The OPHA Board of Directors

JoAnn Miller, President

JoAnn Miller is well-known throughout Oregon for her work and service to communities. Recently retired, she served as the Director of Community Health Promotion for Samaritan Health Services in Corvallis for nearly 16 years. Prior to this role, JoAnn was the Director of the Commission on Children and Families for close to 15 years in Benton County.

JoAnn has over 35 years of experience in community development and promoting public health initiatives in Washington and Oregon. She is the founder of a new consulting business, Crowned Eagle Consultants, which provides grant writing, grant reviewing, community development and networking services to organizations. JoAnn has a strong background in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with over 30 years of training and education in social justice and equity. She serves as a federal and state grant reviewer and has been overseeing grant making for nearly 30 years.

JoAnn is a strong advocate for rural communities in Oregon and strongly supports efforts that promote underserved and marginalized populations. She holds a master’s degree from Oregon State University, a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University, and two associate degrees from Olympic College, and a certificate in Diversity Management from the American Hospital Association.

Angel Harris, RN, President-Elect

Angel Harris, RN, is a Racial Equity Consultant at Angel Harris Consulting, using her natural passion to help build bridges toward racial equity and true community. She also is an Adjunct Nursing Faculty at Bushnell University and enjoys helping people learn and grow together as agents of change.

Angel is the past president of the Linn Benton NAACP, and has been a strong voice for social change within the Corvallis School District as part of the District Equity Leadership Team Advisory and the Regional Racial Equity Group. She is a board member of the Oregon Public Health Association, the Oregon Nurses Foundation, the Linn Benton Lincoln Health Equity Alliance, and is a member of the Alliance of Black Nurses Association of Oregon.

Originally from Mississippi, Angel attended Oregon State University and graduated in 2001 from Linfield University School of Nursing with a Bachelor of Science. She worked 9+ years in medical-surgical, oncology, and pediatrics in the hospital in Corvallis, and 8+ years in long term care. In 2021, Angel returned to school and graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing degree in 2023. Angel is a mother of three with her husband of over 20 years.

Tamara Falls, MS, Immediate Past President

Tamara Falls, MS, believes advocating for policies that protect and promote health and health equity is essential to creating healthy, thriving communities. Tamara is passionate about working to dismantle institutional racism and promote equitable policies and systems. In her current role as Chief Advocacy and Equity Officer for Metropolitan Family Services, her work is focused on advocating for equitable policies and ensuring equitable and inclusive programs for BIPOC and low-income individuals and families.

Tamara has a background in human services and community engagement focused on addressing social determinants of health. She has a BA in Psychology and an MS in Human Services. She has 15+ years of experience engaging with underrepresented populations and as a trainer for equity, inclusion, adverse childhood experiences, and trauma informed care.

Tamara has served on the OPHA Board of Directors for more than a decade and has also held leadership positions on the International Association of Public Participation Board, the Health Care Coalition of Southern Oregon Board, the YMCA Board, and was the Chair of the Southern Oregon Health Equity Coalition Executive Board.

Robb Hutson, MA, Treasurer

Robb Hutson is the President of Rede Group, a social impact company bringing clarity, visibility, and equity to complex public health challenges. Rede works closely with clients and partners to support evaluation, research, facilitation, training, and strategic planning, with special expertise in tobacco, cannabis, behavioral health, equity, and the intersection of climate and health. Robb regularly works in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and across the United States.

Robb has been on the OPHA board since 2012 as a Regional Representative, President, and currently is the Treasurer. Robb’s other board work has included Upstream Public Health (Vice Chair). He previously served on the board of Ski Oregon, The Clackamas County Tourism Development Council Marketing Committee, and the Columbia River Gorge/Mt. Hood Marketing Committee, and the board of Belmont Academy.

Robb is the lead organizer of CannAct, a national cannabis action conference focused on public health, youth prevention, and safety, and ToPCon; a national commercial tobacco prevention conference. He has a bachelor’s degree from Lewis and Clark College, a master's degree from the University of Oregon, and a graduate certificate in Virtual Team Management from Cornell University.

Amber Henderson, Secretary, Region 4 Representative

Amber Henderson is a mother and Oregon Heath Authority professional who resides in Pendleton, Oregon. Amber’s equity and antiracist journey began early in life when she was a student moving through the school system advocating and insisting on black history being added to the curriculum. Professionally, Amber began as the lead Diversity, Equity and Inclusion expert while working for the local community mental health provider in Umatilla County. From there, she had a brief stint as DEI coordinator at the local CAP agency before landing in her current role at OHA.

