Laurell Haapanen is a Contact Center Supervisor for the Helplines at HRiA. She has over 18 years of experience at various helplines throughout the US, supporting clients like the family and friends of potential elder abuse victims and New York residents experiencing psychological distress during the pandemic. She received her master’s degree in counseling psychology… Read more »
Morenike Akinwolere is a Grants Coordinator on the Biomedical Research Grantmaking team at HRiA. She is passionate about health & racial equity as well as social impact and immigrant rights. Morenike has experience working in health care and nonprofit organizations in social services and advocacy capacities. She earned a BS in Sociology from the University… Read more »
Martine François is the Director of the LEAH Project at HRiA. She has over a decade of experience in youth development across diverse settings. Most recently, Martine directed Salem State University’s TRIO Student Support Services program, which enhances college access for first-generation, low-income students. Additionally, she has developed science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and… Read more »
Derrick Sosa is a Research Assistant at HRiA, providing quantitative analytical support to the Research and Evaluation team. He brings experience and passion in data analysis, data visualization, and using research as evidence to foster change that supports those from communities oppressed by systems of inequity. Derrick has a background in environmental health, public health,… Read more »
Lyndsey Medlin is a Grants Coordinator on the Biomedical Research Grantmaking team at HRiA. She brings a decade of experience in managing nonprofit arts and culture initiatives in the Washington DC metro area. Lyndsey holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s degree from George Mason University.
Zhaniya Aldekeyeva is a Research Assistant at HRiA. As a member of the Research & Evaluation team, she provides data and research-related support. She has experience working in hospital settings and academic research. She holds an MPH degree with a concentration in Environmental Health and Epidemiology & Biostatistics from the Boston University School of Public… Read more »
Victoria Adewumi is an inaugural Co-Executive Director/Co-Principal Investigator of the Community Health Worker Center for Research and Evaluation (CHW-CRE), a fiscally sponsored program of HRiA. In this role, she supports the training of CHWs and CHW researchers in evaluation methods that uplift the CHW workforce, as well as the development of common process and outcome… Read more »
Mithila Farin is a Research Assistant at HRiA. In this role, she provides data and research related support on the Research & Evaluation team. Mithila has prior work experience in community health through working at local nonprofits that focused on gender-based and language-based equity and in quantitative analysis through working as a chemistry research assistant…. Read more »
Raina McMahan is a Contact Center Supervisor for the Helplines at HRiA. Previously, she worked at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston as the Recovery Coach Team Lead and as a Senior Recovery Coach supporting people in all pathways of recovery. She is a person in long term recovery and an advocate for those looking to… Read more »
Amanda LeBlanc is a Marketing and Business Development Coordinator at HRiA. She assists the team with several activities such as: website updates, resume/bio updates, blog, and more. She has worked in both public and academic libraries, where she faced the public daily. This has fostered her empathetic approach towards health equity and passion for mental… Read more »
Jose Cure is Associate Director, Helpline Marketing at HRiA. With a background in design, Jose finds creative ways to meet people’s needs with a human-centered approach. Before joining HRiA, he worked on training and user experience at TecSalud, working with national Ministries of Health and the Inter-American Development Bank in digital development for social impact…. Read more »
Noelle Wiggins is Co-Principal Investigator/Co-Executive Director for the Community Health Worker Center for Research and Evaluation (CHW-CRE). Noelle has over 35 years’ experience working on teams that use popular/people’s education, the Community Health Worker (CHW) model, and participatory research and evaluation to advance health and educational equity. Noelle served as Assoc. Director of the landmark… Read more »
Deborah Amaro (she/ella) is an Operations Manager for the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers (MACHW), a fiscally sponsored program of HRiA. She is a dedicated Community Health Worker with an MBA in Healthcare Leadership from Elms College and experience in geriatric service coordination and community resource management. Deborah is fluent in both English and… Read more »
