HEALTH (MDH) - Key Persons
Aisha Galaydh has more than five years of experience in community engagement, child development, and psychosocial support. She has both international and domestic experience in improving health service delivery, capacity building, and the development of local nonprofits.
Prior to joining MDH, Aisha worked as a COVID-19 community coordinator for Hennepin County, where she worked alongside community organizations on health education, strategic planning, and outreach. She holds a master's degree in public health from Columbia University, with a focus on population health and forced migration. Aisha is passionate about using research and evaluation to improve the health care system.
Amal started her journey with MDH at a critical moment during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as a contracted Somali case investigator. In November 2023, she joined the Center for Health Equity as a grant manager. Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Science in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota, which served as a springboard for her ongoing pursuit of knowledge. Amal is enthusiastic about further honing her expertise and has set her sights on pursuing a master's degree.
Amal loves to travel extensively in her personal life and is constantly looking for novel experiences. She appreciates the power of storytelling through film and finds comfort in the realm of movies. Amal also enjoys dining out at restaurants and spending time with her loved ones. In both her professional and personal endeavors, Amal demonstrates her commitment to public service and her strong sense of obligation towards the health and well-being of the Minnesota community. Her experience serves as evidence of her steadfast dedication to improving the lives of others.
Job Titles:
- Planner at the Center for Health Equity
Amy Maheswaran Lopez (Amy Lopez) is a health equity planner at the Center for Health Equity. Previously, Amy spent four years as the state's suicide prevention coordinator in the MDH Office of Injury and Violence Prevention. Amy's passion for health equity has been demonstrated domestically and globally during her 20-plus year career serving the homeless; juvenile and adult offenders; gang members; and survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking. Amy has worked alongside communities of color and urban American Indians and tribal nations leading community mobilizing and community development initiatives. Amy earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Minnesota, and her master's degree in social work, with an emphasis in public policy, public administration, and community development.
Amy is a grant manager for diverse media and community engagement grantees. Prior to joining the Center for Health Equity, Amy was the MDH arthritis program coordinator, where she brought the Walk with Ease Program to Minnesota. She is a master trainer for the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program, and the National Diabetes Prevention Program. She has worked at MDH since 2012, including working in the Diabetes Program and in the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) program as a health systems coordinator. Amy loves to spend her time biking, swimming, and being with her family and her dog. She has an M.S. in education and is married with three adult children.
Anna holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and joined MDH in 2014 as an administrative assistant in the Child and Family Health Division. She moved to the Office of Vital Records in 2017 as a help desk representative. During the height of COVID-19, Anna was deployed to work as a grant manager and team lead for diverse media and community engagement contracts. She moved back to Child and Family Health in 2021 as a grants and contracts coordinator. Before working for MDH, Anna worked at the Minnesota Attorney General's Office and held a number of administrative positions at varied businesses. Born and raised in Minnesota, Anna has a real connection to the citizens of the state, even though she currently resides in Wisconsin.
Job Titles:
- Fraud Prevention Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Drawing on her extensive expertise in public health, Annika works tirelessly to shape policies and initiatives that promote equitable opportunities for all individuals to achieve optimal health outcomes. Through her keen understanding of social determinants of health, she actively advocates for strategies that address the root causes of health disparities and uplift underserved populations.
Collaboration lies at the heart of Annika's approach. She hopes to partner closely with teams across the agency, local organizations, community leaders, and stakeholders to gain insight into the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities. By engaging in active listening and valuing diverse perspectives, she ensures that the voices of those most affected are at the forefront of decision-making processes.
Ariana joined MDH in October 2022, where she conducts research and program evaluation. Ariana brings nearly a decade of experience in public health research and evaluation spanning government, academic, nonprofit, and consulting settings. She holds a master's degree in epidemiology from the University of Minnesota and is skilled in mixed methods analyses, survey design, and data visualization; her passions include sexual violence prevention, immigrant health, and the impacts of labor/economic policy on health and well-being. In her work, she is interested in exploring complex questions around equity and justice in Minnesota using innovative statistical methods and nuanced storytelling approaches.
