Board and Staff

Joe Finkbonner is the former Executive Director of Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB). Prior to holding that position, Mr. Finkbonner was the Director of the Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center (The EpiCenter) at the NPAIHB. The EpiCenter is one of 12 epidemiology centers nationally that focuses specifically on American Indian/Alaska Native health status.  

Mr. Finkbonner began his work in Indian health for the Lummi Tribe as the Health Director/CEO and was very active at State and Federal levels in his efforts to heighten the awareness of disparities of the AI/AN population and to assist with focusing action toward improving the health status through policy development. His efforts were through his membership on the Washington State Board of Health, participation in the Washington Public Health Improvement Plan, and miscellaneous workgroups for the Indian Health Service. Mr. Finkbonner also is Immediate Past Chair of the Public Health Accreditation Board

Mr. Finkbonner began his work in healthcare delivery as a pharmacist at Providence Medical Center in Seattle and Overlake Medical Center in Bellevue. He holds a Master of Health Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, both from the University of Washington. He is a member of Lummi Nation. Mr. Finkbonner is a member of the clinical faculty at the University of Washington and Oregon Health & Sciences University. 

Denise Fair Razo serves as Chief Public Health Officer for the Detroit Health Department, appointed by Mayor Mike Duggan in September 2019. In this role, she directs strategies to protect the health and wellbeing of residents through a variety of various public health programs. Over the last several months, Ms. Fair Razo and her team of more than 250 employees have been responsible for leading efforts in the COVID-19 pandemic to keep Detroiters protected.  

Prior to leading Detroit’s Health Department, Ms. Fair Razo served as a group practice director at Henry Ford Health System, providing executive oversight for primary care clinics and multi-specialty medical centers. She also served as senior consultant and program administrator for Trinity Health System prior. 

Ms. Fair Razo also currently serves on the state’s Public Health Advisory Council, appointed by Gov. Whitmer to represent local public health officials. She is also on the boards of the Public Health Foundation and Detroit Authority.  

She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, a Master of Public Health from The University of California at Berkeley, and a Master of Business Administration from the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University. She also is board certified in healthcare management from the American College of Healthcare Executives. 

Amy Lee, MD, MPH, MBA, CPH is the program director for the Consortium of Eastern Ohio Master of Public Health program, a partnership of The University of Akron, Cleveland State University, Northeast Ohio Medical University, and Youngstown State University. She is based at Northeast Ohio Medical University as a professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She has had leadership positions with the Ohio Public Health Association, Delta Omega, and Council of Graduate Programs in Public Health. Dr. Lee teaches general public health concepts in the Master of Public Health program. At Northeast Ohio Medical University, she teaches courses in population health and quality improvement. Dr. Lee is the past president of Asian Services in Action, Inc., and secretary for USA Dance, Ohio Chapter. She is currently on the American Public Health Association Executive Board and is the co-chair for the Core Competencies Workgroup for the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice. 

Bruce Dart has served five local health departments in three states during his 36-year career in public health. Currently, he is the executive director of the Tulsa Health Department (THD), a local public health agency of 340 team members in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

Dr. Dart serves in a leadership role as a member of several National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) work committees and is a NACCHO past president and former board member. He also serves on the Public Health Accreditation Board’s (PHAB) Accreditation Review Committee. 

Dr. Dart is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist and former Nebraska Environmental Health Administrator of the Year. He is a Year 15 graduate of the National Public Health Leadership Institute, and his team was co-winner of the Martha Katz award for best project. He has received an appointment as a Visiting Associate Professor in the Oklahoma University College of Public Health and serves on the CASA, MyHealth, Morton FQHC, and Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Board of Directors in Tulsa. He also chairs the Oklahoma State Health Department’s Obesity Prevention Committee as part of the Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Drury University (MO) in 1977, his Master of Science in Administration (Health Services) from Central Michigan University in 1989, and his Doctor of Philosophy in Health Services from Walden University (MN) in 2005. 

Leslie Beitsch, MD, JD, retired from full-time academic and public health practice in 2021.  He remains affiliated with Florida State University College of Medicine where he has served in several capacities since 2003, most recently as Department Chair for Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Professor of Health Policy, and Director of the Center for Medicine and Public Health. 

