blog icon      Facebook Logo       myspace logo       Wikipedia Logo

Staff

Greg Vigdor
President & CEO

 

WHF Staff Listed Alphabetically:

Kristina Alnajjar
Brenda Alvarez
Rose Baz
Kristi Bucklin
David Cuerpo, Jr.
Miriam Delgado
Sandy Duncan
Jocelyn Elderkin
Joe Furia
Randi Hansen

Gina Legaz
Sianita Natalia
Dena Pinard
Heather Pitre
Katharine Sacks Sanders
Luis Salazar
Peter Schrappen
Don Sloma
Giselle Zapata Garcia

WHF Interns & Volunteers Listed Alphabetically:

Caitlin Jensen
Megan Nordeen
Tolu Osoba

Darlene Truong
Anna Zimmerman


Greg Vigdor Photo Greg Vigdor
President & CEO
206-438-6120
Linked In

WHF is fortunate to have a visionary leader such as Greg serving as President and CEO. Greg founded the organization in 1992 with the mission of making broad, innovative improvements in Washington State’s health and health care system. His comprehensive approach to public health is the result of 30 years of experience working for hospitals, health systems, consumer groups, health insurers and related organizations. Greg’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Connecticut, a Masters of Health Administration from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor from George Washington University Law School. Between working at WHF and volunteering for an array of charitable organizations, Greg takes advantage of the Washington landscape by hiking, biking, running, playing golf and exploring the Olympic Mountains and Hood Canal.
Full Bio.

Jennifer Mielenz Muhm Photo Jennifer Mielenz Muhm
Vice President of Public Affairs
206-438-6111
Linked In

As the Vice President of Public Affairs, Jenn is heavily involved in the policy, communications and outreach of the Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign, as well as overall coordination and management. Jenn is not new to the campaign scene—a graduate of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., she has worked on political and issue campaigns at the federal, state and local levels. After living in D.C. and in Los Angeles, Jenn was excited to return home to Seattle and all its outdoor activities. She holds a Masters of Public Administration from Seattle University. In her free time, Jenn enjoys skiing, kayaking, hiking and traveling. She is pictured here conquering a week-long backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon.

Lorna Stone Photo Lorna Stone
Vice President of Programs
206-438-6118

Lorna is the Vice President of Programs at the Washington Health Foundation. Her responsibilities include promotion of community-based health programs and leadership of WHF’s grant programs. She holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Chicago, and she currently serves on the Seattle King County Advisory Council on Aging and Disabilities and the King County United Way Senior Impact Council. Lorna’s prior work includes nonprofit administration, hospice social work, health promotion and diversity training and working with rural, chronically ill and elder populations. Lorna’s interests in institutional change and social justice take up much of her time, but she also manages to find time for traveling, hiking and working in her garden.


WHF Staff, Interns & Volunteers Listed Alphabetically:

Rose Baz PhotoKristina Alnajjar
Grant Program Assistant
206-438-6107
Linked In

Raised in Richland, Kristina recently finished her undergraduate studies at Gonzaga University where she majored in International Business and Marketing. With a genuine interest in promoting health and personal well being, she volunteered at the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC) where she assisted homeless adults in their search for permanent full-time employment at St. Joseph the Worker in Phoenix, Arizona. As a Grant Program Assistant, Kristina provides administrative support for the Grants and Programs department. Her hobbies include cooking, running, outdoor sports and reading thoughtful pieces of literature.

Rose Baz PhotoBrenda Alvarez
Bilingual Health Coordination Specialist—CHAP
206-438-6119
Born in Mexico and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Brenda moved to Seattle to pursue her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in Latin American Studies. Before finishing her degree, she spent a year in Washington D.C. participating in an AmeriCorps program teaching inner city kids, creating educational after school programs and running citywide service projects. Since then, Brenda has made volunteering an important part of her life and is currently participating in various Seattle Works and United Way volunteer opportunities. In addition, she recently studied abroad in Brazil focusing on racial disparities and how it affects people's lives. As a Health Coordination Specialist, Brenda assists people in obtaining Medicaid coverage for children and pregnant women, provides health education and specializes in enrolling clients for the Washington Colon Health Program as well as the Washington Breast and Cervical Health Program. Her hobbies include hiking and participating in triathlons with her husband.