Jon-Pierre Micucci is a Project Manager for the Problem Gambling Helplines at HRiA. Jon-Pierre brings over 20 years of consulting experience in the public and private sectors, ranging from on-the-ground disaster relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina to brand strategy projects in the Northern California tech sector. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in accounting and information… Read more »
Michael Matthies is a Technical Project Manager with the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW), a fiscally sponsored program of HRiA. As a member of the NACHW team, Michael leads the project management, development, implementation and administration of the organization’s technology platforms. Michael has deep experience working with vulnerable populations both in direct care… Read more »
Caroline Linden is Grants Manager at HRiA. At HRiA she develops, manages, and maintains operational processes and technology for grant programs committed to advancing health equity. Prior to joining HRiA in 2024, Caroline spent over a decade working in philanthropy with Social Venture Partners. She has proven expertise in grant management, data systems, strategic innovation,… Read more »
Linda Lee is a Human Resources Business Partner at HRiA. As a member of the Human Resources Team, Linda supports HRiA by working to ensure that employees are engaged, valued, and have the tools necessary to be successful within the organization. She has over two decades of experience in Human Resources which includes managing and… Read more »
Joelparkin “Joel” Achankeng is a Web Developer at HRiA. As a member of the Web Development team, he plays a crucial role in building, innovating, and maintaining all of HRiA’s websites and web applications. Prior to joining HRiA, Joel has successfully developed and managed a diverse portfolio of complex websites, including landing pages, e-commerce platforms,… Read more »
Joanne Lau is a Research Analyst at HRiA. She has experience working in academic research and hospital settings, applying her skills in survey development, quantitative data analysis, and data visualization to community health assessments and projects in behavioral health. Joanne has strong interests in language justice, immigrant health, and the psychosocial determinants of health. She… Read more »
Ariel Slifka is a Research Associate at HRiA. She has experience in qualitative and quantitative data analysis, project management, and community engagement. Prior to joining HRiA, she worked in local public health supporting harm reduction and reproductive health programs, and later partnered with local health departments in developing community health assessments and community health improvement… Read more »
Kevin Cyr is a Research Associate at HRiA. He has experience in qualitative research, participant recruitment, project management, and community engagement. His interests include substance use disorder, harm reduction, racial equity, access to healthcare, and culturally competent care. Prior to joining HRiA, he worked as a Research Assistant at Tufts University School of Medicine where… Read more »
Liliana Ruiz Fischer (she/her) is a Manager for the Kaiser Permanente Center for Gun Violence Research and Education with the HAVI, a fiscally sponsored program of HRiA. Liliana brings 9 years of public health experience leading community health interventions at the community, county, state and national level. Prior to joining the HAVI, Liliana was a… Read more »
Allison Egan is a Senior Manager of Health & Racial Equity at HRiA. Allison is focused primarily on the launch and execution of the Root Cause Solutions Exchange, helping lead community engagement and coaching efforts across Massachusetts. Allison has a rich history in local and regional public health, where she has previously led efforts around… Read more »
Kaycee Friend is a Community Outreach and Engagement Associate for the Oregon Helpline at HRiA. She is a certified alcohol and drug counselor and recovery mentor, and has worked in outpatient and residential treatment settings in Oregon for the last 5 years. With experience in behavioral health systems, as well as more than a decade… Read more »
Ivie Obrimah is a Talent Acquisition Associate at HRiA. As a member of the Human Resources team, Ivie plays a crucial role in all of HRiA’s recruiting and talent acquisition. She is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as analysis and strategy. Before joining HRiA, Ivie had graduated with a MSc in Management… Read more »
Vy Dang is a Program Associate for Communities of Practice (CoP) at the HAVI, a fiscally sponsored program of HRiA. She assists the CoP division to develop, implement, and advance high quality programs and services to member organizations and partners in cities across the US. Prior to the HAVI, Vy has experience working in higher… Read more »
Samantha “Sam” Smith joined the Hunger to Health Collaboratory (H2HC) as its manager in September 2022. Prior to joining H2HC, she served as a WIC program nutritionist at Massachusetts General Hospital, and as a SNAP nutrition educator in Oregon public schools. Samantha has also worked for a variety of local food and nutrition nonprofits in… Read more »