Working with community, hearing their stories, and supporting the advancement of their own goals is one of Amber’s favorite perks of the work she is involved in. Amber truly believes if she has made a positive impact on one human, then she has made a meaningful difference.

Briana Arnold, MPH, ARGC

Passionate about advancing public health, Briana Arnold, MPH, entered the field after working domestically and abroad in agriculture. She is interested in the intersections of public health and food systems, climate adaptation, health equity, and, informed by her own rural upbringing, advancing opportunities for those living in rural areas.

Briana earned her MPH from the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health and a BS in Animal Sciences from Washington State University. Briana fosters a deep connection with food and the land and by spending most days elbow deep in the garden and pursuing adventure by backpacking, rock climbing, and alpine skiing.

Armando Jimenez, MPH, Director at Large 

With over 15 years of dedicated service in public health, Armando Jimenez, MPH, is committed to improving health equity and language access in Oregon. His comprehensive experience spans public health leadership, health care operations, language services, emergency operations systems, health education, and grant administration. As a former health care interpreter, Armando currently serves as Director of Language Services at OHSU leading all language access programs and initiatives, including interpretation, translation, captioning, and bilingual proficiency testing.

In his previous role as Senior Program Coordinator at Washington County Public Health, he led federally funded health literacy initiatives through community-based partnerships and investments in community health workers to improve access to care for migrant and seasonal farmworkers and individuals with limited English proficiency.

As Service Branch Director for COVID-19 emergency operations at OHSU Hillsboro Medical Center, Armando directed operations at the Hillsboro Stadium Vaccination Center to vaccinate over 55 thousand individuals. Armando holds a Master of Public Health from Oregon Health and Science University and a Bachelor of Arts in Community Health Education from Portland State University. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Oregon Public Health Association, Centro Cultural de Washington County, and Hillsboro Community Foundation.

Laura Daily, MPH, Director at Large 

Laura is the Policy and Planning Senior Program Coordinator at Washington County Public Health where she leads the Community Health Improvement Plan process and supports public health policy initiatives. Her previous experience includes public health advocacy, workforce development, and communications at the Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials, qualitative research and program evaluation at long-term care facilities through the PSU Institute on Aging, and direct service and eligibility determinations for SNAP and Medicaid at Aging and People with Disabilities.

Because of her time working with low-income seniors and growing up in a rural, medically underserved community, Laura decided to pursue her Master of Public Health to address gaps in social safety net policy. She completed her MPH through the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health in June 2020. Laura also has a BS in Human Services from Walden University and an AA from Southwestern Oregon Community College.

Laura grew up in Coos Bay and now lives in Beaverton with her partner, Michael. Laura is passionate about health and social policy, rural health, public health communication, and alignment of health systems.

Ma’Adjoa Manu, MPH, Director at Large

Adjoa (Ma’Adjoa) Manu, MPH, has interest in examining policies and systems that promote individual and community well-being. Her passion led to a career transition from accounting to public health. Over the past decade, Ma’Adjoa has partnered with communities and universities in Ghana and the US, as well as international organizations such as the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, and USAID, for projects that include contraceptive use, adolescent sexual health, healthcare access and utilization, key populations size estimation in Ghana; the treatment of pregnant women during birth in healthcare facilities in Ghana, Guinea, Myanmar, and Nigeria, building sustainable communities in Tokyo, and promoting education and family planning as climate solutions.

Ma’Adjoa is an instructor and pursuing a PhD in Community Health at the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. She additionally volunteers with organizations to provide resilience training for youth with trauma and those in foster care. She holds a master’s degree in public health and a Bachelor of Science in Administration (Accounting) from Ghana. Ma’Adjoa values community, compassion, and wholeheartedness. In her free time, she enjoys (or is tempted to believe she enjoys) cooking, armchair traveling, exploring pre-colonial ‘Afrika,’ and visiting new places.

Theo Latta, MCP, ABD, Director at Large

Theo Latta, MCP, ABD, oversees the Health Equity program for Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) Health Services and the Indigenous Health Equity Program for OHSU Health. Theo is an Indigenous researcher and holds a master’s degree in Community Psychology.

Theo’s research interests focus mostly on Indigenous specific issues in healthcare, education, policing, and neurological diversity. Outside of work, Theo enjoys adventuring with his young son named Sage and his newfoundland named Ocean Dog.

Annette Marcus, MSW, Director at Large

Annette Marcus is the Policy Manager for the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide at the Association of Oregon Community Mental Health Programs. The Alliance serves in an advisory role to the Oregon Health Authority on issues related to youth and young adult suicide. The Alliance has played a key role in the passage of more than 20 pieces of legislation designed to prevent suicide and promote well-being.