Job Titles:
- Communications Supervisor
Bridget joined MDH in 2013 as a health educator and then in 2016 as a grant manager for the Center for Health Equity. During the COVID-19 response, she helped create and lead the team of staff contracting with community partners and diverse media organizations, while also serving as the co-director of the Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities Branch. Prior to joining MDH, Bridget lived for two years in Burkina Faso, West Africa, where she worked as a community health and development agent with the Peace Corps. She also worked as a program assistant for the Resilient Communities Project at the University of Minnesota and as a writer, editor, and designer at two local newspapers.
Bridget has a master's degree in public health from the University of Minnesota and bachelor's degrees in journalism and international studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Bridget brings a passion for health and racial equity and many years of experience as a communicator, organizer, and project manager. She enjoys spending time with her husband and son, being outdoors, and trying new restaurants in the Twin Cities.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Coordinator
Christy joined MDH in 2015 to provide administrative support for the Center for Health Equity. She supports everything and everyone, and we could not get our work done without her. Christy is a University of St. Catherine graduate with a nursing degree. Prior to her position at MDH, Christy worked at a pediatric clinic, providing patient care for ten years. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, walking, and spending time with her husband and their five children.
Dai Vu is a second generation Vietnamese-American who has lived in Minnesota for most of her life. She came with her family to Rochester, Minnesota, in1980 as part of the boat refugees from South Vietnam. She received an undergraduate degree in biology from the College of St. Catherine and a master's of public health from the University of Minnesota. She has more than 20 years of public health experience, including community engagement, grant and project management, and systems change coordination.
Prior to coming to MDH, she worked for the American Cancer Society in their community engagement and health equity program. For the last three years, she served as the community partnerships coordinator for MDH Sage Cancer Programs. Dai is excited to join the Center for Health Equity team in their efforts to serve our BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disability communities.
Dr. Erica Alley, American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter specialist/lead
Job Titles:
- Grant Manager
- MDH in 2018 As the Grant Manager
Brooke joined MDH in 2018 as the grant manager for the family planning special projects (FPSP) grant program; supported the COVID-19 response for two years in the Cultural, Faith, and Disability Communities Branch; then joined the Center for Health Equity in January 2023 as a grant manager with the eliminating health disparities initiative (EHDI). She has served as a subject matter expert in adolescent sexual health throughout her career, including roles as the director of sexuality education at the Annex Teen Clinic, project manager for the CDC's Adolescent Health and Academic Equity Project at the Minnesota Department of Education, and as a national trainer for evidence-based sexual health curricula with ETR. She holds a bachelor's degree in gender and sexuality studies from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. In her free time, she enjoys painting, gardening, and loving on her pup.
Elizabeth (Liz) is a graduate of Brandeis University Heller School for Social Policy and Management in Massachusetts. She holds a dual master's degree in global health policy and management and conflict resolution and co-existence. Liz has 20-plus years of experience designing and managing community and health systems, strengthening programs to address health inequities among rural and hard-to-reach populations in Africa.
She has worked for the International Organization for Migration and Catholic Relief and Development Aid supporting refugee, immigrant, and internally displaced populations with emergency health and community recovery programs. Additionally, she has worked as a results-based financing consultant for the World Bank, designing and managing health care financing systems reforms to reduce financial burden of vulnerable communities in accessing maternal and child health services in Zimbabwe and Gambia. Most recently, Liz worked as an international health and refugee coordinator for MDH's partnership project with the University of Minnesota National Resource Center on COVID-19 contact tracing, prevention, and mitigation programs for at-risk refugees, immigrants, and migrants.