Rose Baz PhotoRose Baz
Bilingual Health Coordination Specialist—CHAP
206-438-6100
Rose is new to WHF, having recently returned to the Pacific Northwest after spending a year in Japan teaching English as a Second Language. She is bilingual in Spanish and English, and her background includes Latin American Studies and working as a Spanish medical interpreter. Rose is excited to be working in the field of advocacy for Washingtonians in need of health care, and her bilingual skills are invaluable to WHF's Community Health Access Program (CHAP). In her free time, Rose is getting reacquainted with the Pacific Northwest and pursuing her interest in modern dance.

Kristi Bucklin
Director of Operations and Finance
206-438-6101
Linked In

As the Operations Manager, Kristi works to ensure that WHF is meeting all of the reporting, business, compliance and accounting requirements of its 501(c)3 status. She has a fascinating background that includes experience in fields as diverse as graphic design and law enforcement. Her personal interests are equally diverse—reading, cycling, jogging, renovating houses and raising pets (chinchilla and mini-schnauzers included). She still finds time to support her family's chain of local athletic clubs and to cheer her own kids in their sports ventures.

David Cuerpo PhotoDavid Cuerpo, Jr.
Public Affairs Associate
206-438-6109
Linked In

David is an undergraduate enrolled at Seattle University, where he is pursuing bachelors degrees in business economics and political science. Originally from San Diego, David is enjoying Seattle's clean air and beautiful summers. His activities of choice are Filipino martial arts and Jeet Kun Do, which he has been practicing since childhood at the International Martial Arts and Boxing Academy. David has a number of international competitions under his belt, and he was the 2004 World Champion in his division in the Laban Laro Filipino Martial Arts Tournament. He now uses that experience by acting as an advanced instructor to other martial artists in the area. We are grateful to have David also channeling his energy and discipline toward his position at WHF, supporting the Community Health Access Program in various capacities and filling in as a Health Coordination Specialist as needed.

Miriam Delgado Photo Miriam Delgado
Bilingual Health Coordination Specialist—CHAP
206-438-6104

As a former US Government Attorney and a certified Spanish interpreter, Miriam brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to WHF's Community Health Access Program. Born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana; Miriam has a strong passion for helping others through public service with the belief that affordable health care for all is a right, not a privilege. On the job, she assists clients in obtaining Medicaid coverage for children and pregnant women, provides health education and specializes in coordinating referrals for the Washington Colon Health Program as well as the Washington Breast and Cervical Health Program. Outside of work, Miriam enjoys camping, hiking and swimming.

Sandy Duncan Photo Sandy Duncan
Family Resources Coordinator
206-438-6105

Sandy is a Seattle native with a psychology degree from Evergreen State College and special education certification from Seattle University. She has more than 20 years of experience assisting children with special needs, first as an educator and now as a Family Resources Coordinator (FRC) through WHF’s Community Health Access Program. As an FRC, Sandy helps families with special-needs children navigate the health care system and attend to the individual needs of their children. She is currently the Lead Family Resources Coordinator for King County, providing training and technical assistance to other FRCs in the county. Outside of work, Sandy stays busy reading, traveling, swimming, skiing and hiking.

Joe Furia Photo Joe Furia
Director of Media & Technology
206-724-3151
Linked In

Emmy Award winning broadcast journalist Joe Furia brings a wealth of media experience to the Washington Health Foundations Public Affairs team. The longtime KOMO-TV news reporter joined WHF in August 2007 as Communications Specialist. Joe spent more than 23 years working in television newsrooms across the country. He will focus much of his attention on generating stories and media coverage that capture the essence of the Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign. Joe is a University of Florida graduate who has called the Pacific Northwest "home" since 1995. In his free time, Joe enjoys running, biking and coaching youth baseball, softball and soccer. He is married and has two children, Savannah (11) and Peter (8).

Randi Hansen Photo Randi Hansen
Health Coordination Specialist—CHAP
206-438-6108

Randi has more than seven years’ experience working as a Health Coordination Specialist in the Community Health Access Program (CHAP) at Washington Health Foundation. CHAP is a direct-service program that helps to locate free or affordable health care and insurance for underserved residents of King County. Randi’s professional background is in education, health insurance and non-profit public health programs. She is pictured here with her daughter on a recent trip to her native country, Denmark.

Caitlin Jensen PhotoCaitlin Jensen
Public Affairs Intern
Caitlin is a first year student in the University of Washington's Masters in Social Work program. After graduating from UW with a degree in English Literature, she spent a year traveling and volunteering in South Africa where she worked on AIDS educational outreach. Through her experiences volunteering in local and global communities, she found that her passion was in working with people on the disparities found in health and education. She grew up in Olympia, but also loves visiting her relatives in Montana. Caitlin enjoys fishing, skiing, snowshoeing, backpacking and spending time in the great outdoors.

