Transforming Community-Led Health Research Ways of Knowing Symposium

Greta Cappelmann (she/her) comes to this work from experience in non-profit, private and public organizations in the American South. She previously worked to improve healthcare access for people living in Louisiana and worked in food access policy in South Carolina. Currently working as Special Projects Administrator at Partners for Advancing Health Equity, she aims to forward the priorities of the organization through collaborations and learning opportunities. Greta also serves on the Board of Directors for a non-profit organization focusing on transportation equity and education in New Orleans. She is an avid cyclist and believes in the power of the bicycle to change how we interact with our built environment and each other. She received her MPH from Tulane University, and her BS in Public Health from the College of Charleston.

Natalie DiRocco is the Strategic Initiatives Manager at Evidence for Action, where she oversees the execution of large-scale projects such as the Ways of Knowing Symposia. She also plays a key role in crafting and launching calls for proposals. For over a decade she’s been providing strategy and program management services for the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors in the social impact space. She holds an MPH from Boston University School of Public Health and a BS in BioBehavioral Health from Pennsylvania State University.

Erin has worked across the non-profit, academic, and public sectors. Her experience spans social justice and health equity advocacy, public policy, business, and research. Prior to joining Evidence for Action, Dr. Hagan was the acting Director of Policy and Government Affairs for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. She also previously worked for PolicyLink – a national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity. She has served as a Commissioner on the Alameda County Public Health Commission, and as co-chair of the Commission’s Health Equity in All Policies sub-committee. Erin received her PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Connecticut, her MBA from Seton Hall University, and her B.S. in Nutrition and Fitness from the University of Missouri. When not working, she can usually be found surfing near her home on the North Shore of Oahu, HI.

Thomas LaVeist is dean of the Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine and Principal Investigator for Partners for Advancing Health Equity. His career has been dedicated to understanding the causes of inequity in health and its potential solutions. He has an extensive record of publication in scientific journals as well as numerous mass media outlets and is director and executive producer of “The Skin You’re In,” a documentary series about racial inequalities in health. He is also author of six books including “Minority Population and Health: An introduction to health disparities in the United States” (the first textbook on health disparities). An award-winning research scientist, Dr. LaVeist has received the “Innovation Award” from National Institutes of Health, the “Knowledge Award” from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2013.

Dr. Morrison is responsible for the operation of multiple initiatives that are core to E4A’s mission and goals. This includes grantee management where she is the primary point of contact, works closely with prospective applicants, and oversees a portfolio of over 30 active research grants. She also maintains the Technical Assistance (TA) program where she provides research support and capacity building. Dr. Morrison's scholarship is informed by critical epistemologies to investigate the points at which higher education, policy, and racial identity intersect to influence Black student experiences across the African diaspora.

Amani Nuru-Jeter, PhD, MPH, provides the overarching vision and direction for E4A and its administration, sets program priorities, and participates in reviews of applications to recommend for funding. She is Professor of Community Health Sciences and Epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, where her research focuses on race and socioeconomic health disparities and the measurement and study of racism as a social determinant of health. 

Liana Adrong was born into a family of nine children in Daklak, Vietnam. She arrived in Greensboro, NC in 1996, years after her father served with the U.S. Special Forces during the Vietnam War and was imprisoned for seven years. Coming from a refugee family, she values her Montagnard-Êđê heritage and her community’s history and culture. She is very passionate about uniting and strengthening her community through traditional arts programs. Adrong earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. As a social worker, she wears multiple hats: community liaison, researcher, interpreter, and advocate for elders and families to help them navigate social services and healthcare systems. Adrong serves as Executive Director of the Montagnard Dega Association (MDA), one of our state’s oldest refugee community-based organizations. Adrong continues to advocate for social justice for those experiencing challenges in accessing healthcare and housing.

Sherri Allgood is a dedicated educator, community leader, and entrepreneur with a passion for fostering positive change. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Fayetteville State University and a Master of Education in Supervision and Administration from Liberty University. Sherri spent 15 years teaching Science and Mathematics at the secondary level, where her commitment to student success and innovative teaching methods helped her build a record of success with diverse student populations. Since 2020, she has served as the Executive Director of the Sandhills Cooperation Association , overseeing programs that empower historically excluded communities through sustainable practices and business development. In addition to her contributions to education and nonprofit management, Sherri has been an active leader in her community. She served as the Mayor of Troy, NC, from 2018 to 2020, focusing on community development and enhancing local services. Since 2009, she has also been the Co-Pastor of True Worship Ministries in Biscoe, NC, alongside her husband, providing spiritual guidance and support to her congregation. Sherri's extensive experience in education, leadership, and community service drives her mission to create lasting, positive impacts in the lives of those she serves.