Dr. Beitsch’s public health practice roles included tenure as the Commissioner of the Oklahoma State Department of Health. His time in Oklahoma was preceded by a dozen years of local and state service in Florida, where he twice was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Health. He has provided guidance to public health agencies on quality improvement, performance management and measurement, and program evaluation. 

Dr. Beitsch serves on the Public Health Foundation (PHF) Board of Directors and is past Chair. He was awarded the PHF’s 2008 Theodore Erwin Award for his contributions.  Dr. Beitsch has been active in a number of other public health organizations including the Public Health Accreditation Board’s Board of Directors, where he also served as Chair. He was also formerly Chair of the Public Health Leadership Society. He has been on a number of public health journal editorial staffs and boards.  Dr. Beitsch was the recipient of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials’ 2007 Alumni Award. 

Kaye Bender served as President and CEO of the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) from which she retired in 2019. Prior to joining PHAB, she worked in both local and state public health practice in the Mississippi State Department of Health, including serving 12 years as Deputy State Health Officer. 

Dr. Bender served as Dean of the University of Mississippi Medical School of Nursing in Jackson, Mississippi, for six years. She chaired the Exploring Accreditation Steering Committee, the precursor study for the establishment of the Public Health Accreditation Board, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has served on three Institute of Medicine (IOM) study committees related to public health and was recently appointed to an IOM standing committee on credentialing research in nursing. 

Dr. Bender also serves on the National Board of Public Health Examiners; a National Academies of Medicine Work Group on CHNA/CHIP; is active in the American Public Health Association; and is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. She is credited with numerous publications and presentations related to governmental public health infrastructure improvement.

Dr. Joan Duwve joined the Kansas Department of Health and Environment in Nov. 2020 to lead the COVID-19 Unified Testing Strategy before moving into the Deputy State Health Officer position in July 2021. In early 2022, Joan Duwve became KDHE’s State Health Officer, a role she held until relocating to California with her husband in January 2024. As the SHO, she worked with the Secretary of Health to lead the state COVID-19 testing program. In addition, she served as the medical expert for the agency and supported agency diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and integration of Public Health, Environment, and Medicaid programs. She advocated for and led the work to improve collaboration between state and local public health officials, facilitating monthly calls with the Health Officers of Kansas.   

Before moving to Kansas, Dr. Duwve served as the Director of Public Health for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). In this capacity, she provided strategic direction for public health, leading its more than 1,900 public health employees. During her time at DHEC, she also developed the statewide COVID-19 testing and surveillance program and prioritized updates of the COVID-19 webpage to provide data transparency and effective visualizations. She worked with agency leadership to create an Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and a Quality Improvement Program. 

Prior to joining DHEC, she served as the Associate Dean of Practice for the Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health in Indianapolis, Indiana, and developed and directed the ECHO Center to train primary care providers in rural communities to treat patients with complex conditions like HIV and hepatitis C, and provide culturally sensitive and medically appropriate care to the LGBTQIA+ community. In that role, she worked with the Indiana Department of Health (IDP) to create an Academic Health Department.  Dr. Duwve also served as the Chief Medical Officer with the Indiana Department of Health and worked to increase adolescent immunization delivery statewide, resulting in significant improvements in adolescent vaccination rates. With a former Indiana Attorney General, she created and co-chaired the first state opioid task force to engage stakeholders around the state in ground-breaking conversations on naloxone, harm reduction, and medical treatment for opioid use disorder. She served on the ASTHO Senior Deputies Committee as the IDP representative and Chair and was the Senior Deputy representative on the ASTHO Board of Directors.  

Before transitioning to state public health work, she practiced family medicine in Indiana for 11 years. For four years prior to attending medical school, Dr. Duwve supported governmental and private public health agencies in Middle Eastern and Francophone African countries as a Grants Officer with Engender Health, a New York City based international public health agency. 

In addition to Dr. Duwve’s more than 20 years of experience in public health, she holds a Medical Doctor degree (MD) from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed her residency in family medicine at St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services in Indianapolis. She also holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of Michigan and completed her undergraduate studies at The Ohio State University.