Previously, Annette was the Regional Director of Oregon Family Support Network in Lane County and the Director of child abuse prevention for the Strategies program in California. Annette helped develop the Standards for Quality Family Support Practice, co-founded the National Network for Family Support, and currently serves on the board of the Trauma Healing Project. In 1986, Annette walked across the United States with 500 other people on the Great Peace March for Nuclear Disarmament, and since then has spent her career working to prevent violence against self and others, strengthen families, and promote a culture of hope, healing and connection.

Win Mar Lar Kyin, MPH, MBA, Director at Large 

Win Mar Lar Kyin, MPH, MBA, is a medical graduate from Myanmar with over 15 years of experience as a primary care physician and public health professional. Forced to flee her home country in 2021 due to the military dictatorship, she unexpectedly became a refugee and resettled in the United States. Facing numerous challenges, Win persevered to rebuild her personal and professional life, aiming to return to her healthcare career.

In the US, Win served as a Health Services Manager at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), where she led a diverse team to implement successful community health programs for refugee and immigrant communities. Eager to deepen her understanding of the US healthcare system and enhance her leadership skills, Win completed the Healthcare MBA program at OHSU.

Win is dedicated to providing medical care and health education to reduce health disparities in her new community. She is one of the founders of Colorful Myanmar, a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the Myanmar community, a minority group in Portland, in meeting their health-related social needs. She continues her commitment by serving underserved populations in Portland, Oregon, with a focus on promoting health equity. She is fluent in Burmese and English. 

Kimberly Valdez-Martinez, MPH, Director at Large 

Kimberly Valdez-Martinez, MPH, is dedicated to advancing structural transformation, promoting health equity, and eradicating white supremacy culture within organizational frameworks. She champions the well-being of individuals affected by health disparities, driving public health communication, advocacy, and activism for positive change.

Kimberly is an Equity Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Human Services - Child Welfare.  Her professional experience includes project management at New Avenues for Youth, curriculum development for the Mental Health Addiction Association of Oregon, and policy implementation. As an intern with Providence Medical Group, she focused on integrating equity approaches. Kimberly has extensive experience in media advocacy, quantitative research, and program evaluation, and has worked in various capacities in customer service, counseling, and administrative support. A commitment to inclusivity, cultural humility, and community engagement is demonstrated in all her roles.

Kimberly holds a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, and an associate degree in addiction counseling from Portland Community College. She is certified as an Oregon Traditional Health Worker-Peer Support Specialist, a Qualified Mental Health Associate, a Certified Recovery Mentor, and an Oregon Health Plan Medicaid and Marketplace Assister.

Jessica Barker, MPH, MBA, Director at Large 

Jessica Barker, MPH, MBA, has 15+ years of experience in public health in roles that include senior services, chronic disease prevention, as a Program Manager for Healthy Families of Linn and Benton County, and in her current role as the Health Engagement Director for Cigna Healthcare. She holds a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion/Health Behavior, a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration, and is a Certified Health Educator.

With experience working with a diverse array of populations, Jessica prioritizes equity and inclusion, and continually seeks to address the racial inequities that exist in public health. Public health has always been a passion for Jessica, and she feels grateful that her work empowers individuals to live healthier lives.

Megan Cahn, PhD, MPH, Director at Large

Megan Cahn, PhD, MPH, is Associate Scientist, Population Health and Internal Medicine Residency Faculty at Legacy Health in Portland, Oregon. She has a broad background in health services research and policy and extensive training and experience in equitable research and community engagement practices. In her role at Legacy, she works collaboratively with clinical and community partners to design and implement research and programs to improve health. Much of her work is focused on the impact of the Social Determinants of Health, particularly systemic racism, on patient care and health outcomes. Dr. Cahn also leads Legacy Health’s food security programming. Prior to working at Legacy Health, Megan taught courses in the public health undergraduate program at Oregon State University.

Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Megan moved to Portland to attend Lewis & Clark College and has called the Pacific Northwest home for more than 20 years. Dr. Cahn holds an MPH in International Health and a PhD in Health Policy from Oregon State University. She is the mother of two young children, who along with her husband Tom, five chickens, and a puppy, live in the Lents neighborhood in Portland, Oregon.

Kelly Gonzales, PhD, MPH, Region 5 Representative

Kelly Gonzales, PhD, MPH, is the founder and Executive Director of the Indigenous Health Equity Institute. She is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, mother to Wren and Caleb, community advocate and organizer, researcher, learner, and teacher. All of her work centers on the priorities and wisdom of the Native community.