Gina Legaz
Director of Health Education & Community Relations
206-438-6110
Linked In

Originally from Seattle, Gina completed her undergraduate studies at Gonzaga University, where she majored in exercise science. She then attended Oregon State University, where she earned a Masters of Public Health in health promotion and health education with a minor in nutrition. Her professional background includes experience in health promotion and education for Oregon State University and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. At WHF, Gina draws on her experience and education to broaden the health resources available to participants in the Healthiest State Campaign, and is vital to the organization’s community outreach efforts and engaging others in the campaign. When not working to improve the health of Washington state, Gina is pursuing healthy interests of her own, which include running, biking, hiking, camping and kayaking; and she also tries to make time for painting, cooking, traveling, and entertaining friends.

Sianita Natalia PhotoSianita Natalia
Database Administrator
206-438-6114
Born and raised in Indonesia, Sianita moved to the US in 2003 to pursue her college education at the University of Washington where she recently graduated with a double major in Computer Science and Finance. In addition to her education, Sianita has prior experience working as an accountant for other non-profits. Her responsibilities include routine maintenance of our internal databases and processing reports and invoices. One of the biggest challenges she enjoys is altering our underlying database structure to meet the needs of both fundraising and financial reporting. On her spare time, Sianita enjoys swimming, hiking and traveling.

Megan Nordeen PhotoMegan Nordeen
Public Affairs Intern
Megan is an intern in the Public Affairs department at WHF. She has a BA in Social Work from the University of Kansas and studied Health Care & Social Policy in Sweden and Finland. Megan has spent the last three years in Chicago as a grant writer for a community health center. She is pursuing her Master's degree in Social Work at the University of Washington and enjoys all Seattle has to offer. In her free time, Megan can be found camping, hiking or canoeing; she is pictured here on top of Tiger Mountain.

Tolu Osoba PhotoTolu Osoba
Wales Foundation Fellow
Linked In
Tolu is a Wales Foundation Fellow at the Washington Health Foundation who recently moved to Seattle from the UK. She enjoys hiking, travelling and reading. She holds a PhD in Epidemiology from the University of the West of England and a Master's degree in Public Health from the University of London. Prior to her move to Washington, she was a Public Health Specialty Registrar in the UK, a role in which she worked on projects relating to health improvement, health services and health protection. Currently on out of program experience, she will be working with the Washington Health Foundation to provide credible, balanced healthy food messages.

Dena Pinard Photo Dena Pinard
Family Resources Coordinator
206-438-6112

Dena fills a vital role in one of WHF’s many programs—Community Health Access Program—where she works as a Family Resources Coordinator. She spends her workday assisting families who have special-needs children—providing case management, conducting developmental screenings, making home visits and coordinating services and funding, among many other responsibilities. As the parent of a child with special needs, Dena is a uniquely valuable resource for the families she supports. Dena is a Washington native and a graduate of Iona College, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in communication arts and behavioral sciences. She enjoys reading, knitting and hiking, as well as camping, skiing and going to the beach with her husband and two children.

Heather Pitre Photo Heather Pitre
Health Reform Project Coordinator
206-734-6975
Linked In

Heather has a background in direct service and administrative work for both nonprofit and for profit health care organizations. She attended Whitman College and has a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, and also took graduate courses in education and psychology at Pepperdine University. She enjoys volunteer work and serves on the board of trustees for Transitional Resources, an organization in West Seattle that provides counseling, housing and job training for people with chronic mental illness. In her free time she leads a book club and enjoys creative writing, hiking, reading, and salsa dancing.

Katharine Sacks Sanders Photo Katharine Sacks Sanders
Director of Grantmaking
206-438-6116

Originally from the Santa Monica area in California, Katharine was drawn northward to the Pacific Northwest because of its beauty and pristine environment. She gets outside as often as possible, pursuing jogging, biking, hiking and other outdoor activities in her free time. She also promotes health in the office, on small scales such as choosing the stairs over the elevator, and on much larger scales such as promoting the Healthiest State in the Nation Campaign in communities across the state. Katharine draws on an impressive roster of education and experience in her role at WHF, including a Master of Health Administration from the University of Washington and prior experience in grantwriting, interagency relations and community health promotion. At WHF she serves as the Director of Grantmaking, which involves developing grant programs and administering grant funds to community health organizations and rural health programs. Her contributions are invaluable to the organization’s missions to eliminate health disparities and build Healthy Systems statewide.