Dr. Eduardo Sanchez serves as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Prevention for the American Heart Association (AHA). He is the Principal Investigator of the National Hypertension Control Initiative, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration.  He is the AHA clinical lead on Target: BP (a joint blood pressure control initiative with the American Medical Association) and KnowDiabetesbyHeartTM (a joint cardiovascular risk factor control initiative with the American Diabetes Association). Dr. Sanchez is one of the authors of the AHA Presidential Advisory on Structural Racism and its health effects

Prior to joining AHA, Dr. Sanchez served as Vice President and CMO for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. He also served as Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services from 2004 to 2006 and Commissioner of the Texas Department of Health from 2001 to 2004. Dr. Sanchez serves on numerous boards and advisory committees at the local, state, and national levels and is a Fellow of the American Heart Association.  

Dr. Sanchez obtained his MD from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, an MPH from the UT Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, and an MS in biomedical engineering from Duke University. He holds a BS in biomedical engineering and a BA in chemistry from Boston University. Dr. Sanchez is a Fellow of the American Heart Association.  

Judith Sartucci holds a Baccalaureate degree in Nursing from St. Anselm College and a Master of Nursing from the University of Washington. She has an extensive background both as a clinician and manager in public health nursing, home care, ambulatory care, and public health

Ms. Sartucci retired from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) after more than 22 years of service. There she served as Chief of the Department’s Community Health Nursing Section, Director of its Office of Local Health Administration, Director of Primary Care and later, as Director of Special Public Health Projects for the Department. While in local health administration at DPH, she helped found the Association of Local Health Liaison Officials, an affiliate of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)

Ms. Sartucci has served on many professional and community boards, including the Connecticut Nurses Association, the Connecticut Public Health Association, and the Connecticut Nurse Practitioner Group, Inc. Since 2013, she has served as a member and officer of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Local Boards of Health (NALBOH). In 2012, she helped to establish, and currently serves as a board member and officer of, NALBOH’s Connecticut affiliate, the Connecticut Association of Boards of Health (CABOH)

In 2007, Ms. Sartucci was appointed to the Board of Health of the Central Connecticut Health District, where she serves as a current board member and former chairman of the board.

Dr. Watkins is a distinguished public health professional and Medical Director of the Cattaraugus County Health Department. Since November 2009, he has held the role of Public Health Director at the Cattaraugus County Health Department in Olean, New York, where he has led numerous initiatives to enhance public health outcomes. 

Dr. Watkins’ professional career is marked by notable positions in the healthcare sector. He began his journey as a Primary Care Physician at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, where he delivered outstanding patient care in the field. Driven by his dedication to public health, he then served as the Public Health Physician III and Public Health Director at the Wayne County Health Department in Goldsboro, North Carolina. 

He serves as a Research Assistant Professor in the School of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York. Through his academic work, Dr. Watkins continues to shape the future of public health by imparting his knowledge and expertise to aspiring healthcare professionals.

Dr. Watkins is a member of several influential organizations, including the New York State Public Health and Health Planning Council and the New York State Association of Counties. He also held the position of President with the New York State Association of County Health Officials, where he played a pivotal role in shaping public health policies and practices. Dr. Watkins serves on numerous boards, demonstrating his commitment to community engagement and collaboration. He is a member of the Western New York Public Health Alliance, the Health Foundation of Western and Central New York, the St. Bonaventure Board of Trustees, the Cattaraugus County Aging Advisory Council, the Healthy Community Alliance, the Southern Tier Health Care System, Universal Primary Care, and the Cattaraugus County Community Action, among others. 

Dr. Watkins earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at the University of Illinois, and his medical degree from Chicago Medical School. He completed his Master of Public Health in Health, Policy & Administration at the University of Illinois. 

Mona Zuffante is the Winnebago Chief Public Health Officer and has served in this position for 11 years. She is an enrolled member of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation of Oklahoma. 

Mona holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Northland College, Ashland, Wisconsin and a Master’s in Public Health from Concordia University, Seward, Nebraska. In 2023, she received her PhD in Indigenous Health from the University of North Dakota. 

Mona’s primary role is management and strategic planning for the Winnebago Public Health Department. She is responsible for budgeting, oversight of grant writing, federal contract administration, coordination of health services delivery and personnel management. Additionally, Mona is part of the executive team of the Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System which includes strategic planning and coordination with other members of the executive team to ensure the organization is meeting its short and long-term goals. 