Job Titles:
- Equity Strategist
- Human Resources Management Division
Evelyn Combs brings years of firsthand and professional experience working with community leaders and many organizations in our state. Evelyn has professional experience leading equity initiatives, managing programs, and most recently has been serving as the MDH metro regional public health consultant where she provided coaching and mentorship to the metro-area Minnesota Public Health Infrastructure I-Fund projects. Evelyn enjoys spending time with family, working out, traveling, and adventures to try new foods.
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Systems Planner
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Systems Planner
Jeanett Garcia holds the position of community engagement systems planner at MDH. With more than 20 years of dedicated service in state government, Jeanett has established herself as a passionate advocate for Minnesota's Latino and immigrant communities, championing their rights and fostering inclusivity.
Jeanett's journey with MDH began in 2017, initially contributing her expertise to the Office of Vital Records. Her commitment to community partnerships and her unwavering passion for engagement quickly made her an invaluable asset to the team. Prior to her time at MDH, Jeanett spent a decade at the Department of Human Services, where she honed her skills and deepened her understanding of the needs and challenges faced by diverse communities.
What makes Jeanett's story even more inspiring is her own background as a proud Mexican immigrant who grew up on the vibrant West Side of St. Paul. Her personal experiences have undoubtedly shaped her perspective and drive to create a better future for her community. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Jeanett finds joy in spending her spare time swimming and cherishing family moments with her four daughters and two grandchildren.
Kathy Denman-Wilke grew up in Flint, Michigan, close to her indigenous roots with the Saginaw Chippewa Nation. She is the mother of three grown sons and has one granddaughter. Kathy's career spans 35 years, with experiences in diverse and/or American Indian tribal and urban communities. She enjoys working in communities and with institutions that need assistance connecting with families and reducing institutional barriers.
Kathy received her bachelor's degree in family education and consumer science from Iowa State University, with a minor in American Indian studies. She later completed her master's degree in educational leadership and administration from the University of Minnesota. Kathy joined the Minnesota Department of Education two years ago and started within the Public Health Practice on the Community Engagement Unit. After only a few months, she began working in the COVID-19 response on both the Tribal Health COVID-19 Response Team and Cultural, Faith and Disabilities Branches. This work has led her to the American Indian CCC lead position. She is honored to join the Center for Health Equity Team in their effort to serve all communities within the department's COVID-19 response efforts.
Job Titles:
- Systems Planner for the Minnesota Department
Kody Olson is the disability systems planner for the Minnesota Department of Health and is on the Community Engagement and Systems Transformation Team. He comes from the Minnesota Council on Disability, where he served as the public policy director. Kody is deaf, with a cochlear implant, and is passionate about advancing disability health equity. He is a former Iowa State University Cyclone and has earned his master's in public health and master's in public policy from the University of Minnesota.
Job Titles:
- Registration and Amendments Supervisor
Job Titles:
- Supervisor
- Equity and Environmental Justice Researcher
Kristin Osiecki is a health equity and environmental justice researcher who joined the team in August 2023. Prior to working at MDH, Kristin spent 14 years in academia teaching public health courses and conducting urban and rural equity studies in Illinois, Texas, and Minnesota. She investigates the importance of where people live in addition to social determinants of health that contribute to health inequities in disadvantaged populations. Her areas of interest include emergency preparedness, response, and recovery; housing and respiratory disease in adults, and lead poisoning in children; reproductive health and justice; and food insecurity.
Prior to academia, Kristin worked in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in environmental and occupational health compliance and fundraising for public health initiatives. Kristin has a master's and a doctoral degree for the University of Illinois in Chicago in public health, with an emphasis on emerging technologies and data methodologies. Her academic work focused on analyzing complex factors that contribute to health equity in our communities. In her spare time, she enjoys crafting, reading nonfiction books, removing buckthorn to restore an oak savannah, and reluctantly finding her inner camper in the Minnesota wild.