Michael Banner, also known by his honorable name "Isa" (pronounced "Ee-suh"), is a street wizened Family man who has used the sore temptations of the game, including dope, love in the wrong places, and fast money; to alchemize all of his fervor and rage into a culture that serves as a degree of immunity from many of the trappings of the 'hood. Emerging from prison with a heart to be a prime motivator for change, he was quickened by the purpose to learn and after being deemed "a lost cause" due to his seeming lack of respect for authority; earned a couple of college degrees on the way to gaining a firm handle on some of the sciences while never losing his connection to the Community that he champions. A strong advocate for social justice and policy reform with a justice lens, plus just a down-to-earth Brother from "Da Island Community", he has a penchant for the inspirational. Brother Isa has a deep desire to see everyone, especially Black (and Brown) People break the yoke of oppression so that we can all "create a day to be long remembered"!

Dr. Belcourt is an American Indian tenured Professor at the University of Montana in Public and Community Health. Her Doctoral degree is in clinical psychology and she has worked as a clinician with combat veterans, Native Americans, and a diverse clientele in both hospital and outpatient settings. Her research has focused on post culture, traumatic stress, and traditional healing in American Indians. She has developed and implemented interventions aimed at improving health for Native communities experiencing exposure to environmental exposure risk. She is a senior a JPB Harvard School of Public Environmental Health Fellow and a member of the Blackfeet Maotokiiks buffalo women’s society and Okaiiks.

Dr. Eurnestine Brown leads the Brazelton Touchpoints Center's (BTC) efforts to become an anti-racist and inclusive Center that promotes sustainable excellence by creating an organizational culture committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging. As a developmental psychologist with 25+ years of experience, doula, and equity strategist, she is dedicated to improving the lives of birthing people, families, infants, toddlers, and children — especially those who are racially and historically marginalized. She moderates BTC’s Parenting While Black, Family-to-Family Real Talk Series and is Co-PI on Transforming Funding to Enable Community Rooted Solutions: Reducing Racial and Economic Inequities in Maternal, Neonatal and Infant Morbidity and Mortality - the Birthing, Infants and Child Health Equity Project. Dr. Brown has extensive experience in research design, implementation, analysis, evaluation, and all aspects of data collection, observation, and coding with infants, children, and families. She has consulted for nonprofit agencies, school districts, and child and adolescent former Early Head Start/Head Start Program Director. She is the co-editor of African-American Women: An Ecological Perspective and has published papers in journals such as Developmental Psychology and Development and Psychopathology. Dr. Brown is Vice - President of the Board for Infant Massage USA and a Board member for Eliis Early Learning.

A native of Durham, Georie Bryant is a community activist who holds collaboration, equity and reciprocity very close to his ethic. As a descendent of Stagville Plantation, a chef, and farmer, Georie has roots which tie him closely to agriculture and the food industry, his work often centering around addressing injustice in the ways that Black and Brown people interact with food and food systems. Georie earned his associate’s degree in the Culinary Arts, with extensive experience working in the food and hospitality industries. Having cooked everywhere from fast food to fine dining, Georie has a broad perspective of the food industry. Georie has received a certification in Sustainable agriculture and has farmed for over a decade. He is expanding into the work of ethnobotany in relation to indigenous practices. His background in Culinary Anthropology has pushed him into the world of research, where he focuses his attention on culture and political economies. That research has developed a broader knowledge base around alternative economies through the historical analysis of different indigenous cultures throughout the Global South. His work with organizations such as Island Culturez, Witness for Peace Solidarity Collective, National Black Food and Justice Alliance, SAAFON, EFOD (Equitable Food Oriented Development), the Castanea Fellowship (as a fellow) and his own company SymBodied, see him frequently working both cross-culturally and intergenerationally to better understand, and ultimately address, the problems of our communities.