Dr. Gonzales completed her doctorate in public health and a post-doctoral program within the University of Colorado’s’ Native Investigator Program housed within the Centers for American Indian and Alaskan Native Research. Dr. Gonzales has served Indian Country in a variety of roles, including building regional and national programs within the Indian health care system, supporting emerging Indigenous leaders, building a body of empirical science into the adverse impacts of racism to the health of Native peoples, organizing a community of practice/ initiative to decolonize and Indigenize systems and structures of public health within health data, research, and policy, and establishing the nation's first undergraduate concentration on Indigenous health within an accredited School of Public Health.

Dr. Gonzales is a tenured associate professor within the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health and the co-founder of Oregon’s BIPOC Decolonizing Data Council. She serves the community by participating in numerous boards and advisory positions, including the Oregon Public Health Advisory Board, the Oregon Governors’ Racial Justice Council-Health Committee and Equity-Budget Committee; Oregon COVID Vaccination Advisory Board; the 2021-22 University Presidential Fellow of Portland State University, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Coalition of Portland, the Future Generations Collaborative, the 7Waters Canoe Family, and the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative.

Araceli Trejo-Rosas, RN, MPH, Region 3 Representative

Araceli Trejo-Rosas, RN, MPH, CPH, has an unwavering commitment to social and environmental justice, respect for nature, and to her vocational calling as a nurse and public health professional to protect human health. Her vision for public health is rooted in her passion for cultivating trustworthy systems of care, education, and dismantling institutional racism.

Araceli has the desire to collaborate and engage in creative resource sharing with communities throughout Oregon to introduce actionable steps that proactively dismantles structures that promote inequitable access to healthcare and creates new ones that are representative of all.

As a Region 3 Representative, she looks forward to centering Oregon’s farmworkers and other frontline food industry workers while helping them and the general public access nutritious, climate-friendly foods. Additionally, she would like to invite folks to reflect on new actions of healing our systems and healing ourselves by honoring and connecting with Indigenous values. Araceli holds a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. 

Josie Hall, MPH, Region 2 Representative

Josie Hall, MPH, has over 20 years of experience in the public health field and is deeply passionate about health promotion, behavioral health, substance use prevention, and health equity. She currently serves as a community health coordinator for PeaceHealth’s Oregon Network, where she collaborates with a network of community partners to address social drivers of health. In this role, she helps develop programs that tackle key community issues, including mental health, substance use disorder, food insecurity, access to care, and houselessness across Lane County, Oregon.

In addition to her work in Oregon, Josie recently took on the role of Community Health Needs Assessment project manager for the PeaceHealth system, overseeing efforts across Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.

Josie holds Master of Public Health degree from San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of New Hampshire. When not working you can find her adventuring with family, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, or working on the latest yard project!

Sarah Andersen, MPH, Region 1 Representative 

Sarah Andersen is the Director of Field Services at the Oregon Office of Rural Health, leading a team that provides technical assistance and education to support Oregon’s rural hospitals, clinics, public health, and EMS in quality improvement, population health, finance, and operations.

Her experience includes overseeing education programs to grow and diversify Oregon’s health care workforce and serving as publisher for a niche financial information organization. While working with underserved youth to spark interest in health careers, she was inspired to pursue an MPH in health care management and policy, which she earned from the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health in June 2024. She also holds BAs in Anthropology and English from the University of North Dakota.

Originally from North Dakota, Sarah moved to Oregon 25 years ago, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is passionate about rural health, health equity, and social justice, working to ensure rural health facilities provide quality, equitable, and affordable care through health policy.

Dustin Daniel, Food and Nutrition Section Representative 

Dustin Daniel is a Community Health Specialist for PeaceHealth Columbia Network. His role involves building and maintaining a network of public and private community partnerships with organizations to collaboratively address social determinants of health. Dustin collaborates with colleagues and community partners to develop programs that address substance use disorder, food insecurity, and houselessness across communities in southwest Washington. Before this role, Dustin served as an External Diversity Equity and Inclusion Specialist for PeaceHealth’s Shared Services Center, where he partnered with internal leaders and community stakeholders to develop systemwide programs and initiatives to advance health equity, including a mentorship program aimed at encouraging BIPOC high school students to pursue healthcare careers, and programs aimed at culturally specific COVID-19 education, outreach, and vaccine access.