Lauren joined the Center for Health Equity through the CDC's Public Health Associate Program in the fall of 2022. Lauren earned her B.S. in public health-global health and biology-physiology, with interdisciplinary honors, at the University of Washington-Seattle. During her undergraduate experience, Lauren engaged with local community organizations during the pandemic to eliminate health disparities in underserved communities. From supporting the translation and dissemination of essential public health materials to leading stroke awareness and CPR trainings, she learned the power of working alongside communities and promoting their cultural wisdom. Lauren hopes to continue this learning at CHE and strives to advance health equity in all spaces. In her free time, she enjoys exploring new parks, reading a good book, or binge watching a new show while she works on her newest knitting project.
Lensa Terfa joined MDH as a multilingual COVID-19 case investigator in April 2020. In June 2020, Lensa became the lead case investigator and joined the African community liaison team. In January 2021, she took the African community liaison lead role and started working with different organizations that serve the African community. Prior to joining MDH, Lensa worked as lead childcare teacher at Fairview Health Care for five years. Lensa has a bachelor's degree in early childhood studies from Metro State University and is currently working on her master's degree in public health at Saint Mary's University. Lensa brings a passion for racial and health equity and several years of experience as a certified medical interpreter/cultural mediator. Outside of work, she is a Sunday school teacher for preschoolers and enjoys reading time with her two children.
Lucas joined the team in 2023 as a health equity strategist for the Environmental Health and Health Equity divisions of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Born and raised in North Minneapolis, the inequities he has witnessed and experienced first-hand prepared him to engage with his community in addressing and partnering to close disparity gaps. Lucas is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College, where he majored in biology, Latin American studies, and Spanish, with his lens focused on health disparities. Prior to joining MDH, he worked in clinical research at the University of Minnesota where he engaged daily with Minnesota families, adults, and pediatric populations with researched focused on cardiometabolic health and childhood obesity. When off the clock, Lucas enjoys spending time outside with friends and family camping, fishing, backpacking, and hiking.
Marisol Chiclana-Ayala, MPA, holds a bachelor's degree in media writing and communications from the Universidad de Sagrado Corazon (P.R.), a Mini MBA from the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota), and a master's degree in leadership, management and global affairs from the Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota. In addition, Marisol is a 2006 Archibald Granville Bush Leadership Fellow.
A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Marisol is a proud Afro-Boricua/Afro-Latina, honoring her culture and traditions in Minnesota through her drumming, Bomba singing, and her work as the board chair and director of the Boriken Cultural Center, Minnesota. Marisol is an energetic public speaker and facilitator, with more than 25 years of experience working as a public health leader, journalist, professor, interpreter, translator, cultural liaison, diversity specialist, and consultant.
Mattie joined MDH in 2018. Keeping her commitment to community in the forefront, Mattie is always asking how MDH's work affects people on the ground, especially communities most impacted by inequities. They are a lifelong learner about the impact of racism, colonialism, and systemic oppression on public health. Her passions include policy and institutional change, community outreach, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and community-driven solutions. Outside of work, Mattie spends their time geeking out about their fandoms, loving on their fur babies and the coolest gender-creative kid around, and exploring the beautiful parks and trails our state has to offer.
Mia joined MDH in 2014. She leads the reporting and evaluation for our grant programs and provides evaluation technical assistance to grantees and local public health departments. Previously, Mia worked as a research associate at Rainbow Research, Inc. Mia has more than 25 years of experience in research and evaluation in the areas of health, education, social services, and organizational capacity building for a range of entities, including community-based nonprofits, government, foundations, and schools. She holds a master's degree in agricultural and applied economics and has completed coursework and preliminary exams in the applied economics doctoral program at the University of Minnesota.
Job Titles:
- MDH in 2016 As a Grant Manager
Mohamed joined MDH in 2016 as a grant manager and currently holds the position of grants and budget supervisor. In this role, he establishes efficient processes for monitoring multiple funding sources, including federal and state grants. Mohamed possesses extensive knowledge and expertise in grant and contract management, budgeting, and forecasting. He provides technical assistance to internal and external partners and demonstrates a strong aptitude for collaborating with communities most impacted by inequities.
