communities, through community engagement and partnership; multi-stakeholder training and coaching; data collection and integration; and strategy development and deployment. Health Impact Ohio is a Regional Health Improvement Collaborative (RHIC) and member of Civitas Networks for Health. Under Carrie’s leadership, HIO has grown from 3.5 FTEs and an annual budget of $600,000 to 12 FTEs, 7 consultants and an annual budget of over $7 million. Carrie is the leader and spokesperson for HIO and is responsible for leading its vision, implementing the strategies developed by HIO among multi-stakeholder projects, funding the mission and managing HIO day-to-day operations as she and her staff work toward the goals of better health, better care, and lower cost. Carrie lives with her husband and four children in Central Ohio. | |
Janet Barragan holds a master’s degree in social work with emphasis in administration and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with emphasis in social problems. She currently serves as a Departmental Chief and Regional Community Coordinator for the Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities for the County of San Diego- Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). She has dedicated over 20 years of service to strengthening families and vulnerable populations, serving the southern border region in different capacities, and successfully leading different community engagement efforts. Most recently, leading and overseeing the Community Health Worker Program implementation within the County of San Diego, including the deployment of a Community Health Worker training curriculum. | |
Mae Gilene Begay | |
Asha Bell is a Program Manager for the National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training (NCCPHT) at the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI). In this role, she helps coordinate responses to training and technical assistance requests brought forward by state and local public health departments. | |
Ali Bloomgarden is the Advocacy Engagement Manager at Partners In Health United States, where she supports health justice movement-building efforts and advocates alongside community and public health leaders across the U.S. to advance policies that lead to stronger, more just and responsive community health systems and equitable access to social services. Ali has worked in advocacy and research positions at the intersection of many fights for justice, from mental health justice and decarceration efforts, to educational equity and voting accessibility. Ali holds an MA in Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies from Stanford University and a B.S. in Applied Psychology from New York University. | |
Carlos Bravo is a dedicated public health professional with a passion for community engagement and advocacy. With a robust background as a Community Health Worker (CHW), he has served as a health educator and trusted community confidant, particularly during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. At Harris County Public Health (HCPH), Carlos worked tirelessly alongside colleagues, demonstrating unwavering commitment to serving the community. Currently, as a Resource Navigation Program Supervisor and CHW Instructor at HCPH, Carlos plays a pivotal role in supervising, empowering, advocating for, and mentoring resource navigators. He ensures the highest standards of community engagement, service delivery, and effective care coordination for Harris County residents, reflecting his dedication to improving public health outcomes and fostering community well-being. | |
Sara Elise “Essie” Bristol is a CHW and envision’s CHW Sustainability Lead based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Population Health Institute. Through that role, Essie manages the Community of Transformation program where she provides training and technical assistance to communities that are working towards CHW sustainability using coalition building and power building strategies. Prior to envision, Essie worked in direct service as a CHW and community organizer in rural Colorado, where she provided care coordination services to address social determinants of health in her community with a focus on promoting mental health, access to resources, and equitable housing opportunities through policy change. | |
Anabel Canchola is a Certified Community Health Worker and Program Administrator for Health and Human Services in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. She is knowledgeable about community needs and is a resource for social service referrals in the US/Mexico border, Paso del Norte region. She currently administers the design and implementation of outreach and educational programs with Community Health Workers. | |
Jackie Catron is the Section Director of the Community Health Worker Section at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. She received her Master’s in Public Health from Des Moines University and Bachelor’s in Health Care Administration from Washburn University. She is a member of the Citizen Band Potawatomi Nation. Jackie worked in the Long-Term Care Industry as a Physical Therapy Assistance, Director of Rehab, and Nursing Home Administrator for 16 years before transitioning to public health. While working in long term care she learned first-hand that a patient’s health is affected by many areas of their lives. Jackie has a passion for treating the whole person, community engagement, health equity, and believes every person has a right to a happy, healthy life. | |
Raisa Charles, MPH, CHES currently serves as the Program Supervisor of the HEART ATX Project with Austin Public Health, where she supports a team of community health workers striving towards building community resilience by promoting COVID-19 prevention and addressing chronic disease risk factors and social determinants of health. Raisa was born and raised in Antigua and Barbuda where she became interested in health equity and social justice initiatives. Her lived experience as an immigrant has informed her approach towards health equity and public health program implementation. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Health from University of Arkansas and a Master of Public Health from University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Raisa is a Certified Health Education Specialist and has served in various roles at state and local public health agencies. | |
Jennifer Davis is a Health Educator at Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (SW PA AHEC). With a degree in education, Jen taught middle and high school science. She found her way to the healthcare field in 2020 as a Community Health Worker (CHW). Being thrust into the field during the COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique experience in rapidly learning the importance and impact of the CHW role. After participating in trainings provided by SW PA AHEC, Jennifer pursued her current role at the organization. Now, she leverages her background in education, her love of science, and passion for community health to provide information and resources to the CHW workforce and influence stakeholders. Her enthusiasm for public health and the CHW role has inspired her to pursue a Master of Public Health degree. She maintains her PA state certification as a CHW. | |
James Day is Rhode Island Department of Health’s Health Program Administrator for the CHW 2109 grant. He has spent the majority of his career working in community wellness and youth development programs at local nonprofits in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Prior to joining RIDOH in 2022, he worked as a consultant to RI statewide prevention coalitions. | |
Tokie Dunn Director of Community Prevention Programs at the Mobile County Health Dept. Tokie Dunn holds over 20 years of experience working in public and private health services programs, management, and administration. Driven by a passion for helping others, her career has focused on improving quality health services, education promotion, and delivery for marginalized individuals, groups, and communities. An avid community activist, she promotes positive and sustainable solutions to health disparities affecting the underserved and disadvantaged. Her notable community memberships include Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; Rural Community Health Workers Network (RCHWN), National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW); Alabama Public Health Association (AlPHA); National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO); Executive Board member for the Sickle Cell Disease Association-Mobile Chapter; Executive Board member for Redemption’s Place, a community mental health services organization; and advisor for Concrete Rose, a 501c3 organization devoted to improving the lives of teen girls. She has also served on several civic, social, and professional committees promoting healthy individuals, families, and communities. | |
Dove Dupree is a poet, music artist, actor, youth advocate, business owner and much more. He started writing raps at the early age of 7. Just like in his life, his goal in his music and poetry is to impact, inspire and all the good things in between. He is a teaching artist; where he goes into schools as an artist in residency, and teaches students educational content through arts integration workshops. He incorporates music and rap into the subjects his students are learning to help them creatively retain information and have fun while doing it.