For 14 years, Mona was the Environmental Health Specialist for the Winnebago Tribe Environmental Health Program and a Water Technician for the Winnebago Tribe Water Resources Program. She also has been a practicing EMT for the Winnebago Community for over 21 years. 

Mona spends many hours serving on several boards to help elevate the discussion about the needs of the Indigenous people. Currently, she serves on the Board of the National Association of County and City Health Officials. In her spare time, Mona enjoys spending it with family along with beading and sewing a variety of projects. Mona has 4 children and 3 grandchildren and enjoys spending time with all of them.

Ron Bialek is President and CEO of the Public Health Foundation (PHF).  Under his leadership, PHF has focused its efforts on developing and implementing innovative strategies for improving performance of public health agencies and systems. Initiatives include developing performance management and quality improvement tools and training for public health professionals; developing the consensus set of Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals through the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice; creating the Nation’s most comprehensive public health learning management system – TRAIN – linking together 26 states, 3 tribes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Veterans Health Administration, the U.S. Medical Reserve Corps, and other organizations; and developing consumer oriented county health profiles – the Community Health Status Indicators initiative – for all counties in the U.S. Ron served as one of the editors and chapter authors for the new book Solving Population Health Problems Through Collaboration and Public Health Quality Improvement Handbook.  

Ron received his B.A. in Political Science and his M.P.P. in Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins University.

Sue Madden serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at PHF. She is responsible for overseeing PHF’s daily operations.

Sue’s areas of expertise include leadership, financial and program management; human resources; planning.

Sue received her BA degree in Secondary Education (Social Studies) from the University of Maryland. 

Michael A. Barry is the Vice President, Organizational Developments and Partnerships at Public Health Foundation (PHF). In this role, he leads organizational development initiatives for PHF, including implementation of PHF’s Strategic Plan and Action Plan and contributions to operational and other organization-wide initiatives. He oversees PHF’s business development activities, including TRAIN affiliate recruitment, Performance Improvement Consultant Services marketing and development, responding to the training and technical assistance needs of Public Health Infrastructure Grant awardees, and developing and executing new business innovation strategies to elevate PHF’s programs as aligned with the goals in its Strategic Plan.  

Prior to joining PHF in 2022, Mike did some consulting for a few national non-profit health organizations, served as Executive Director of the Population Health Alliance in 2018, and had a successful 13-year tenure as the executive director of the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM).  In 2018 he received ACPM’s prestigious Distinguished Service Award .

Prior to coming to ACPM in 1999, Mike worked at PHF for 14 years, beginning as a statistical assistant and advancing to Associate Director for Information and Health Policy. Mike earned in 2008 and maintains the Certified Association Executive designation. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Salisbury University. 

Carol Moehrle joined the Public Health Foundation (PHF) in 2024 as the Vice President of Programs. In this role, she has overall responsibility for program development, implementation, and quality assurance to support PHF’s strategic priorities. 

Ms. Moehrle has over 30 years’ experience as a Local Public Health Director for a five-county health district, Idaho North Central. Throughout her career she has been engaged with national partner organizations and was National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) president in 2011. She continues to serve on the NACCHO Past Presidents Council. She has served on the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) Board of Directors and continues to serve on the National Association of Counties Board, representing local public health. Ms. Moehrle was awarded the NACCHO ‘Mo Mullet’ Lifetime of Service award in 2019.

She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Idaho State University. 

Yasmin Abdu serves as a Learning Experience Developer in the Public Health Systems Improvement (PHSI) unit at the Public Health Foundation (PHF). In this role, Yasmin provides analysis of learners and training tools and develops eLearning products, activities, and web-based training. 

Prior to joining PHF, Yasmin worked for seven years in Learning and Development as an Instructional designer, technologist, and developer where she developed learner-centered synchronous and asynchronous training on various subjects ranging from higher education and business administration to medical software technology.

Yasmin holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders from University of Central Florida and a Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology from American College of Education. 

Kathleen Amos serves as the Director, Workforce Development for the Public Health Foundation (PHF). In this role, she supports collaborative workforce development initiatives, providing capacity-building assistance for health departments, academic institutions, and other public health and population health organizations across the country. Kathleen coordinates the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice and its initiatives, including the Academic Health Department Learning Community and the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, and manages other performance improvement and competency development and implementation activities. 

