Board of Directors

Ann Scarpita, MSN, MPH, BSN, RN is a master’s educated healthcare administration professional with extensive experience providing the leadership and direction needed to drive the achievement of organizational healthcare-related goals and objectives. She is skilled at developing and implementing strategies designed to ensure the delivery of high-quality, regulatory compliant patient care while ensuring overall operational effectiveness and efficiency. In addition, Ann brings proven strength in building strong, long-term relationships with strategic healthcare partners and stakeholders based on open lines of communication and the leadership provided.

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 diverse groups to understand shared needs and wants. She has extensive expertise working with executive leadership, and clinical and non-clinical teams at community health centers, rural health clinics and other healthcare organizations to achieve the quintuple aim – better health, better patient experience, lower costs, joy in practice, and equity. Her experience at JSI as the Director of the Colorado Regional Office and a Senior Consultant and prior to JSI as Business Operations Director at Kaiser Permanente and Manager of Market Strategy at Colorado Access, have provided Ms. Eslan with a keen understanding of the operations of healthy systems and their strong link to community.

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 Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership, completing the fellowship in 2009. Dawn has served as the Public Health Director in Kit Carson County; