Our Board
Board of Directors

Darlene Oliver Hightower, JD
(Board Chair)
President and CEO
Think and Do LLC

Dan Harris, MA
(Board Vice Chair)
Executive Director
Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies

Joseph A. Antolin, JD
(Board Treasurer)
President and CEO
Asset Funders Network

Nakea West
(Board Secretary)
Chief Equity and Diversity Officer
IFF (CDFI)

Crystal Pirtle Tyler, PhD, MPH
Chief Executive Officer
Illinois Public Health Institute

Pat Merryweather-Arges, MA
Executive Director
Project Patient Care

Shaan Trotter, DrPH, MS
Health Equity Officer
Aetna Better Health of Illinois

Stephen Konya
Chief, Innovation and Strategic Partnership
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy

Verlon Johnson, MPA
Chief Government and Corporate Affairs Officer, EVP
Acentra Health

Will Snyder, MPP
Co-Founder and CEO
Metopio
Staff
Meet our Team
Staff
Administration

Ed Stellon, MS, MA
Chief External Affairs Officer

Kate Tarpey
Chief Financial Officer

Janna Simon, MPH
Chief Program + Policy Officer

Christina Gray
Senior Manager, IT & Office Operations

Ivette Morla, MMkt
Executive Assistant to the CEO

Tricia VanTichelt, SHRM-CP
HR Assistant

Mariela Medina
Grants and Contracts Manager with CPPI

Savannah Daniels
Grants and Contracts Manager with CCCD & CHISI

Maritza Rivero
Administrative & Operations Assistant
Staff
Center for Community Capacity Development (CCCD)

Laurie L. Call
CCCD Center Director

Jess Lynch, MCP, MPH
CCCD Center Director

Leah Barth, MPH
Senior Program Manager

Jordan Enos, MPP
Senior Program Manager

Samantha Lasky, MSW
Program Manager

Samantha Young, MPP
Program Manager

Courtney Clay, MPH
Content Producer Manager

Mediha Sayeeduddin
Program Associate

Isabella Pizarro, MPH, CHES
Program Associate

Jasmine S. Deskins, MPH
Program Associate
Staff
Center for Policy & Partnership Initiatives (CPPI)

Kathryn Bernstein, MPH, RDN, LDN
Program Director

Sarah Flores, MPS
Program Director

Rebeca Lira Gordenstein, MAIR
Senior Program Manager

Shahana Rashid, MPH
Program Manager

Trevor Johnson, MPH
Program Manager

Kiearra Jones
Program Manager

Elise Ramos, MSGH
Program Manager

Courtney Clay, MPH
Content Producer Manager

Esmeralda Vargas
Program Associate

Alizey Durrani
Program Associate
Staff
Center for Health Information Sharing & Innovation (CHISI)

Rashidat Balogun, MPH
Managing Director, CIE

Utica J. Gray, PhD, MSHSA, BA
Program Director

Andras Ferencz
Senior Communications Manager

Catherine Gillis
Senior Program Research and Content Manager

Celestine Emberton
Senior Program Manager

Ellen Clewett, MPH, CHPSE
Privacy and Security Officer, CIE, Sr. Program Manager

Kaara Kallen
Content Producer

Norma Narsa, MPH
CIE Community Partnership Manager/ IPHI Program Manager

Adrian Blasi, MUPP, MPH
CIE Project Manager/IPHI Program Manager

Sheila Rurangirwa
IPHI/CIE Program Associate

Gabi Marcos
Program Assistant

Santiago Avila
Program Assistant

Valentina Villaquiran, B.A. Candidate in Political Science
IPHI/CIE Program Assistant
Positions
Careers @ IPHI
Thank you for your interest in IPHI
If you are interested in advancing health and health equity, please view our career and internship opportunities which are updated as roles become available.