Kathleen joined PHF in 2010 as a Learning Partnership Librarian through the Grace and Harold Sewell Memorial Fund. Prior to coming to PHF, she completed the National Library of Medicine Associate Fellowship Program, gaining specialized training in health sciences information services; engaging in research related to biomedical publishing; and supporting consumer health, health literacy, and public health informatics projects. 

Kathleen holds a Master of Library and Information Studies degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Social Anthropology, both from Dalhousie University. 

Mayela Arana joined the Public Health Foundation (PHF) in February 2023 as the Senior Program Manager, Workforce Development. In this role, she supports the development of workforce development resources as well as the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice and its initiatives. 

Prior to joining PHF, Mayela served as the Associate Director of the Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Region 2 Public Health Training Center, where she collaborated with academic and practice partners in the region to ensure that the current and future public health workforce is adequately trained to address the emerging challenges of their communities.

Mayela holds a Master of Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of San Francisco.

Amrita Bhatt joined the Public Health Foundation in 2024 as a Senior Product Manager. Amrita’s responsibilities include leading the day-to-day product development efforts of the TRAIN team, enhancing relationships with TRAIN affiliates, and understanding TRAIN learner and course provider needs to guide future product development initiatives.

Amrita started her career at Antidote, a health tech company that connects patients with clinical trials. She held various roles within the organization, starting as a client-facing Account Manager and eventually progressing into a Product Manager role. She is passionate about the intersection of health and technology, and how innovative solutions can lead to a healthier population. A team player, Amrita has spent much of her career managing stakeholder relationships, understanding user needs, and leading cross-functional initiatives. 

Amrita holds a Master’s Degree in Health Policy and Management from Columbia University, and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Maryland.  

Outside of work, she enjoys reading, cooking new recipes, and spending time with her loved ones. 

Cheryl Butler joined the Public Health Foundation (PHF) staff in 2024 as a Project Associate.  In this role she supports TRAIN Learning Network (TRAIN) affiliates, course providers, and learners in using TRAIN for workforce development.

Prior to joining PHF, Cheryl served as the South Dakota TRAIN Affiliate Administrator for the South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH).  In this role she increased the SD DOH usage of TRAIN as a tool in workforce development and retention.  Cheryl has 20 years as a public health and science educator, working as a classroom educator, facilitator for teacher development and retention, and in state policy.  She also has experience in program management and facilitating work cooperative agreements across diverse work groups.

Cheryl holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Health-Toxicology and a B.S in Biochemistry with a Chemistry minor, all from Colorado State University. 

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and kayaking, reading, quilting, crocheting, and most of all, spending time with her family. 

Jenna Constable is the Project Associate in the Public Health Systems Improvement (PHSI) Unit. In this role, Jenna provides administrative and programmatic support within PHSI, implementing projects such as the development of immunization eLearning, coordination and promotion of public health evidence, and supporting government public health in organizational improvement. Jenna also supports PHF’s Immunization Program in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Prior to PHF, Jenna’s most recent role was a Clinical Account Executive for Federal Occupational Health under The Department of Health and Human Services, supporting occupational health clinics and programs for Federal employees. Jenna is a CHES-certified public health professional with a Master of Science in Health Promotion Management from Marymount University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from James Madison University. 

Cassady Cundari joined the Public Health Foundation (PHF) in 2023 as a Technical Writer. In this role, she is responsible for writing and curating a comprehensive library of TRAIN Learning Network resources, developing onboarding and training materials, and providing technical documentation for projects and programs. Cassady also provides expertise in graphic design, video editing, copy editing, and multimedia development for a variety of projects. At the core of her work, she makes complex information accessible to all audiences.

Prior to PHF, Cassady worked with the Anacostia Parks and Community Collaborative on air quality equity initiatives. She is passionate about community involvement and has tutored local DC youth for the last several years. Outside of her work, Cassady promotes grassroots efforts for educational equity and environmental justice. She earned her B.S. in Culture and Politics with minors in Spanish and Education from Georgetown University in 2023. 

