MPHA Policy Council, October 2018

Purpose 

MPHA’s Policy Council is based in the belief that to select meaningful priorities, we need input from local, regional, and statewide leaders, and that communities of color and low-income communities most impacted by health inequities should be represented in MPHA’s decision-making by leaders of community-based organizations. The Council is based in principles developed during MPHA’s six-year Act FRESH Campaign. That campaign, which focused specifically on healthy eating and active living, had a similar leadership structure. In launching this new Policy Council, MPHA is “mainstreaming” these principles into our entire organization, charging the Council with recommending positions on all the issues that are important to MPHA. 

MPHA Policy Council Members, 2022

• Brenda Evans, UMass-Amherst Center for Community Health Equity Research*
• Casey Burns, Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester
• Catherine Ratté, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
• Cheryl Sbarra, Massachusetts Association of Health Boards
• Chrystel Murrieta Ruiz, 32BJ SEIU
• Cristina Huebner Torres, Caring Health Center (Springfield)
• Damōn Chaplin, City of New Bedford Health Department 
• Elecia Miller, City of Lawrence Mayor’s Health Task Force
• Irene Hernandez, Active Life Adult Day Health Care, Fitchburg*
• Jamiah Tappin, Health Resources in Action *
• Jennifer Lee, UMass
• Jessica Collins, Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts
• Jonathan Guzman, Groundwork Lawrence
• Kerrie D’Entremont, Greater Lowell Health Alliance
• Lesly Melendez, Groundwork Lawrence
• Karyn Clark, City of Worcester Division of Public Health
• Zach Dyer, UMass Medical School*
  
• Liz O’Gilvie, Springfield Food Policy Council
• Marlene Cerritos-Rivas, Mujeres Victoriosas
• Pamela Schwartz, Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness
• Risa Silverman, UMass-Amherst SPHHS/Western MA Health Equity Network
• Sabrina Davis, Coalition for Social Justice
• Sofia Owen, Alternatives for Community and Environment 
• Stewart Landers, JSI
• Sylvia Chiang-Raposo, Revere CARES/Revere on the Move
• Tara Hammes, Massachusetts Councils on Aging
• Zach Dyer, City of Worcester Division of Public Health*

* Affiliation provided for identification purposes only