Nicolene Hengen joined the Hunger to Health Collaboratory (H2HC) as its first executive director in July 2021. Her career has been focused on strategic, programmatic, and communications work in both domestic and international public health and academia. She has worked with Beth Israel Lahey Health, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, Pathfinder International… Read more »
Aisha Esquivel is an Outreach Manager for the Illinois Helpline at HRiA. Hailing from the Chicagoland area, Aisha has a diverse background including home health care, project coordination, and customer service. She founded the #breanaland project in honor of her daughter who passed away in 2019 to support bereaved mothers as well as raise awareness… Read more »
Sara Martinez is a Project Manager for the Oregon Helpline at HRiA. She plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation and coordination of a 24/7 helpline that operates in conjunction with Oregon Measure 110, a ballot measure that has decreased penalties for possessing small quantities of illegal drugs while expanding access to treatment… Read more »
Kimberly Zhu is an Administrative Coordinator on the Strategic Planning & Organizational Effectiveness team at HRiA, where she supports a wide range of projects. In her previous role, she worked as a policy research assistant to evaluate social and structural conditions impacting youth violence and safety. Prior to joining the organization, she spent several years… Read more »
Heather Hyden is a Senior Program Officer–Operations on the Healthy and Equitable Communities Grantmaking team at HRiA. She has over 14 years of experience in community development and food systems equity. Her career spans diverse sectors with experience in local government, community organizing, academia and philanthropy. Her work has focused on participatory planning, coalition development,… Read more »
Efrain L. is a Screening & Information Specialist on the Helplines at HRiA. Efrain has extensive experience in Substance Use Disorder, Multiple Pathways of Recovery and Harm Reduction. Prior to joining HRiA, he was the Program Director at St. Francis House and responsible for building the first recovery support center within a homeless day shelter,… Read more »
Deondra Rattler is a Contracts Administrator on the Budgets and Contracts team at HRiA. She has a Bachelors in Business Administration as well as experience across many industries such as transportation and infrastructure, healthcare, emergency management and response, oil and gas, and logistics. Deondra is a strategic, results-driven professional with a focus on holistic solutions…. Read more »
Anne Lyness is Managing Director of Accounting at HRiA. She has an extensive background in nonprofit finance. She previously worked at City Year, where she held a comparable position, as well as the New England Conservatory of Music and Girls, Inc. Anne grew up in and currently lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
Tatiana Perez is a Program Associate for Organizational Growth and Equity at The HAVI, a fiscally sponsored program of HRiA. In this role, they support the development of equitable organizational processes. Prior to working at The HAVI, they coordinated in preservation, education, access, and discovery of American art museum collections that are in the process… Read more »
Angie Kuzma is the Policy & Advocacy Manager for the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW), a fiscally sponsored program of HRiA. She is a community health worker (CHW) based in Portland, Oregon. In her role at NACHW, Angie works in solidarity with CHWs to promote CHW self-determination, leadership, and sustainability in local, state,… Read more »
Julia Taylor is a Manager on the Strategic Planning & Organizational Effectiveness team at HRiA. Ms. Taylor brings experience from the consulting world and the startup sector in the US, and the nonprofit sector in civic engagement and youth empowerment in France. She holds a Master of Science in Sociology from the University of Paris… Read more »
Kye Henry serves as Associate Director of Organizational Growth and Equity at the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI), a fiscally sponsored program of HRiA. In this role, they focus on developing systems that embed equity-driven processes throughout the organization. Kye is dedicated to creating organizational policies, systems, and procedures that enable people to do… Read more »
Madeline Higgins is a Project Manager for the Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline at HRiA. Prior to joining HRiA, she worked for the Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers, the Boston Public Health Commission, and a Planned Parenthood affiliate. Madeline has a BA in Women’s Studies and an MPH, both from the University of Michigan. She… Read more »