Shauna Fitzgerald serves as the Director of the TRAIN Learning Network. In this role, Shauna leads product planning and execution for TRAIN’s software lifecycle including the facilitation of its long-term vision and strategy, optimization of business processes, and collaboration between PHF and its partners. She lends support for other PHF endeavors by applying product development philosophy to existing and emerging programs. 

Shauna brings nine years of software technology experience to PHF. Prior to moving into technology, she spent several years in the nonprofit sector including positions at Washington Performing Arts, Ford’s Theatre Society, and universities across the country. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre from The University of Memphis, a Master of Science in Communication from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies from Southeast Missouri State University. 

In her spare time, Shauna enjoys attending theatre and dance performances, traveling to state and national parks, and reading science fiction novels. 

As a Senior Program Manager at the Public Health Foundation (PHF), Marie Flake, MPH, BSN, supports activities of the Workforce Development Unit including developing and providing workforce development tools, resources, and services; identifying training needs, skills, and competencies; and working to meet identified workforce development needs. Marie also engages in developing training and assistance related to Foundational Public Health Services and health department retention and recruitment. In addition, she serves as PHF’s primary liaison to over 500 national course providers for the TRAIN Learning Network.

Prior to joining PHF, Marie worked for the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), where she led the systemwide (local, state, and tribal public health) collaborative effort to fully fund, deliver, and measure the impact of Foundational Public Health Services statewide. Previously she facilitated statewide workgroups on finance, workforce development, standards, measuring public health service delivery, health status indicators, communications, and access to healthcare. As the liaison for local public health, Marie also provided consultation to and coordination within DOH and among the State’s 35 autonomous local health jurisdictions and their association, the University of Washington School of Public Health, and other partners.

Marie’s professional passion is to drive change to make systems work better for all people and communities. Outside of work you are likely to find Marie outdoors biking, kayaking, photographing, traveling, and generally exploring and connecting with people, culture, and community. 

Jennifer Foster serves as PHF’s Accounting Manager. In this position, she performs as the Accounts Receivable/Payable clerk, timesheet processor and various other bookkeeping duties. 

Prior to joining PHF in 2019, Jenn worked for Annapolis Accounting Services, a CPA firm, supervising client payrolls, payroll tax forms and bookkeeping.

Jenn has a BA in Criminal Justice from the University of Delaware. 

Jennifer Harmon joined the Public Health Foundation in July 2022 as the TRAIN Learning Network Engagement Manager. In this role, she supports TRAIN Learning Network affiliates, course providers, and learners in using TRAIN for workforce development.

Prior to joining PHF, Jennifer served as the Director of the Learning Management Center at the New Mexico Department of Health. During her tenure with the New Mexico Department of Health, she served as the Administrator of TRAIN New Mexico and led several department-wide initiatives relating to workforce development and policy development. Jennifer’s background includes many years in organizational learning and development, as well as IT project management.

Jennifer holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of South Dakota and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Chapman University. 

Maria Jackson joined PHF in July 2023 as an Administrative Assistant in the Business Operations Unit, supporting the Chief Operating Officer (COO) with human resources and business operations. In this role, she is responsible for assisting with onboarding/offboarding employees, maintaining employee files, and collaborating with Insperity, PHF’S Human Resource Partner, to administer benefits and training and development needs. She also assists with organizational development tasks such as cataloging, documenting, and developing administrative processes and procedures throughout the organization.

Prior to joining PHF, Maria worked 12 years in healthcare administration for several prominent hospitals in the DC metro area, where she gained extensive administrative skills with a focus on workflow optimization and productivity enhancement. Maria attended the University of Maryland Global Campus and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management in May 2023. Her hobbies include spending quality time with her family, reading, cooking, traveling, shopping, and trying new restaurants with friends.

Morgan Major joined the Public Health Foundation (PHF) in August of 2023 as an Executive Assistant supporting the Chief Executive Officer and serving as Board liaison. Morgan is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Policy at The Pennsylvania State University, where she completes her coursework online.

Prior to joining PHF, Morgan lived and worked in Buffalo, New York as the business manager of a government contractor and as a legal secretary/executive assistant of a large law firm. She is an avid Buffalo Bills fan and enjoys reading in her spare time. 