Dove Dupree also leads workshops across the country's colleges, conferences, churches and more, while managing to blend spoken word and audience dialogue together on topics such as faith, mental health, social justice issues. He has won countless team and individual poetry slams across the country since entering the slam poetry scene in 2014. In the realm of spoken word, here is a list of a few of his recent accomplishments: He is... - A Ted Ex performer - Greenville South Carolina's 4 time - Say What Grand Slam Champion - Featured on Button Poetry, WYFF and WGGS TV - The 2021 South Eastern Regional North Carolina Poetry Slam Champion and 2021 - A 2 time Mayan Industry award winner for best original piece - A 'back to back' Southern Fried Poetry Slam final stage finalist (Which is the nation's - During the 2018 Southern Fried Poetry Slam, He held the number 1 ranking out of 150 - The 2022 National Blackberry Peach Poetry Slam Runner Up - The 2023 National Blackberry Peach Poetry Slam Winner | |
Honey Yang Estrada, MPH, CHW President of the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association Honey Yang Estrada is the President of the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association. She was born in Fresno, California and moved to North Carolina when she was 11 years old. The daughter of Hmong immigrants who sought refuge in the United States during times of war, Honey understands the struggles families face in navigating various societal systems and the existing barriers that inhibits them from achieving positive outcomes. A proud Community Health Worker, Honey has worked in healthcare and public health for over 20 years. Her experience is rooted in community health and advocacy. Throughout her career, Honey continues to serve as a catalyst for change where she champions racial and health equity. | |
Kelly Evans is a dynamic community leader and experienced problem solver who has inspired proven strategies in the spheres of education, housing, and healthcare. A passionate human services advocate, she is known for her ability to encourage, train, and motivate staff, stakeholders and industry leaders in both communities and organizations. Kelly considers herself an out of the box thinker, who thrives on building confidence, connecting resources, and cultivating a communal mindset. She currently serves as Board President of the Virginia Housing Alliance where she collaborates with the Executive Director, fellow board members and staff to ensure the mission and vision are realized through the lenses of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging. Vocationally, Kelly serves as a Program Manager charged with supporting Community Health Workers (CHW) through the Institute for Public Health Innovation. Her tenure in public service along with her education and training, make her an impactful resource creating connections and championing social change through her keen interpersonal skills. Kelly is a master networker, who cultivates partnerships that produce collaboration and desired results. Kelly is a trained facilitator, reflective listener, and supportive encourager to everyone she meets. Academically, Kelly earned a Masters in Health Care Administration and has over twenty-five years of professional public service experience. Kelly is a proud native of Richmond, Virginia who loves spending time with family and friends, traveling, laughing, and enjoying great food. | |
Rosi Filemoni was born and raised in a small town named Kea'au in the Puna district on the Island of Hawai'i. Coming from the Puna district, Rosi has faced many challenges in accessing proper health care and education as Puna was considered to have the second-highest poverty rate in the state of Hawai'i. With a passion for giving back to her community, Rosi pursued her education and graduated with a Master's in Public Health. Since starting her career, she has worked with rural communities throughout the Island of Hawai'i in partnership with many CHWs to develop health events based on each community's needs. Now, she is the Community Health Worker Liaison with the Hawai'i Public Health Institute, where she continues to work alongside CHWs to help grow and strengthen the CHW workforce so they can continue serving their communities. | |
Gracie Flores was born and raised in Hilo on the Island of Hawai`i. She has worked as a Community Health Worker with UnitedHealthcare since 2015, and has over 15 years of experience in the human services field. Gracie served as the first Vice Chair of the Hawai`i Community Health Worker Association and is now the current Chair for the association. Gracie is also a member of the East Hawai`i Coalition to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect, Malama Ka `Aina Hana Ka `Aina King’s Landing Community Association, and the National Association for Community Health Workers. Gracie has a passion for improving the health of our communities and advocating for CHWs in the state of Hawai`i. | |
Durrell Fox Health Equity Consultant, John Snow Inc. Research and Training, American Public Health Association (APHA), CHW
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Lynda Garcia Lynda M. Garcia was raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She attended New Mexico State University to obtain her bachelor’s in Secondary Education. Then, she obtained her master’s degree in Corporate Communications and Public Relations from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. During her time at Sacred Heart she worked in the Department of Nursing, which left a profound impact on her choice to advance her career in the public health sector. After deeply missing her hometown and family she returned to Las Cruces in 2016. In 2022, she became a Community Health Worker Coordinator at Doña Ana County, and in 2023 she became Board Chair for the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope. | |
Deborah Garneau serves as the Deputy Director of the Division of Community Health and Equity and RI’s Maternal and Child Health Director at the RI Department of Health. Her expertise includes aligning systems, addressing structural drivers of health, incorporating authentic community engagement in all phases of public health programs, and leading initiatives that strategically plan and monitor systems change with an equity lens. She worked as a mental health clinician and administrator within child welfare prior to state service. | |
M. Greg Green is an author, diversity & inclusion facilitator, Community Health Worker, and community advocate. As an advocate, corporate trainer, and entrepreneur he currently serves as the training manager at the Center for Community Health Alignment, CEO of Miskonception LLC, is on the Board of Directors for The Citadel's African American Alumni Association and is a 2024 Clyburn Fellow. | |
Karen Hacker, MD, MPH, is the Director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, where she oversees a portfolio that includes maternal mortality, school health, obesity prevention, smoking policies, and the leading chronic diseases. Dr. Hacker has a long history of public health practice and has held a variety of leadership roles in public health, hospital administration, and academics. Dr. Hacker received her MD from Northwestern University School of Medicine and her MPH from Boston University School of Public Health. She is currently an adjunct professor at the Emory University School of Medicine. | |
Patrice Hatchett, CCHW, CHWI is a Certified Community Health Worker with Austin Public Health’s HEART ATX Project and she is also a Certified Community Health Worker Instructor. She is responsible for helping community members and their families navigate and access community services, identify and overcome barriers to care, provide health education, and adopt healthy behaviors. Patrice provides social support and informal counseling and advocates for community member’s health needs to improve care and health outcomes. Patrice is passionate about serving the community in efforts to bring about healthy lifestyles and supporting those experiencing inequities and health disparities. | |
Chauncey Hatico joined Hawaii Public Health Institute in November 2023 as the Program Coordinator for the Hawai'i Community Health Worker (CHW) Association to support CHWs across Hawai'i. Before joining HIPHI, Chauncey worked as a CHW at HMSA Care Coordination, a CHW Supervisor at Hui Mālama Ola Nā' Ōiwi, and a Certified Medical Assistant at Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital. He has a CHW Certificate of Competence from Maui Community College and is a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant through the National Healthcareer Association. Chauncey is also a Musician, Taro Farmer in Waipio Valley, Owner of Kuu Ohana Farm, and Vice President of the Waipio Valley Taro Farmers Association. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his wife and three sons, playing Hawaiian music and dancing hula. Chauncey believes that CHWs are vital in bringing health equity to Hawai'i. | |
Perrin Hicks is a Health Scientist with CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. She currently supports the Community Health Workers for COVID-19 Response and Resilient Communities (CCR) Initiative. Perrin’s professional interests include public health program design and implementation, health care service delivery transformation, and public health data modernization. | |
Jessica Hill, PhD, MPH (she/her) is a Health Scientist with CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. She currently supports Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities. Her work has included program planning and evaluation, injury and violence prevention, and immigrant and refugee health. | |
Lisa Renee Holderby-Fox Envision Co-Director CHW, Leadership Development
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Ryan Howe is the Director of the Hospital & Ambulatory Policy Group (HAPG) within the CMS Center for Medicare. HAPG establishes, evaluates and maintains policies, regulations and instructions that define the scope of benefits and determine payment amounts for the acute care side of the Medicare fee-for-service program that totals approximately $270B in annual spending for nearly 34 million people enrolled in original Medicare. | |
Michael D. Jackson is from Shreveport, Louisiana and is a graduate of Grambling State University and Southern University Law Center. He is also an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Since 2020, Michael has served as a Community Health Worker (CHW) Supervisor, CHW Regional Manager and was recently promoted to CHW Grants and Training Manager for the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health – Community HealthWays Community Health Worker Program. His volunteer efforts include serving as a mentor for the Alpha Esquires Mentoring Program, Board President of the Delta Upsilon Lambda Education Foundation, Inc. and a Board Member of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc., Northwest Louisiana Chapter. | |
Shanteny Jackson, MA, CCHW, CSAC Executive Director, Virginia Community Health Worker Association
Shanteny Jackson is an Afro-Latina mother, wife, community advocate, and leader who identifies with the pronouns she or ella. She began her journey towards becoming a community advocate with an advocacy childhood experience that marked her young life. She uses that experience to empower others to take a stand and seek justice.
As an immigrant and a young single mother, Shanteny had to learn to navigate and understand the intricacies of the US healthcare system. This experience provided opportunities to advocate at a personal level, which was life-changing because it realigned her calling and purpose in life. As Shanteny became more seasoned in her career and lived experiences, she fully embraced her role as an advocate and community leader.
Currently, she is the Executive Director of the Virginia Community Health Worker Association. Shanteny holds a B.A. in International Studies with minors in Spanish and Education from Mary Baldwin College and a Master's degree in Counseling with a concentration in Addictions and Recovery from Liberty University.
Shanteny has received recognition from many organizations for her community work, including "Persona de Poder" by Radio 1380 Poder and the "Civic Engagement" award from the Virginia Latino Governor’s Advisory Board. Shanteny continues to elevate and highlight the critical role identity and representation play in communities of color, particularly in the Latino and Afro-Latino diaspora. | |
Ava Johnson, MBA, is a seasoned public health professional with nearly twenty years of service with the Ohio Department of Health. She currently is the principal investigator for CDC’s CHW COVID Response and Resilient Communities(CHW CCR) grant. She also provides administrative support to other CHW projects, such as Ohio’s Self Care for CHWs project and the Ohio Center for Center for Community Health Worker Excellence. Ava’s career at the Ohio Department of Health includes work in chronic diseases and environmental sectors. Her career credits include work as a foundational support to the Ohio Equity Institute which addresses Ohio’s infant mortality dilemma; participation on the national maternal and child health social determinants of health committee; and work to support the department’s initial public health accreditation. | |
Dr. Tammy Kahrig is a Social Return on Investment (SROI) Impact Analyst at Ohio University. She has more than 30 years of experience in assessment, evaluation, and project management. She leads the evaluation team for Franklin County’s CCR CHW program. | |
Kaapuni Kama, or "Tita" (Tee-tuh), is a Native Hawaiian CHW born and raised in Papakolea Hawaiian Homestead. She is the Vice President of Programs at Kula no na Po'e Hawaii, a community-based non-profit, and received her CHW certificate in 2019. Tita participated in the Hawaii CHW Association Leadership Council and is also a part of the Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (NHPI) CHW Association.
Tita witnessed the power of community engagement and advocacy by watching her mother and godmother become leaders in Papakolea. She strongly believes that CHWs are vital in empowering communities to target impact and create change. | |
Jessica Kimber is a CHW serving in the Community Health Specialist role at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services on the 2109 CCR grant. In her role, Jessica acts as a CHW for CHWs by providing support and technical assistance to CHWs across Wisconsin such as creating CHW-lead spaces to discuss 2109 CCR grant initiatives, addressing ongoing CHW training requests, and working alongside CHWs and CHW allies to strengthen workforce sustainability efforts.
Jessica’s journey as a CHW started in La Crosse, Wisconsin at an Independent Living Center. She worked with community members on a variety of health and social service needs including managing chronic conditions, substance use among pregnant mothers, chronic absenteeism in school-aged children and their families, and reducing high ER utilization. Additionally, Jessica has served in CHW leadership roles in both regional and statewide CHW groups. | |
Megan Kramer is a passionate public health professional with a strong background in community engagement and advocacy work. As a Community Health Worker (CHW), she served as a health educator and community confidant through her work actively on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside her colleagues at Harris County Public Health (HCPH) and in previous roles conducting care coordination with an urban garden local benefits program. She currently serves as an Outreach Program Supervisor and CHW Instructor with HCPH, where she supervises, empowers, advocates for, and mentors CHWs and Team Leads: ensuring the highest standards of community engagement, service delivery, and effective care coordination for Harris County community members. She is known for her work in assessing community needs through data analysis and cultural humility, which have been essential in fostering trust and fostering meaningful connections with individuals and communities. | |
Morgan Krhin Morgan is a Community Health Worker Coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. In her role, she works alongside Community Health Workers to coordinate and align CHW initiatives including training opportunities, financial sustainability, strengthening partnerships, and workforce development across Wisconsin. Prior to her current role, Morgan served as a Population Health Service Fellow at University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health focusing on the local government, Community Health Worker sustainability approaches, and community health organization sectors of health care. | |
Angie Kuzma MPH, CHW (she/her/hers) is the Policy & Advocacy Manager for the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) and a community health worker (CHW) based in Portland, Oregon. In her role at NACHW, Angie works in solidarity with CHWs to promote CHW self-determination, leadership, and sustainability in local, state, and federal policy. In her previous role at the Oregon Community Health Workers Association, she served as Co-Chair for the Payment Models Subcommittee of the Traditional Health Worker Commission and worked to integrate CHWs, doulas, peers, and additional community-based workers in Oregon's Medicaid program. Angie is in her second term as an elected Section Councilor and Policy Committee Co-Chair for the CHW Section within the American Public Health Association. Her experience in direct service as a CHW working with people experiencing house/homelessness spans a decade, two Federally Qualified Health Centers, and multiple volunteer settings. | |
Jantz Malbrue serves as the Population Health Manager in the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health’s Bureau of Regional and Clinical Operations. Jantz has over 17 years of experience working in health departments and community settings implementing policies, improving healthcare systems, and empowering communities to eradicate health disparities. Jantz holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree from Georgia Southern University. | |
Katherine Martinez joins NACHW as an ally with vast experience in community organizing. strategic legislative approach and deep policy and advocacy experience. Prior to joining NACHW, Katherine served as the Director of Economic Development for the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations. Katherine has experience in both the private and nonprofit sectors and has played key roles in executive leadership, affordable housing, and the legislative process in the Commonwealth. As a Boston native with deep roots in the community, she has developed strong connections to community-based organizations and will expand those relationships in her new role. | |
Valerie McAllister serves as the Senior Program Manager for CHW Workforce Strategy and Innovation with the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI). In this role, Valerie leads state efforts and implementation of CHWs for a Healthy Virginia -a CDC funded National Initiative that seeks to increase CHW presence in vulnerable communities to address and increase COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Prior to coming to IPHI, Valerie served the Virginia Department of Health as the Clinical Community Linkage Coordinator/Community Health Specialist. In this role, she led state efforts to establish strategies, policies, and practices to support the Community Health Worker Workforce for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s DP1815 and DP1817 funding, Ms. McAllister convened stakeholders from across the state to develop guidelines and standards for Virginia’s first CHW accreditation program. Ms. McAllister assisted in the formation of the Virginia CHW Council, ensured standardization in CHW training delivery, and supported legislation that provided the state health department the authority to promulgate regulations for CHW certification and training. | |
Tim McNeil provides TA to support integrated networks to deliver new models of care that address medical risks and social determinants of health supporting value-based contracting in 26 States. He also started or expanded multiple sustainable health programs including two Medicare Shared Savings Program. | |
Geraldine McPhee serves as the Rhode Island Department of Health CHW Policy and Systems Specialist. She advises the RI CHW Roadmap process and co-founded RI CHW Voices with Swanette Salazar. At RIPIN – a statewide community-based nonprofit she is a recognized facilitator of family and community engagement in health and education systems. She holds a B.A. from Marlboro College, studied civic engagement as an AmeriCorps VISTA, and has been a certified CHW since 2018. | |
Rema Metts RN, BSN, is the Director of Public Health Nursing for Gila River Health Care Corporation, with over 25 years of experience working for various tribal healthcare systems within the nursing and Community Health fields. Rema leads a team of Community Health Representatives (CHRs) and public health nurses to serve the diverse needs of the Gila River Indian Community, located south of Phoenix, Arizona. Ms. Metts is a strong advocate for the Arizona Community Health Representative workforce, actively participating for nearly a decade in the Arizona CHR Movement, an advocacy-focused coalition of CHR leaders and stakeholders from various state agencies and universities. | |
Yesenia Meza is originally from Chicago, Illinois, but has spent most of her life growing up in Central Wisconsin. Yesenia is currently working at UW Extension as a Bilingual Community Health Worker in Adams County, Wisconsin with an admirable willingness to serve her community in all aspects. Being bilingual gives Yesenia a unique edge, allowing her to connect and relate to a wider range of individuals. Fluent in Spanish, Yesenia takes great pride in being a trusted ally within marginalized communities. Professionalism, integrity, and advocacy are at the core of who Yesenia is and what she brings to the table. | |
Refilwe Moeti has served as a community health worker and public health educator for over 30 years. She has always been passionate about addressing the principle of health equity, particularly for people of African descent. In these roles, she worked closely with community members, community-based organizations, health care organizations, and local- and state-level coalitions. Refilwe is currently in the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and she is a past co-chair of the Community Health Worker Work Group at CDC. | |
Marcia Morales Senior Program Manager, Health and Racial Equity Marcia Morales is the Senior Program Manager, Health and Racial Equity with National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI). In this role, Marcia provides leadership and guidance to national training and technical assistance efforts to strengthen public health systems and infrastructure. Prior to her joining NNPHI, she spent the last five years at the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute working to advance the sustainability of the community health worker (CHW) workforce and strengthening the public health infrastructure statewide and nationally. Marcia brings to NNPHI academic training in public health and lived experience as a CHW. Marcia’s public health practice is rooted in transformation, collaboration, and equity. She is passionate about systems change solutions that honor the voices and expertise of the community in partnership with the public health sector to improve the health and wellbeing of all. Marcia completed her Master’s in Public Health at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and French at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, FL and enjoys traveling, reading, cooking, hiking, sunny beach days, and cuddling with her three dogs. | |
Sherri Ohly Sherri brings professional and personal lived experience to advancing an equitable public health approach. Having worked on the streets, in communities, health and wellness centers, a health care technology company, and state health departments, Sherri brings a comprehensive view of public health and the essential community components that make it possible for everyone to have what they need to live their most fulfilled lives. | |
Liz Olivares As the Program Manager for Crimson Research within the Department of Public Health Sciences at New Mexico State University, I play a pivotal role in overseeing operations and ensuring compliance with grant requirements. I am also actively involved as a partner in the Agentes de Cambio program in Doña Ana County, NM, contributing to its success through strategic planning and resource development. Drawing from my roots in southern Doña Ana County, where I was raised on one of the region's historic dairy farms, I bring a strong work ethic and a knack for multitasking to my role. With a commitment to excellence and a dedication to meeting organizational objectives, I leverage my diverse skill set to drive impactful outcomes and foster positive change within our community. | |