Leia Carey joined the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as a research associate in the Research-Evaluation-Learning unit in 2022. With experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, Leia combines her passions for systems change, community-engaged research, and equitable evaluation to advance the health and wellbeing of communities and build a culture of health. Previously, Leia was a research assistant in the Environmental Medicine and Public Health department at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. There, she led a community-based participatory research project aimed at designing and piloting a curriculum to educate community leaders about the core constructs of public health. Prior to that, Leia served as the program coordinator for the Culinary Arts and Food Education Preparatory Program at Columbia University. Through her development of the program’s first virtual curriculum, Leia improved the health and wellbeing of residents in Upper Manhattan through education in food preparation, nutrition, and social services. Leia earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Bard College and a Master of Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Dr. Crystal Renée Chambers, J.D., Ph.D., is the 2023 Barbara Townsend Distinguished Lecturer (Association for the Study of Higher Education, Council for the Advancement of Higher Education Programs) and Professor of Educational Leadership at East Carolina University where she examines matters of race and gender equity in higher education, particularly the areas of college choice and faculty advancement. Dr. Chambers is the author/ co-author of over 50 peer reviewed articles, book chapters, and monographs as well as the editor of eight book and journal volumes, including, most recently, Black Women’s Pathways to Executive Academic Leadership: Lessons from Lived Experiences (UWP, 2023). Dr. Chambers is a 2018 Carnegie Fellow and is a co-PI on THRIVE@ECU, an NSF ADVANCE Adaptation grant and has served as a Coach and faculty expert with the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. She a 2016 ECU Graduate Faculty Mentor and East Carolina University Women of Distinction Award recipient, and a fellow of the BRIDGES Leadership for Women (2020) and UNC System Executive Leadership Institute (2021-2022).

Tongtan “Bert” Chantarat is a health policy researcher at the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation at the University of Minnesota. His research leverages a complex-system framework and interdisciplinary methodological approaches to understand the health impact of structural discrimination and mitigate racial health inequities with structural interventions. Dr. Chantarat currently leads two NIH-funded studies that seek to elucidate the impact of structural racism on birth outcomes of Black birthing people and the impact of seemingly “race-neutral” policies that confer unfair advantages for people racialized as white on dementia risk among racially minoritized populations in the US. Dr. Chantarat’s work is motivated by his lived experience as a Southeast Asian immigrant and his prior public health career partnering with hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and community organizations in New York City to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives designed to reduce chronic disease burden among Black and Hispanic New Yorkers. Dr. Chantarat is a co-organizer of the Challenging the Norm: Redefining Rigor in Health Research Symposium, the last symposium in the Ways of Knowing series to facilitate discussion about overcoming barriers inhibiting the application of anti-racist and anti-colonial principles in policy-driven research and identifying solutions to ensure the proliferation of this crucial work.

Mildred Atkinson Council, MSW, is a Community Organizer/Advocate. A native of Pitt County, Council is a graduate of Bethel Union High School, Shaw University, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Masters Degree in Social Work. After a 32-year-career with the North Carolina Dept. of Health & Human Services, she retired in 2006. Council also served for 29 years on two governing boards, the Pitt County Board of Education and as the first African American woman on the Greenville City Council. She also served three two-year terms as  Mayor Pro-Tem. Mildred’s legacy has been her service to God, family, community, Shaw University, and 26 years as a volunteer 4-H leader, and the National/ Eastern NC Regional Association Black Social Workers. She has also received over 60 Awards, including from the North Carolina Order of Long Leaf Pine, Congressional  Record 110th Congress Rep. GK Butterfield, the City of Greenville Lifetime Achievement, and the Swing Phi Swing Social Fellowship award for outstanding Leadership & Service.

Dr. Crystal Ellis is the Vice President of Research and Strategy for Action 4 Equity. Dr. Crystal Ellis holds her Ph.D in African and African Diaspora Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the primary focus of her research over the past 10 years has been community development practices and the transformative impact of these practices on the lives of people impacted by systemic discrimination and marginalization.

Retired Educator, Writer, Fitness Coach, and Actress.

Founder of The Bi-Lingual Teaching Garden/A Seed to Plate - Community Garden in Lumberton, NC. We serve diverse families in Robeson County.  Our main goals are: to develop educational experiences in the garden: Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables, study pollination, and expand access to Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and the Arts via our interactive learning environment in and near the garden, while building social cohesion.

Dr. Heather Sauyaq Jean Kwamboka Gordon is the owner/principal consultant at Sauyaq Solutions, which promotes Indigenous-led solutions for a sustainable future by empowering Indigenous self-determination through research, evaluation, partnerships, and policy. Dr Gordon was raised in Homer, Alaska; she is Iñupiaq and a citizen of the Nome Eskimo Community. Named Sauyaq, after the drum used in Iñupiaq gatherings, she also received the name Kwamboka from her Kenyan Kisii family, meaning cultural bridge-crossing. Heather holds a PhD in Indigenous Studies with a concentration in Indigenous Sustainability. Her work addresses Indigenous cultures as wellbeing, sustainability and justice, connectedness with nonhuman and more than human kin, and speaks about the importance of listening to Indigenous Knowledges. She is a boundary spanner between knowledge systems and a science diplomat to communicate research to policy makers. She has previously served in the federal government and nonprofit world. She is currently an Arctic Fulbright scholar, on the Arctic Research Consortium of the US Board of Directors, co-chair for the International Conferences on Arctic Research Planning IV Sustainable Development priority, adjunct faculty for American University’s Measurement and Evaluation program, and on multiple advisory boards. She co-lead/organized the Global Indigenous Youth Summit on Climate Change in 2023 and served on the US National Academy of Sciences Co-Production of Environmental Knowledge, Methods, and Approaches committee.

Tonya Haizlip is a dedicated professional with over 15 years of experience in the Human Services field, specializing in providing support to unhoused individuals dealing with mental illness and substance use disorders. She is the co-founder of Journee Bees Village, an organization committed to holistic community healing and empowerment for youth and young adults from marginalized communities. Tonya has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from High Point University. She has further enhanced her expertise with certificates from UNC Charlotte in Meditation, Global Healing Systems, and Energy Medicine. As an Energy Healing Practitioner and an Ordained Minister, Tonya integrates these disciplines into her approach, fostering comprehensive wellness for individuals and communities. Her commitment to community service is reflected in her active participation in various local initiatives. Tonya sits on the Governing Council for 18 Springs Community Healing Center. Additionally, she co-leads Racialized and Resilient, a group focused on developing a new model of capacity-building for BIPOC organizations. This initiative aims to create a more inclusive and equitable economy within Forsyth County, NC. Tonya's work is characterized by her compassion, dedication, and holistic approach to healing. Her leadership in community-oriented projects and her expertise in energy healing make her a vital asset to any initiative focused on individual and collective transformation. Through her efforts, Tonya continues to inspire and empower those around her, striving to create a more inclusive and supportive community for all.

In the role as the Chief, VP Inclusion & Belonging Officer at East Carolina University (ECU) Health, Dr. Virginia Hardy, PhD, is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment where all individuals, regardless of background or identity, feel valued and respected. Under her leadership, the division focuses on developing and implementing strategic initiatives and efforts that cultivate a culture where inclusion, equity, and belonging are intentionally embedded in all aspects of operations related to all stakeholders (team members, patients, communities served, etc.). This includes creating policies, practices, processes, and programs that support recruitment, retention, and advancement opportunities for all individuals. Throughout her career, Dr. Hardy has prioritized developing relationships and creating partnerships while influencing, empowering, and inspiring positive change. She has a passion for psychosocial identity and leadership development to help individuals and organizations to grow and develop and operate effectively. Dr. Hardy holds a B.A. from UNC Chapel Hill, a master’s degree from East Carolina University, and a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University.

Suzanne Held, Ph.D., is a first-generation college student who grew up in a rural area of Wisconsin. She worked for 29 years as a professor of Community Health at Montana State University and retired from MSU in the summer of 2024. She received her doctorate from the University of North Carolina School of Public Health and has worked since 1996 as a non-Indigenous partner with community members from the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation to support community health. She strives to work in this partnership with integrity, building trust, sharing power, and co-learning to address Apsáalooke community-identified health topics using cultural and community strengths that lead to sustainable solutions and improved health. She understands that health disparities exist because of colonization and current policies that privilege whites and wants to do her part toward a healthier and more equitable future. She currently works with the Apsaalooke non-profit organization Messengers for Health.

LaShawn M. Hoffman is a civic, community and public health leader who advocates safe, healthy, and economically viable communities. LaShawn leads a boutique consultancy focused on smart community development, public health, strategic neighborhood planning, community building and civic engagement, traditional and non-traditional land-use, community-engaged research and successful, influential non-profit management. The intersection of public health and community development is a crucial factor in LaShawn’ s approach to comprehensive community revitalization and development. LaShawn’s public health leadership is evident through his appointments to local and national task forces and committees, leading a diverse group of community advocates, academic partners, and agencies in strategies that reduce health disparities and promote partnerships using the community-based participatory research model. LaShawn has spearheaded a wide range of programs focused on community improvement, public health, and economic growth. LaShawn was awarded the Loeb Fellowship at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, class of 2015 for his achievement in community economic development. LaShawn was elected President of the Loeb Fellowship Alumni Association in November 2022. He leads 500+ alumni who are shaping the built and natural environment by drawing upon the full range of people who live, work, and play there, globally.