Sapana Ojha is an Associate Product Manager on the TRAIN Learning Network team. In this role, she serves as a liaison between TRAIN’s technical vendor and TRAIN’s stakeholders. Sapana is responsible for overall requirements elicitation, analysis, and documentation activities for the TRAIN Learning Management Network. She also leads quality assurance and system testing efforts for TRAIN. 

Prior to joining PHF, Sapana was a Business Analyst at several organizations in the Washington D.C. area, including the North American Partners in Anesthesia and Caresync/Mount Vernon Internal Medicine. She earned a B.S. in Public Health from Shenandoah University. 

Camden Perkins joined the Public Health Foundation (PHF) in 2022 as the Customer Support Specialist for the TRAIN Learning Network. In this role, Cam interacts daily with TRAIN users across the globe and provides assistance on a number of inquiries through the help desk, including resetting passwords, completing account profiles, and accessing various elements of training content. He also guides Customer Support best practices and will be instrumental in improving TRAIN support efforts in the future. 

Prior to joining PHF, Cam worked a number of Customer Support roles for Acadience Learning Institute and Cash App, doing similar work to support users and resolve customer issues. 

Cam is an avid singer/musician and enjoys performing at open mic events in his spare time. He received his B.A. in Economics/Marketing from Washington University St. Louis in 2015. 

Brittnie Rector is an experienced professional who joined the Public Health Foundation (PHF) in 2023 as a Project Manager and now serves as a Senior Program Manager. Brittnie collaborates closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leading the team to deliver on initiatives aimed at improving the experiences of governmental public health and healthcare professionals using the TRAIN platform. Brittnie leads a variety of projects for PHF, including interconnected projects for the TRAIN Learning Management System (LMS). With a focus on influencing structure and consistency in processes and projects, she is a valuable asset to the organization. 

Prior to joining PHF, Brittnie served as a senior leader responsible for program management, content development, and strategic planning. As a self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit, she understands the importance of building relationships and team collaboration. With a core value of curiosity, Brittnie is consistently seeking opportunities for personal and professional growth. She earned her B.S. in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from East Carolina University and holds a PMP certification.

Outside of her work, Brittnie enjoys various activities such as traveling, volunteering, scuba diving, and spending quality time with her family and friends. 

Dominique Saunders joined the Public Health Foundation in 2021 and serves as the CDC TRAIN Learning Curator. In this role Dominique provides ongoing support to CDC programs and partners on best practices for content curation and its application to Training Plans and Blended Learning Series within CDC TRAIN.  

Dominique brings with her 15 + years of experience in the field of public health in the State of Kansas, specifically in the areas of infectious disease (viral hepatitis, HIV, STI) prevention, behavioral health, program management, and cross-sector capacity building. Dominique holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Kansas State University and professional certification in training and development.

In addition to her work in the field of public health, Dominique passionately serves in a number of grassroots initiatives centered on equity in practice and socio-ecological justice. She also enjoys gardening, letter-writing, foraging, and macro photography.

Gabrelle Taylor is the Director of the Public Health Systems Improvement Unit. In this role, Gabrelle manages several multi-year, national projects in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the development of resources and training for the public health and population health workforce. She also manages and leads the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of eLearning products addressing immunization and infection control.

Prior to joining PHF, Gabrelle was a training consultant for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration using her experience in project management, health communications, and instructional design to support IT systems deployment and training. She also worked as the eLearning & Implementation Manager for the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine in Washington, D.C. 

Gabrelle holds a B.S. in Education and Master of Public Health degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. 

Nakilia Thompson is the Health Communications Associate in the Public Health Systems Improvement (PHSI) unit. In this role, Nakilia spearheads the coordination and development of communications and promotions for the Public Health Foundation (PHF) Immunization Center and PHSI project activities through a variety of outlets and channels, such as PHF’s website, newsletters, email outreach, in-person and remote events, webinars, multi-media, social media, and additional creative pursuits. 

Prior to joining PHF, Nakilia was a Public Health Associates Program associate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, supporting various COVID-19 efforts at the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD). Ms. Thompson managed a city-funded BCHD program and investigated local COVID-19 and Mpox outbreaks.

Nakilia ‘s passion for public health developed at Morgan State University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Health Education. Her hobbies include cooking for friends and family, painting, and listening to music. She also lets her creativity flow by being a self-taught makeup artist in her spare time.