Luis Salazar Photo Luis Salazar
Bilingual Health Coordination Specialist—CHAP
206-438-6115
Linked In

Luis is a Health Coordination Specialist with WHF's Community Health Access Program, which is a direct service program that helps families and individuals gain access to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care and social services. Originally from Mexico, Luis is bilingual in Spanish and English. His background includes a bachelor's degree as a Marketing Specialist from Centro Universitario Doctor Emilio Cárdenas (CUDEC) in Mexico, as well as professional experience as a medical interpreter, a media coordinator, and a TV and radio host. Aside from his work, Luis is extremely active in pursuits such as basketball, tennis, soccer, snowboarding and reading, as well as volunteer work helping children in Latin America. He also makes time for his musical pursuits as a percussionist in a band—Eddie Hunt & Nu Era—that performs both nationally and internationally.

Peter Schrappen
Director of Partner Development
206-438-6127
Linked In

A self proclaimed campaign junkie, Peter is from St. Louis, Missouri, where he graduated from the University of Missouri -- St. Louis with a major in Political Science. He enjoys following political and marketing campaigns and in particular the ebb and flow of what works and does not. As our Fundraising Manager, Peter played a critical role in fulfilling our 2008 goal of raising over $1 million. In the coming year he plans to expand upon our success by promoting our Healthiest State Campaign. Along with biking and walking to work, Peter loves the heatlth benefits of red wine, cooking and walking around Green Lake with his family.

Don Sloma Photo Don Sloma
Policy Director
360-556-4731

Don develops the Healthiest State's policy priorities and strategies, oversees development of the Campaign's biennial state health report card and helps promote the organization's policy agenda in collaboration with our leading partners in state and federal public policy arenas. Don brings to this position more than 35 years of experience as a health policy advisor, primarily as lead staff to the Washington State Senate's Health and Long Term Care Committee. Don served for five years as the Executive Director of the Washington State Board of Health, and for several years as Deputy State Insurance Commissioner for Health Policy. He holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Washington with a concentration in social and behavioral sciences. Don remains a member of the University's adjunct clinical faculty with appointments in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine and in the School of Nursing. He is a past President of the Washington State Public Health Association and served for several years as the State Affiliate Representative to the Governing Council of the American Public Health Association. Don lives with his wife and two young children in Olympia, where he enjoys sailing, bicycling and cheering his kids' triumphs in soccer, music and dance.

Darlene Truong PhotoDarlene Truong
Public Affairs Intern
Darlene is in her senior year as an undergraduate at the University of Washington, in the School of Social Work and plans to continue her education in their graduate program. Last summer, Darlene started her internship with our Community Health Access Program (CHAP) assisting the Health Coordinator Specialists with data entry and client follow-ups. In the fall, she became more involved in our Public Affairs department to gain more experience in public engagement and outreach. On her spare time, she enjoys reading and volunteering at hospitals and food centers throughout Seattle.

Giselle Zapata Garcia Photo Giselle Zapata García
Director of Diversity & Health Homes
206-438-6121

As the Program Manager of the Community Health Access Program, Giselle oversees WHF’s direct service program devoted to providing families and individuals in King County with access to culturally and linguistically appropriate health care and social services. Giselle has more than 10 years of experience alleviating health disparities in Washington State. One of her most significant contributions is the founding and coordination of WHF’s annual Latina Health Fair. Originally from Panama, Giselle’s parents emphasized the importance of maintaining her first language and her sense of culture, which has been an asset to her current profession. She perpetuates this bilingual culture in her own family by taking her three children on vacation to Panama and Mexico, to maintain their Spanish fluency and understanding of Latino culture. She also enjoys taking them to movies, bike-riding and supporting them in all of their sports and extracurricular activities.

Anna Zimmerman PhotoAnna Zimmerman
Public Affairs Intern

Anna is currently a graduate student in social work at the University of Washington. Originally from Madison, Wisconsin she first ventured to the Pacific Northwest to complete her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Puget Sound. Anna is excited to be returning to the Pacific Northwest after working in Kenya as a Public Health Peace Corps volunteer, and in Washington, D.C. at a youth development non-profit. She hopes to build on her experiences in health and education at the Washington Health Foundation. In her free time she enjoys jogging, yoga, hiking and traveling.


Foundation staff may be reached by using the following email format: JohnD@whf.org.

 
© 2006 Washington Health Foundation  600 Stewart Street | Suite 601 | Seattle, WA 98101 | tel 206-285-6355 | fax 206-284-0274
Web concerns contact HealthiestState@whf.org | Site design by j-cannella