Having received her CHW certification in 2016, Karina first came across an opportunity to work in public health through community volunteering, which helped her realize how serving vulnerable communities could inspire her and reward her in turn. When serving the Health Equity Council, she looks forward to building close partnerships with organizations in her district, those committed to joining forces and working together to address health inequities exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic in the surrounding communities. Said partnerships she aims to pursue connections with include local health departments, FQHC’s, health care organizations, government entities, non-for-profit organizations, and faith-based organizations.

Having prior experience as a Registered Medical Assistant, Celeste will be receiving her CHW certification this year, continuing a passion for helping others she has long held. She attributes pursuing a career in public health to her time growing up in a household constantly looking to make ends meet financially, as well as seeing her mother face adversity, adjusting to life in a new country and trying to overcome language barriers. By serving the Health Equity Council, Celeste looks forward to working together to assist communities in overcoming the barriers and disparities that need to be addressed.

Carliss received her CHW certification in 2018, and was motivated to pursue a career in public health through a desire to provide services to vulnerable populations while empowering them by educating them on chronic diseases. By serving the Health Equity Council, she looks forward to serving and assisting vulnerable populations who experience health disparities and educating them on the importance of vaccines during a pandemic. Partnerships she recommends partnering with include Health Visions Ft. Wayne, Stillwater Hospice, Community Harvest Food Bank, Good Hope Baptist Church, Chi Eta Phi and Zeta Phi Beta sororities, and Ft. Wayne African American Health Care Alliance.

Latrice’s career path in public health started when she became a Licensed Vocational Nurse in California in 1988. As the years passed, she came to discover that there were other ways of helping those in need, quickly leading her to community outreach and public health. For more than 20 years, she has worked in the public health sector and all throughout has truly enjoyed helping others. She is currently pursuing her CHW certification training. Latrice looks forward to the impact the Health Equity Council can make on her community and how the efforts will be sustained for many years to come.

Lance’s pursuit of a career in public health came after he began to understand the current state of public health as a whole, and the passion he had for making effective change in his community’s overall health began to take shape. Lance is currently in training to become certified as a CHW. In serving the Health Equity Council, Lance looks forward to the positive impact these systems will have on the community and the synergy it will bring throughout each community statewide. His recommendations for Health Equity Council partners include Oak Street Health, ITown Church, Riggs Community Health Center, United Way, and Good Samaritan.

Olunda began her career in public health in order to advocate for minorities in underserved communities. She received her training to become certified as a CHW in 2022. In serving the Health Equity Council, Olunda looks forward to working alongside different Community Base Organizations to help combat major health disparities that minorities face in the underserved communities. Her recommendations for Health Equity Council partners include Lifestream, I.U. Health Recovery & Addictions, Operation Love, and QSource.

Dr. LaTasha was led to pursue a career in public health after having direct involvement with communities throughout her career who have faced adversity and expressed a desire to advocate for themselves but did not know how. By being an active part of their lives, she finds joy in helping them find their own voice while improving their lives, as well as the community where they live and work. She received her training to become certified as a CHW in 2017. By serving the Health Equity Council, she is looking forward to working with community organizations that have shown a vested interest in working as a team to reduce vaccine hesitancy, while also overcoming barriers to adequate healthcare and preparedness for future health challenges.