Rev. Kenneth Holly is a dynamic community leader and visionary, dedicated to fostering collaboration, empowering marginalized voices, and driving positive change in North Carolina. He has extensive experience in community development, systems thinking, collective impact models, executive coaching, and strategic leadership. Rev. Holly has made significant contributions to various organizations and initiatives, advocating for issues such as racial equity, affordable housing, health equity and social justice. His unwavering commitment to building bridges between diverse groups and empowering individuals to create sustainable processes has left a lasting impact on the communities he serves, making him a respected agent of change in the region.

Chien-Chi Huang is the founder of Asian Breast Cancer Project and Asian Women for Health, a non-profit organization providing culturally responsive peer health education and support for Asian women and their loved ones. An immigrant from Taiwan and a breast cancer survivor turned advocate, Ms. Huang has spearheaded several health initiatives in Massachusetts. The Workforce Development Initiative trains those who are under or un-employed and finds them jobs as community health workers, providing an upstream solution to address the unique challenges facing the Asian community. Both mainstream and Asian media outlets have featured Ms. Huang’s efforts and culturally responsive approach to reducing health disparities related to gambling addiction, mental health, women’s health, and cancers. Motivated to lead through her cancer experience, Ms. Huang continues to participate in local, regional, and national efforts on health policy and research impacting the Asian community. Her passion for health equity and women empowerment has changed the healthcare landscape and created a pipeline of future Asian women leaders and peer health educators.

Barbara Israel, DrPH, MPH, is a Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She is the Director and a founding member of the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center (Detroit URC), a community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership now in its 28th year. She has been the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator on several Detroit URC affiliated partnerships, focused on understanding and addressing the social and physical environmental determinants of health inequities, for example, the: environmental triggers of childhood asthma and strategies for reducing them, social and physical environmental determinants of cardiovascular disease, impact of physical activity interventions on heart health, impact of air quality on health, translation of research findings into policy change, and capacity building for conducting CBPR and policy advocacy. She has published widely on multiple aspects of CBPR and has taught a graduate level course in CBPR.

Chas Jewett is climate coordinator at Hope To Thrive and also a research assistant to our organization's BIPOC Research Project.

Dr. LaQuoia spent 20+ years in the pharmacy industry until she faced the harsh reality that she could not outdegree racism. When in 2020 she found herself leading in a toxic, hostile, and racially charged work environment, Dr. LaQuoia made the decision to trade her paycheck for peace and exit the healthcare system altogether. Since that time, Dr. LaQuoia has served as a pharmacist consultant with the CDC foundation, communications and training manager for the North Carolina COVID19 Testing and Therapeutics team, and as an adjunct faculty member for Davidson Davie Community College. Today, she serves as a consultant, professional speaker, and educator leveraging both her story and experience to help organizations create healthier workplace cultures. Whether delivering a workshop, keynote, or instructor led course, Dr. LaQuoia prides herself in creating a psychologically safe space where people can bring their authentic selves and grow together.

I was born and raised among eleven children to sharecropper parents in Pitt County and joined the Army and National Guard after graduating high school in various locations as a chaplain. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Theology in 1992 from Shaw University and worked as a Director of Pastoral Ministry in the Nash UNC Healthcare Center in Greenville, NC from 1999 to 2014. During my tenure as Director of Pastoral Ministry, I became a Head Pastor for the Conetoe Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in 2001, and in 2007, I founded the Conetoe Family Life Center; both of which I still lead. In 2018, I was elected as a member of the Rocky Mount City Council for Ward 1, and I still serve the community with this position. Strengthening the community and advocating for their needs are at the heart of my mission. Whether serving as a councilman, clergyman, or COO for the Conetoe Family Life Center, I am always creating solutions to the issues that people face, such as food insecurity, chronic illness, economic instability, and lack of access to affordable healthcare. I am always collaborating with community leaders, faith-based organizations, and nonprofits to meet underserved and underrepresented people where they are at and help them achieve a healthy and sustainable life.

jaboa lake (she/her), Senior Director of Impact Evaluation, Learning, and Research, is a sister, auntie, organizer, and liberation researcher based in DC. As an anti-oppressive methodologist, jaboa has worked with nonprofits, grassroots organizations, city and county governments, school districts, labor unions, and academic research centers to provide research guidance and support. jaboa serves on the board of the Community Legal, Education, and Referral (CLEAR) Clinic, chairs the Policy Committee for the international Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI), was a founding organizer for the Black Lives Matter PDX (Oregon) chapter, and is a SPSSI, APA, and MFP Fellow. jaboa has a MS in Applied Psychology and is (very close, she promises) to completing her PhD in Applied Social and Community Psychology, with a focus on mixed research methods. You can find jaboa outside somewhere, learning a new craft, and at the next rally.

Jonathan “Tana” Lepule’s expertise and collaboration with local, state and national NHPI and AA communities spans over twenty years. He has developed and implemented culturally appropriate and linguistically accessible educational, social, and health services for mainstream and culturally diverse communities. Additionally, Tana has facilitated, trained, provided technical assistance and led curriculum development to build capacity among individuals, organizations, educational and government institutions. This has led to success with community health prevention campaigns and policy development that focused on cancer, chronic disease and addictions. Tana was also an Executive Director for Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC) and is currently a Tri-Chair for the San Diego Childhood Obesity Initiative’s Community Council. He has served on many boards and commissions including: CA Commission on Asian American & Pacific Islander American Affairs, API Vote, San Diego Police Chief’s API Advisory Board, San Diego Mayor’s API Advisory Board and the Pacific Islander Festival Association (PIFA) to name a few.

Alma McCormick is a member of the Crow Nation and the Executive Director of Messengers for Health, a Crow Indian 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization located on the Crow reservation in Montana.  Alma is a leader and a community activist for improved health and wellness amongst her people.  Her educational background is in Community Health and she furthered her education receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in Health and Wellness at the Montana State University-Billings. She has been actively involved in cancer awareness outreach and advocacy amongst Native American women in Montana since 1996. She has extensive experience in conducting community-based participatory research projects addressing various health needs of the Crow people while working in partnership with Montana State University-Bozeman. She has traveled nationwide to present at health conferences to share the program’s successes. She has also co-authored numerous peer reviewed journal articles. Alma’s passion for her work in community outreach stems from her personal experience of losing a young twin daughter to neuroblastoma cancer in 1985.

I am a Professor in the Department of Public Health Education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG). I also have the pleasure of serving as the Community-Engaged Research Scholar for the School of Health and Human Sciences and as a Research Fellow with the Center for New North Carolinians (CNNC) at UNCG. I co-founded the Montagnard/Asian Community Disparities Research Network, which brings together academics, community members, next-generation professionals, advocates, and independent scholars. Together, we focus on research and projects that empower and build capacity in low-income Asian American communities of refugee origin (LIAACRO). My students and I love collaborating with local organizations and grassroots groups on various community-based participatory research (CBPR) projects. We have tackled important issues like HIV/AIDS prevention, hypertension, food insecurity, health literacy, healthcare access, elder health, and mental health. Our main goal is to make a positive impact on refugee and immigrant populations in the Piedmont Triad.

I am a 26 year old Author, Musician, U.S Army Veteran, Actor, Promoter, Substitute Teacher, Father, and Husband.

Al Richmond, MSW, is executive director of Community-Campus Partnerships for Health - CCPH, founded in 1998 to promote health equity and social justice through partnerships between communities and academic institutions. He is a global thought leader advocating for the authentic and strategic engagement of communities in public health and research. For over two-decades he has provided leadership in health equity initiatives, all of which were designed to address the persistent health disparities that are pervasive in the US and globally. His commitment to equity allows him to provide leadership to multiple COVID19 projects, including RADxUP, and Co-PI of the North Carolina CEAL Project. Al also serves as Co-PI of the Community Engagement Alliance Consultative Resource launched in 2022 to serve as a national resource to NIH funded projects. Al has served as a member of PCORI’s Patient Engagement Advisory Panel and as Project Lead with multiple projects funded through the Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award Program. He enjoys supporting other professionals and non-profit leaders as a certified professional and business coach. Al received his MSW from The Ohio State University and BSW from Livingstone College, an HBCU in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Carley Riley, MD, MPP, MHS, is Associate Professor in Pediatrics and an Attending Physician in Critical Care, Director of Community Systems in the Michael Fisher Child Health Equity Center, Director of the Mayerson Child Well-being Initiative at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, and Lead of Safe & Supported Families for the All Children Thrive Learning Network Cincinnati. Her long-term goal is to foster optimal and equitable health and well-being for people and places. She envisions achieving this goal by co-creating interventions within cross-sector, community-led collaborations that promote collective health and well-being. She has expertise in well-being, the social influences of health and well-being, co-production and participatory methods, community organizing and cross-sector collaboration, and community-based systems science. Additionally, Dr. Riley enjoys caring for patients and teaching medical students, residents, and fellows as a pediatric ICU physician. Dr. Riley received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Medical Doctorate from Northwestern University, a Master of Public Policy from UCLA, and a Master of Health Science from Yale University. She completed General Pediatric Residency and Chief Residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Dr. Riley was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at Yale University from 2013-2015 and is currently a Fellow with The Nova Institute for Health. Dr. Riley lives in Cincinnati, OH with her spouse, their 3 children (ages 20, 18, 7), and 4 dogs.

