Team

Board of Directors

Coming together from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, our skilled leadership team is the backbone of CPHA. Their ideas help shape the direction and mission of our movement as it continues to develop.

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Where Passion and Dedication Meet

The CPHA Board is an all-volunteer organization. The Board comprises of CPHA's Officers, Directors and other Members who serve as the governing body of the Association and is supported by other organizations and individuals who provide administrative or lobbying services. The Board transacts the business of the Association at monthly meetings between Annual Association Meetings held at the Public Health in the Rockies conference and through its committees. The CPHA Board Year runs from September through August.

Wivine Ngongo

President

Wivine’s professional background is in medical and public health research, health programs management, community engagement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives…

Sarah Lampe

Secretary

As the President and Executive Director of Trailhead Institute, Sarah is known and trusted health leader across the state of Colorado. Sarah is known to take risks, challenges the status quo, and...

Jessica Murison

Communications Senior Director

As a humanitarian, Jessica has traveled all over the world working in the global health sector evaluating hospitals and clinics to outfit them with medical equipment and conduct…

Lindsey Wyatt

Culture of Data Associate Director

Lindsey obtained her B.S. in Psychology from Colorado State University in 2020 and is a recent graduate from the Colorado School of Public Health’s MPH program in 2022...

Kelsey Robinson

Membership Senior Director

Kelsey Robinson is the Public Health Planner with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's (CDPHE) Office of Public Health Practice Planning and Local Partnership…

Ann Scarpita

PHN Section Associate Director

Ann Scarpita, MSN, MPH, BSN, RN is a master’s educated healthcare administration professional with extensive experience providing the leadership...

Carol Schmitt

Public Health in the Rockies Senior Director

Carol Schmitt is a chief scientist in RTI International’s Community Health Research Division and moved from the Washington, DC metro area to Fort Collins in 2018 to live near her…

Jason Vitello

Past President

Jason Vitello is the Behavioral Health Coordinator at Denver Public Health, an adjunct professor at the University Of Denver Graduate School Of Social Work, and a community activist…

Sara Miller

Treasurer

Through my work with Otowi Group (www.otowigroup.com), I am engaged in partnership with local, state and federal organizations to enhance and build their work and achieve their…

Montelle Tamez

Communications Associate Director

Montelle Taméz joined the University of Colorado Denver’s Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) as the Community Engagement Program Manager on December 1…

Samantha Bertomen

Emerging Leaders Senior Director

Samantha (she/her/hers) is the Community-Based Organizations Coordinator at Tri-County Health Department. Through this position, she builds community partnerships, manages funding…

Lisa Peters

Membership Associate Director

With 5+ years' experience, Lisa Peters has demonstrated mastery of skills in financial program design, management and evaluation, ensuring cost effective use of resources...

Ellen Stern

Public Health Policy Senior Director

Ellen Stern serves as a Policy & Advocacy Specialist for Children’s Hospital Colorado. She has experience leading tobacco control and chronic disease initiatives for Jefferson County…

Theo Abbey

Public Health in the Rockies Associate Director

Theo Abbey (He/him/his) currently works as a Disease Intervention Specialist with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. Through this position, I conduct interview…

Robert Franklin II

Health Equity Officer

Robert Franklin, II, serves as the Diversity, Health Equity and Inclusion Programs Manager for Children’s Human Resources and within the Child Health Advocacy Institute…

Tara Thomas-Gale

Affiliate Representative to the Governing Council (ARGC)

Tara has more than 15 years’ experience building collaborative relationships with health professionals, government, and community partners to implement initiatives in the areas of…

Allison Rosenthal

Culture of Data Senior Director

Allison Rosenthal is a proud public servant with a passion for substance use prevention and epidemiology. She currently serves as an analyst at the Colorado Department of Public…

Jeni Mitchell

Emerging Leaders Associate Director

Jeni currently serves as the Communications Specialist with the Healthy Jeffco Alliance at Jefferson County Public Health. In her role, Jeni helps with contact relationship management…

Dawn James

PHN Section Senior Director

Dawn James received her undergraduate nursing degree in 1997 and her Master’s Degree in Nursing in 2006 from the University of Northern Colorado. She is an alumnus of the Regional…

Lorez Meinhold

Public Health Policy Associate Director

Lorez is the founding Executive Director of Caring for Denver Foundation, funded by Denver and created by voters in 2018 to help address Denver’s mental health and substance misuse…

Alexia Eslan

At-Large

Alexia Eslan (she, her, ella) is a native Spanish speaker with over twenty years of experience working with both public and private health entities at all levels and bringing together…