Louisa O’Meara MPH is a Senior Research Coordinator at the Center for Health Equity Research at Northern Arizona University. Louisa holds expertise in the areas of Community Health Workers and Community Health Representative (CHR) workforce sustainability and interventions, Indigenous community health, social determinants of health, and community-based participatory research and evaluation. In partnership with CHR programs and American Indian health policy entities, Louisa conducted seminal CHR workforce studies. She currently co-leads grant evaluation for the CDC funded CHR Workforce Integration in Tribal Health Systems to Address COVID-19 (CHRs WITH uS!) project aimed at addressing the social determinants of COVID-19 and community resilience through CHR integration into public health and health care teams. Louisa loves to cook and read, and in her spare time she enjoys playing with her two young boys. | |
Mary Pesik | |
Justin Rahman is the Outreach Program Manager for Harris County Public Health within the Office of Communications, Education, and Engagement. Justin received his Bachelor’s in Public Health as well as Master’s of Health Administration from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. He is currently working on his PhD from the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. Justin discovered public health as he was searching for majors about 14 years ago and has not looked back since. Justin then discovered the power of Community Health Workers when he was activated into emergency response for the COVID-19 pandemic with the task of leading outreach in the midst of a pandemic. Justin is humbled to be able to share his perspectives today, and will continue to work tirelessly to advocate for the CHW workforce to become a staple of the public health workforce in Harris County and beyond. | |
Herminia Ramirez is the Regional Community Coordinator supporting the North Coastal Region. Ms. Ramirez has over a decade of experience in community engagement, working with Federally Qualified Health Centers and supporting community-based efforts. She has proudly served the North San Diego County community her entire career. She holds a master’s degree in public health. In her work, Ms. Ramirez has successfully led community engagement efforts, which land on the continuum of direct service delivery, health promotion, advocacy, and policy programs. More recently she led the COVID-19 response organizing outreach, education, and vaccination efforts for our most vulnerable communities in the North Coastal communities. Additionally, Ms. Ramirez’s career focuses have been working to serve migrant and farmworker communities, as well as leading efforts to train and mobilize Community Health Workers. | |
Floribella Redondo Co-founder & CEO of Arizona Community Health Workers Association (AZCHWA) Ms. Martinez-Redondo has spent more than 25 years in community health. Born in Mexico, she migrated to California at age seven and worked along with her family during vacations and weekends, and as a full-time migrant farmworker herself from the age of 13. Today, while serving as president and CEO of AzCHOW and AZ CHW Training Center, she serves as founding board to NACHW, Senior CHW Advisor to C3, Chair-Elect of the APHA CHW Section, and working on returning to get her master’s in public health, she still considers her primary role as that of an advocate and CHW. Her areas of expertise are planning, developing and implementing programs; community mobilization, policy and advocacy; public health issues such as health equity, SDoH, and community research and evaluation. | |
Martin Rivarola was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina and came to the United States as an adolescent with his family of eight members, initially relocating to Baltimore, MD. A graduate of Cal Poly State University and the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina, Martin has earned a bachelor degree in Agriculture and a Master’s in Public Health, respectively. In early 1999, Martin joined the Community Benefit Dept. of a catholic-run healthcare system as a community organizer, today a CHW job title, and has served as coordinator, manager and now as program director for the CCR-2109 grant. Martin is passionate about all social justice issues and is an avid student of Educacion Popular pedagogy and has lived in Brazil and Mexico for short stints of time. | |
Lindsey Rodenhauser is currently serving as the Interim Director of Health Systems and Planning at Franklin County Public Health and has over 10 years of direct public health experience at the local level. In 2019, Lindsey led the efforts to create a CHW program at FCPH, and to date the agency employs 15 Certified – CHW’s. In addition, Lindsey serves as the Principal Investigator for Franklin County’s CDC CCR grant. | |
Carl H. Rush, MRP (he, his) has specialized in policy and workforce development for community health workers (CHWs) since 1996. He has advised CHW policy initiatives in more than 25 individual states. He was a lead author on HRSA’s 2007 CHW National Workforce Study, and co-lead on the CHW Core Consensus (C3) Project (2013-16). Carl completed two national policy studies with the CDC, on CHW certification and workforce development (WD) strategy (2014-17). He is a consultant to National Academy for State Heath Policy (NASHP) on their current CHW policy learning community TA project. He was on a steering committee (2015-19) that became the inaugural Board of Directors for the National Association of CHWs (NACHW), and has served as a policy consultant to NACHW under contract. | |
Swanette Salazar is a trilingual Certified Community Health Worker (CCHW) at the non-profit organization Family Service of Rhode Island and the RI CHW Ambassador for the National Association of Community Health Workers. In her role, Swanette works with families and immigrant communities at a pediatric practice. She is also the Lead CHW Consultant for the Rhode to Equity Initiative in Rhode Island. In that role, she supports CHWs as an engaged partner for multidisciplinary teams to advance community and clinical linkages. | |
Erika Saleski is a consultant focusing on design, implementation, and management of programs to improve health care delivered to vulnerable populations. Erika supported the Mid-America Regional Council to establish a Community Care Hub operating in both a regional and statewide market, including network infrastructure development, contracting, quality assurance, and referral management. Since 2015, Erika has supported the Regional Kansas City Community Health Worker (CHW) Collaborative leading an effort to establish a CHW certification in Missouri and Kansas and pathways for sustainability. Erika’s other accomplishments include project management services to support an overhaul of the Illinois Medicaid delivery system including a Medicare-Medicaid alignment initiative for dual eligible beneficiaries; and leading Medicaid policy development for the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President (OMB). Erika has Bachelor of Psychology from American University in Washington, DC and a Master of Public Policy from The University of Chicago in Chicago, IL. | |