Juvencio Rocha-Peralta, Jr., a native of Veracruz, Mexico, has lived in North Carolina since 1980 and has been a community advocate and leader in communities local and abroad for the past 40 years. Mr. Rocha-Peralta has been the Executive Director and Founder of the Association of Mexicans in North Carolina, Inc. (AMEXCAN) since 2001. Mr. Rocha-Peralta serves on numerous Task Forces and Boards addressing the needs of the community including as the Founder and President of The Eastern North Carolina Latin-American Coalition Inc., Member of NC Governor Latino Affairs Advisory Council,  Board Member of the Martin-Pitt Partnership for Children, National Advisory Board of the Institute of Emerging Issues (IEI), Board Member of East Coast Migrant Head Start Project, Board Member of the United Way of Pitt County, Board Member of Disability Rights NC, and Member of the Rural North Carolina Latino HIV/AIDS Task Force Initiative. Juvencio Rocha-Peralta, Jr. has received numerous awards for his commitment to service within our communities.

Zachary Rowe, the Executive Director of Friends of Parkside (FOP), a community-based organization in Detroit’s east side, has over 28 years of experience in leading youth development, technological education, and community health initiatives. Raised in the Parkside public housing complex, where his mother, Catherine, was a founder and the first director of FOP, Zachary's deep-rooted connection to the community drives his work. His expertise in nonprofit management includes financial oversight, personnel, volunteer coordination, and program innovation. Rowe’s commitment to community-based participatory research (CBPR) is evident in his close to three decades of involvement. A founding member of the Detroit Urban Research Center Board, he has been pivotal in steering committees such as the Healthy Environments Partnership, Community Action Against Asthma, Climate Hazards, Heatwaves, and Health (CHHH) Partnership, MCEAL/CIVIC, and others, focusing on strengthening community-academic collaborations. Rowe has played significant roles in major research projects, including as co-principal investigator for the DECIDERS statewide project funded by PCORI and community partner for the Community Tech Workers program funded by the National Science Foundation. His contributions also extend to roles in projects like the Healthy Michigan Plan Medicaid Expansion Evaluation Team. Rowe's career embodies dedicated community service and impactful research leadership.

Rev. Sophia L. Russell, MHA, M.Div., is a native of North Carolina. She is a practicing Life Doula. In ministry, she is licensed and ordained. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and Masters in Healthcare Administration also from Winston Salem State University; and a Masters of Divinity Degree from the Wake Forest University School of Divinity. She is a practicing fertility/conception, birth, grief, postpartum (birth support) doula. Formerly, Sophia worked as the Coordinator of a Mobile Health Clinic and a professor of Healthcare Management and Health Science courses. Sophia is a natural connector, advisor, entrepreneur, motivator, and strives to help people live their best and fullest lives. She has always had a heart for teaching and serving, which has been displayed through her various roles and activities throughout the years.

Dr. Shannon Sanchez-Youngman is an assistant Professor at the College of Population Health and the Associate Director of Research and Evaluation for the Center for Participatory Research, University of New Mexico. Dr. Sanchez-Youngman is a community based participatory researcher with expertise in Latino mental health disparities intervention research and health equity policy. She has over 20 years of experience developing structural and community health interventions aimed at reducing social and health disparities among economically marginalized groups and racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Dr. Sanchez-Youngman seeks to bridge the gap between social science theories and methods with community driven multi-level health community-based research. In her currently funded NIH work, Dr. Sanchez-Youngman is co-leading the NIH National Coordinating Center Research and Capacity Building Core. She is leading nationwide efforts to train nationally funded multi-sectoral partnerships in developing community engaged structural interventions to improve health equity. She is also co-leading efforts to create metrics related to CBPR research capacity and metrics related to structural intervention practices. She and Nina Wallerstein are also co-PI’s of a PCORI science of engagement award that seeks to test the effectiveness of their E2 PLUS intervention on promoting institutional change to support community led interventions in eight Academic Health Centers in the US.