Dustin holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Prairie View A&M University, which is the second oldest historically Black institution in the state of Texas. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public health from Chamberlain University.  In his personal life, Dustin enjoys reading books, listening to music, collecting vinyl records, exercising, and watching his favorite basketball team, the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Amrita Chakraborty, MPH, DDS, MDS, Disability Section Representative

Amrita Chakraborty, MPH, DDS, MDS, is a pediatric dentist with a strong background in public health and over a decade of clinical experience across the United States and India. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Connecticut, a Masters in Craniofacial and Molecular Biology and a Doctoral degree in Dental Surgery from the University of Southern California. She is also a Diplomate of American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Amrita has dedicated her career to improving children's oral health, particularly for those with special healthcare needs. She presently works as a Pediatric Dentist in Southern Oregon. Her work extends to research in biomimetic dental materials and interprofessional health education, with multiple publications in international journals.

She has served in leadership roles that include President of the Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists at USC and has been involved in community outreach through programs such as the USC Mobile Clinic, which provides care to underserved populations in California.

Lillie Jones Manvel, MPH, Weight Inclusive Health Section Representative

Lillie Jones Manvel, MPH, is the Executive Director at Upstream Public Health. She earned her MPH from Portland State in 2011 as part of the OMPH program while working at OHSU. Lillie started her community organizing journey in the early 2000s training with the State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) in Oregon and Utah. Before joining Upstream in 2019, Lillie worked as a hospice volunteer and as full-time caregiver of her mother and two young children. 

A South Carolina native, Lillie lives in Salem with her husband, two kiddos, and two cats, a few miles away from her mom. In her volunteer time, Lillie works to prevent gun violence.

Christian Moller-Andersen, Oral Health Section Representative 

With an extensive background in the commercial sector, working for the State of Oregon, and as the Executive Director for A Smile for Kids (ASK), Christian Moller-Anderson, brings a collaborative and strategic approach to addressing challenges. Christian's roles as a Learning and Development professional with Verizon Wireless, Employment Manager for the State of Oregon, and as the Executive Director for ASK have equipped him with diverse perspectives on legislation, finances, leadership, and human resources. His multifaceted background allows him to identify and dismantle barriers effectively, fostering solutions that benefit all stakeholders involved.

Christian continues to oversee the organization's commitment to supporting the academic and community service endeavors of the remaining ASK kids. His extensive experience with health alliances, coordinated care, and dental organizations has deepened his understanding of the legislative process and the impactful changes it can bring. Outside of his professional commitments, Christian enjoys spending time with his two daughters, hiking, tinkering with vintage cars, and engaging in home restoration projects. He also values the simple pleasures of life, such as engaging in meaningful conversations with friends and family over great food.

Julie Plagenhoef, RN, MPH, Nursing Section Representative

Julie supports the Nurse-Family Partnership and Babies First! nurse home visiting programs for the Maternal and Child Health section of the Oregon Health Authority. She believes that home visiting changes lives and is honored to be a part of this work for over six years. Prior to joining the MCH team, Julie worked at various times as a pediatric medical and adult trauma nurse, an epidemiologist, a biostatistician, and a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Sharon Coryell, MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Section Representative

Sharon Coryell, MPH, is an epidemiologist who earned her master’s degree from Oregon Health and Science University. She has dedicated the past nine years to work at the Oregon Health Authority in Health Promotions and Chronic Disease Prevention as Tobacco Epidemiologist.

Sharon has also spent the last four years working within a community-based organization, applying her epidemiological expertise to support housing initiatives. By collaborating with the community and partners, Sharon has addressed local health disparities and promoted health equity, ensuring that the houseless population in Clackamas County receive the support and resources they need. These dual roles have allowed Sharon to influence public health policy and practice and make a tangible difference at the community level.

Gregory Sebastian, MPH, Healthy Environment Section Representative

Greg Sebastian, MPH, has a Bachelor of Arts in Emergency and Disaster Management with a focus on natural disaster community prevention/outreach and mitigation. He has a Master of Public Health in Public Health Practice from Oregon State University. Greg has worked in health and sociological research for the past decade, with work on studies ranging from early education intervention, adolescent alcohol abuse risk factors, substance misuse, suicidality, and trauma. He currently works on a study developing a more mobile means of diagnosing hidden hearing loss and audio processing disorders.

Greg has previously worked as a police Community Services Officer and as a wildland firefighter. He has an extensive background in volunteering, including for the Search and Rescue Community Emergency Response Team, where he assisted with the 2009/2010 swine flu vaccination clinics and began his public health journey. He also volunteered with the USCG Auxiliary's Marine Safety and Environmental Protection and Recreational Boating Safety programs, conducting public education and outreach. He has volunteered for several years on the parish council at his local church, and is interested in community prevention education, outreach, and community partnership development.