Paola Santos was born in Mexico City and was raised in Santa Rosa, CA. From an early age she was involved in social justice work in the Roseland community: a heavily underserved community in Sonoma County. She attended and graduated from Sacramento State University in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Intercultural Communication. In 2023, she obtained her Community Health Worker certificate from City College of San Francisco and has been working as a CHW for the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services for 3 years advocating for her community. | |
Margaret “Maggie” Sauer joined DHHS’ Office of Rural Health as director in June 2017. Maggie has served in a variety of settings including clinical, academic, and non-profit leadership. The NC Office of Rural Health is the first State Office of Rural Health in the nation and celebrated its 50th anniversary November 2023. Maggie has the privilege of working with a 60-person team at the Office of Rural Health who are passionate about rural health and the mission of the office. The team is dedicated to working with partners in the community who are truly making a difference. Our founder Jim Bernstein always emphasized that it is community first and how we listen. She has worked in direct patient care or administration for her entire career. Prior to Sauer’s work with non-profit organizations, she served as the Director of Health Promotion and Disease Promotion at Duke University Health Center’s Department of Community and Family Medicine’s Division of Community Health. There she provided administrative management and coordination for 39 large and complex projects serving 67 North Carolina counties. Sauer also served as a Research Assistant Professor in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of North Carolina’s School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, specializing in assisting in the multidisciplinary evaluation of persons with developmental disabilities and matching them to assistive technology. While Sauer is a native of Colorado, North Carolina has been her home for over 30 years and her family shares an early history in North Carolina. She grew up on the rural eastern plains of Colorado and credits her childhood experiences for her passion to serve and work in rural communities. She received her Master of Health Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Science from Colorado State University. | |
Andrea Shelton My name is Andrea Shelton and I am a Community Health Worker (CHW). I started working for Harris County Public Health Outreach Department in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic. I have years of experience working in outreach and social services to help, serve and engage with the community resolving problems and making a difference for the better. | |
Nancy Silva is a certified Community Health Worker and the Senior Director of Health Initiatives at Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN). For over 15 years, Nancy has paved the way for Community Health Workers in RI. Nancy holds an MBA from Fitchburg State University and an undergraduate degree from Bryant University. Nancy is an elected member of the RI Certification Board of Directors. Nancy is a member of the Community Health Worker Association of RI (CHWARI), the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW), the New England CHW Coalition, and the co-chair of the CHW Network Sustainability workgroup. Nancy has spoken locally and nationally about integrating and utilizing community health workers to improve health outcomes. During her tenure at RIPIN, Nancy developed programs designed to improve the health of Rhode Islanders utilizing CHWs. Most recently, Nancy is a 2022 Administration for Community Living awardee for a novel approach to sustain evidence-based interventions utilizing CHWs. | |
Georgia M. Simpson is a public health practitioner with 30 years experience in advancing efforts to address racial and ethnic health inequities and the upstream social, structural and environmental determinants that influence health and wellbeing. Ms. Simpson has worked at the local, state and federal levels applying her skills in design and management of complex programs to meet population health needs. As the Regional Minority Health Analyst in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Region 1 - New England, she promotes minority health priorities and coordinates efforts across the six New England states to advance equity goals. Georgia is an ally of the Community Health Worker workforce and in her regional role facilitates the New England CHW Coalition and co-chairs the HHS Interagency CHW Sustainability Work Group hosted by the HHS Office of Minority Health. Prior to joining HHS, Georgia served as the Director of the Office of Health Equity for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health where she informed policy and program development. She led efforts focused on the National CLAS Standards, the health needs of people with disabilities, healthcare-based interpreter services, vaccine preventable illnesses, and oral health equity. She also originated the department’s racial equity efforts and co-chaired its racial equity leadership team. She received her BA in Biology from Brandeis University and MS in Management from Brandeis’ Heller School for Social Policy and Management. | |
Ryan Smith is a dedicated Community Health Worker, Social Worker, Father and proud native of St. Louis, Missouri. His journey toward advocacy and community empowerment began in his youth when he witnessed firsthand the disparities in resources and opportunities among different geographical locations, races, and socioeconomic statuses. This awareness was particularly evident during his participation in a desegregation program for a high school in Clayton, MO, where he experienced the stark contrast in educational environments. Motivated by the realization that those in need often didn't resemble the majority of those offering help, Ryan pursued a bachelor's degree in social work. Over the past three decades, he has tirelessly dedicated himself to social services, striving to bridge the gaps in communities through enhanced health literacy and inclusive practices. In 2016, Ryan earned his CHW Certificate from St. Louis Community College, marking a significant milestone in his commitment to community leadership from the inside-out. Since then, he has played an instrumental role in the CHW workforce within the metropolitan St. Louis region. As a founding member of the STL CHW Coalition and a board member of the Community Health Workers Association of Missouri (CHWAM), Ryan actively shapes strategies for credentialing and sustainability, advocating for the professional advancement of CHWs statewide. Currently serving as the Director of CHW Leadership and Development at the St. Louis Community Health Worker Coalition, Ryan focuses on empowering CHWs through wellness initiatives, upskilling programs, and overall professional growth. Beyond his professional endeavors, Ryan has made lasting impacts through his community initiatives. He founded an adult men’s flag football team that promoted fellowship, mentoring, and healthy activity for nearly three decades, positively influencing multiple generations of young men. Additionally, he co-founded About Us, By Us, Connecting Us (ABC U), a support group for Black Men, and established Marsha’s Moms, an organization dedicated to assisting single mothers enrolled in school, in honor of his mother. Ryan's work transcends mere titles; it emanates from a genuine heart posture driven by compassion and a steadfast commitment to fostering positive change within communities. | |