I am Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, UNC Greensboro. I teach undergraduate and graduate classes, and won the UNCG Mary Settle Sharp teaching award in 2022. I conduct community engaged research in partnership with communities, on health and wellbeing of older adults in the context of family relationships. I work with diverse immigrant and refugee communities in NC. My family and I have lived in the NC Triangle area for almost 30 years.

Hello, I am Joanna Simeon, media specialist for Hope to Thrive and and Entrepreneur! I'm a creative being and love to display that with everything that I do.

My name is Cindy Taylor. I was born and raised in Montgomery County. I am the 11th of 14 siblings. My parents Otis and Sadie Flowers were very loving parents who taught us to love God, ourselves and others. Their discipline taught me how to work my Passion to create space and opportunity for Love to be planted, to grow and to flourish. My mom accomplished this through our family garden that fed the community. That concept of Love has led to the work that I now do in communities. My post high school education started in community college. I attended both Sandhills Community College and Montgomery County College however, most of my knowledge has been obtained through my desire to learn what was not necessarily offered in formal education. There is one thing I can say I learned while in a formal education setting, and that is I am not a conformist, but I love being transformed through knowledge. I love to read! I love to create! And I love being a catalyst for positive transformation. Learning and applying what I know has been the driving force behind my ability to work with communities to help produce peace and prosperity from within. I spent my early adult years in education both in public and private schools. I learned that my unconventional teaching methods were better applied in the private school setting. However, now I serve as a Montgomery County School Board Member. How awesome is that?! I serve on several boards and have memberships with several organizations. I am the Community Project Manager of Sandhills Cooperation Association of which I am one of the 5 founders. I also have a Life coaching practice, as well as my own nonprofit organization. But what I want you to know most about me is that I believe in the Power of Love.

Medical Antropologist by training, worked at the Farmworker Association of Florida for 17 years before moving to Washington DC where he's the Senior Policy Associate at the National Family Farm Coalition.

Linda R. Tyndall, a fourth generation farmer/ co-owner of Richardson Herbal Farm LLC. It is located in Tar Heel, N.C. ( twenty miles south of Fayetteville, N.C., on Hwy 87). The farm is family owned by me and my four siblings. We are given a divine assignment from God to grow herbs and fresh produce to be used as a form of medicine to help the body stay in homeostasis or come back into alinement. Been using this as a way of life on my own family( husband of 44 yesrs, two awesome adult children and a amazing grandson), i am a witness it works. It amazes me daily how myself (earth), working alone with earth can help bring about changes in people lives that really make a difference. Genesis 1:29

My name is Kimmerly Walden and I am the mother of three beautiful daughters, grandmama to four amazing grandchildren, a Master Life Coach and an artist. I am also, an active member of my church and my community. My mission is to help heal the "hurt" because hurt people hurt people.

Dr. Curtis L Webb III is a sociologist whose journey marries rigorous research with impassioned advocacy, echoing the timeless wisdom of W.E.B. Du Bois's scholar-practitioner model. Dr. Curtis, an HBCU graduate from Morehouse College, proud son of the Southside of Chicago, and a sociology PhD graduate from the University of Cincinnati, honors his background through his commitment to community-centered approaches to his social impact work. He often asks, “What does this mean to his grandma?”, as a grounding technique, and encourages his collaborators to consider the most vulnerable in their decision-making processes as well. Over the last four years, he has brought his profound acumen in social change and racial analysis, as well as advocating for vulnerable populations to Design Impact as their Director of Systems Redesign and Community-Centered Research. When he is not talking systems, you can find him enjoying music, dance battles, kicking it with loved ones, and indulging in all the good eats.

Dr. Avian White is an Assistant Professor in the department of Health Education and Promotion at East Carolina University. Her research focuses on Maternal and Child Health and Community Engagement. As a native of eastern North Carolina, she hopes to combine experiences such as being a Guardian ad Litem and Community Advisory Board member for the Pitt Count Nurse Family Partnership, with her research to help create positive impacts and changes in maternal and child health issues in her region.

Retired, Volunteer VFW AUXILIARY POST 2087 Enjoy life. Thanks Jesus

Andrew is a fourth-generation Chinese-American who was born in New York and who has lived in North Carolina since 1984. He has had many careers as a fine artist, college and university instructor and department head, graphic designer, game designer, ESOL instructor, grant writer, and consultant to several refugee and immigrant communities. He is also a researcher and co-founder of the Montagnard/Asian Community Disparities Research Network. He is an advocate for community empowerment and capacity building through Social Justice, Anti-Racism, Cultural Competency, Reflection and Etiquette which encompass community based participatory research (CBPR) and community health worker (CHW) models.