Previously, Mohamed served as the dean of students at Midway Star Academy. He worked closely with leadership to create a positive learning environment, which included management of behavior protocols and student intervention programs.
Mohamed holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota -Twin Cities and a master's degree in health and human services administration from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. In his free time, he enjoys sports, staying active, and spending time with his family.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director of the Health Equity Strategy
Odi joined MDH as the director of the Health Equity Strategy and Innovation Division in January 2024. Prior to joining MDH, she worked at the Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity as a project manager and research scholar. She also served as the director of operations for The Research in Color Foundation and is a current Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Her research focuses on investigating structural factors that result in racial inequities in long-term services and supports, generating population-level research evidence, and working collaboratively toward translating research evidence into effective interventions at the policy level and in long-term care programs and services.
Prior to joining the Center of Health Equity, Lee worked with Infectious Disease Epidemiology Prevention and Control as an International Health Fellow, where she led the maintenance of directories of organizations serving diverse communities and supported initiative newsletters that focused on traveler's health. She aims to champion health equity in her work and is passionate about increasing accessibility to health resources that empower community members to make the best-informed decisions about their health. She is excited to be finishing up her bachelor of science degree in health at the University of Minnesota, with an emphasis in public health. Outside of school and work, she enjoys recharging with my loved ones, thrifting unique finds, and fishing with her partner.
Paige joined the Center for Health Equity in 2022 as a health equity fellow. She was hired in 2023 as the COVID systems coordinator for the CCC team. She is passionate about improving community and population health equity (and associated barriers), public health education, and building more equitable public health systems. Prior to joining MDH, she worked with community organizations in the Columbus area in Ohio to evaluate food insecurity and access, developing public education materials and improving access to services for older adults in assisted living facilities.
She holds a master's degree in public health from the Ohio State University, specializing in population health, and bachelor's degrees in public health and biology from Hamline University. In her free time, she enjoys creating nail art, trying new local restaurants, and spending time with her partner and pets.
Pam has spent more than 20 years working at the local and state health department levels in California and Minnesota. Her experience and passion include addressing health inequities through policy and systems change, interagency collaborations, and community engagement. She previously worked as a legal services attorney in Wisconsin and the U.S. Virgin Islands serving low-income people in various legal issues. She holds a bachelor's degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School, and a master's degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley. In her spare time, Pam enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and trying to tire out her very energetic husky.
Rachel is the Health Equity Strategist for Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR). Rachel served as the Disability Lead for COVID-19 Community Coordinators from 2022-2023, where she worked with disability organizations across Minnesota to respond to the pandemic. Rachel's work focused on ensuring access to vaccination, testing, and health recovery for people with disabilities. As a Health Equity Strategist, Rachel is eager to do work that will minimize harm and maximize survival in the next public health emergency. Before coming to MDH, Rachel worked in the nonprofit sector for 10 years in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. Her background is in international development and human rights, with a Master's of Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Rachel has been a consultant for UNICEF, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Disability Rights Fund. =
Reneka Evans is a proud member of the LGBTQAI+ community, with a focus on achieving health equity by eliminating disparities and improving the health of all communities. She comes with 23 years of experience working in community health. Prior to coming to MDH, Reneka created, developed, and implemented the first transgender award ceremony in Minnesota (Transgender Stellar Awards). She also specializes in event development and outreach programming and is in her last semester at Metro State University.
Ricky Livingston grew up in a small town in rural North Carolina and is married with three young kids. He retired in 2011 after 24 years with the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps as a hospital corpsman/combat medic/medical lab technician.