Denise Octavia Smith, MBA, CHW, PN, a woman of African descent, Community Health Worker, and survivor of a rare chronic disease, is the founding Executive Director of the National Association of Community Health Workers. During the COVID-19 pandemic Denise partnered with global and US organizations to center CHWs’ expertise, racial equity and authentic community-based partnership. Mrs. Smith is a Visiting Scholar at the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care, an Aspen Institute Healthy Communities Fellow, and a Robert Wood Johnson Culture of Health Leader. In 2013, Denise partnered with hundreds of CHWs to achieve historic community engagement and enrollment of 30,000 residents into her state’s ACA Health Insurance Marketplace. Her research interests include building trust and relationship, patient and community-level health system governance, health insurance literacy and CHW policy leadership. | |
Ciearra Walker, affectionately known as CJ, is a public health leader. A catalyst. A researcher. A member of community. A model of both/and. Ciearra Walker works at the intersection of public health and economic mobility to help transform institutions into racially responsive systems that promote generational community wellbeing - while simultaneously building power and cultivating leaders in neighborhoods of those same systems. “Connecting vision to actionable on-the-ground strategy” is said to be Ciearra’s differentiating gift. Since 2018, she has worked to engage a growing network of 350 + local leaders and more than 45 organizations to design a multifaceted strategy that ensures long-term viability for the CHW workforce, ultimately resulting in the birth of the St Louis CHW Coalition (CHWCo). As the President and CEO of STL CHWCo she is led by an all CHW board, to employ a public health approach that offers place-based intervention to address social need, elevates resident voice, champions policy, and encourages community solutioning through authentic, institutional partnership. Ciearra brings a unique blend of life experience and technical skill to the work that she does, demonstrating an ability to create grassroots, system- focused infrastructure that improves public impact. Ciearra is a current Doctoral student in the Public Health Leadership Program at the University of Illinois Chicago where she will earn a DrPH. With an interest in social innovation, her research explores the business of public health, illustrating community-based innovation and nontraditional partnership as levers for sustainability. Ultimately, alongside her fellow CHWs, Ciearra will publish the CHW workforce innovation model the St Louis region has built together over the last five years through her dissertation. Ciearra also serves on the board of a bi-state foundation, two nonprofits, is the Vice President of the CHW Association of Missouri, an active member of N.A.H.S.E. (National Association of Health Service Executives) and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. On a purposeful mission to serve as a vehicle of opportunity for others, Ciearra roots herself in the reminder that where she is gives credit to where she’s been. | |
Ashley Wennerstrom, Ph.D, MPH Dr. Wennerstrom specializes in Community Health Worker training, policy, and workforce development as well as community-academic partnered research, behavioral health, SDOH, and incarceration. | |
David Wiles, CCHW, CHES is a Senior Community Health Worker (CHW) at Cornerstone Care Community Health Centers (FQHC) and has worked there for over three years. He serves as the Chair of the PA CHW Collaborative and of the PA CHW Legislative Outreach Committee. He has fully embodied the mission to secure the sustainable financing of CHWs in PA. His vision is to establish a system where CHWs will not only be sustained but will flourish in their career while improving the lives of their clients. He graduated with his B.S. in Public Health from Slippery Rock University in 2020. | |
Dr. Ada Wilkinson-Lee, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mexican American Studies at the University of Arizona. Her research, teaching, and service are centered on addressing Latine health from a community-based participatory research perspective. She is also part of Arizona State University’s Office of Community Health, Engagement, and Resiliency (OCHER) leadership team. As a leadership team, OCHER is working on two projects that center around Community Health Workers. The Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities (CCR) 2110 grant partners with the CDC to conduct a national evaluation of the 2109 CCR initiative, as well as provide support, training, and resources to CCR-funded programs, which include 68 sites across the United States and US territories. The Center for Community Health Resiliency: Trauma-Informed Training Resources and Technical Assistance for Community Health Workers is a five-year SAMHSA training grant. She is also the Co-Principal Investigator of the Arizona Prevention Research Center (AzPRC) University of Arizona Zuckerman College of Public Health. In addition to her role in the AzPRC, she is a Co-Principal Investigator and Evaluation lead for the Pima REACH (Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health) grant and the Pima REACH COVID Supplement grant, which focuses on community policy-level efforts to reduce health inequities among Pima County Native American and Latine communities. She is also Co-Principal Investigator of the Hijos Project, funded by the National Science Foundation which is examining the experiences of Latine parents and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic focusing on sociocultural and environmental factors including ethnic-racial discrimination, microaggressions, experiences with law enforcement, and political climate. Lastly, she is partnering with the Pima County Health Department, Marana Healthcare, Literacy Connects, and PPEP to address health literacy among Latine individuals who can become pregnant to engage in active decision-making with their practitioners and maintain up-to-date vaccinations. | |
Lesley Wolf Lesley brings a power-building lens to her work focused on growing and aligning community efforts to achieve CHW workforce equity and sustainability. |