Ricky received his bachelor's degree in applied sociology, with a minor in African American studies, from North Carolina State University, and he has 12 credits left to complete a master's degree in public health from Emory University's School of Public Health. He has more than three decades of broad public health experience, including primary prevention of violence, health education, grant and project management, social anthropology, and group facilitation/counseling, with a passion for addressing sexual and partner violence. Ricky is honored and excited to join the Center for Health Equity team and serve our communities as the African American lead for the COVID-19 community coordinators initiative.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director
- Director
- Assistant Director for the Center for Health Equity
Sara Chute has worked at MDH since 2006. In 2017, Sara became assistant director for the Center for Health Equity and the Center for Health Data. She has been a champion for communities impacted by inequities throughout her career and values the importance of building trust and developing action-oriented approaches to addressing complex public problems in partnership with community.
Sara holds a master's degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a bachelor's degree from Carleton College. In her free time, Sara enjoys chasing after her kids Race and Sara Evelyn with her husband Frank.
Saurav joined MDH as a grant manager in October 2022, with more than 13 years of experience working with underserved populations as the state refugee health coordinator/office of refugee resettlement projects manager, assistant state refugee coordinator, COVID-19 regional manager, and most recently as the North Dakota tuberculosis controller. Saurav brings with him a wide range of nonprofit and government experience, from policy and grantmaking to community engagement efforts focused on empowerment, capacity building, and eliminating health disparities among people of color. Saurav holds a master's degree in public health, with an emphasis on infectious disease management, and a bachelor's degree from North Dakota State University. In his spare time, he loves traveling with his wife and daughter.
Sneha Singh is an engaged community professional with many years of experience in healthcare, non-profit and corporate agencies. She has completed her PhD in social science and MBA in corporate social responsibility. She joined MDH in August 2023, but she has worked in the past as contractor and volunteer. She is passionate about making a difference in each human being's life and tries to work with vulnerable and older adults. She is result-driven, collaborative connector, who uses public-private partnership approach to develop and deepen relationships to improve outcomes. Her experiences are in analyzing and reporting, grantmaking and evaluation, convening, presenting, training, community outreach. Sneha has worked with national and international organizations that help provide food, shelter, and healthcare for underserved communities. She currently volunteers with Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation and Minnesota Diverse Elder's Coalition to co-create initiatives that can help older adults age in place.
Outside work, Sneha likes to educate and train immigrant families about rules of money and actions that can lead to financial freedom. Her hobbies include but are not limited to travelling, reading books, watching movies, and listening to classical and Bollywood songs.
Stephanie Rosa joined the Center for Health Equity in fall of 2021 as a public health associate where she supported grants such as Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative and Community Solutions for Healthy Childhood Development. In August of 2023, Stephanie became the health equity strategist for the Public Health Laboratory. She leads with a passion for equity and aims to work alongside community to advance our health systems. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in public health from the University of California, Berkeley. During her time at Berkeley, Stephanie led programs focused on addressing health disparities, primarily in the county of Los Angeles, California. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys going to concerts, finding new places to eat, and binge watching a good show.
Sylvette Lopez-Ruth is passionate about making a difference regarding health awareness in all communities. Her previous experience includes working for the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota as a community engagement coordinator, where she was tasked with creating cancer awareness education programs for all communities (prevention, detection, and treatment), as well as developing relationships, educating health care providers about clinical research, and increasing minority enrollment in clinical trials and research studies.
Job Titles:
- Grant Manager
- Grant Manager for the Center of Health Equity
Tee Reh is the newest grant manager for the Center of Health Equity team. He previously was a fellow for the PHI/CDC Global Health Fellowship Program. As a fellow, he did surveillance for the Division for Parasitic and Malaria and program monitoring and evaluation for the Gender and Youth team. He generated survey questions and collected and analyzed data on knowledge and awareness of farmers about pesticide use and its contribution to mosquito resistance to pesticides. He also reviewed, corrected, and maintained HIV data, and he participated in training youth in Mozambique on how to survey and evaluate programs. Outside of his professional work, he works with his Karenni community and is involved in many community activities related to COVID-19.
He completed a master's degree in public health focused on epidemiology and biostatistics at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. He became interested in public health because of his personal experience with health disparity while living in a refugee camp. He is excited to continue expanding and diversifying his experience and skill sets as part of the grants managers team.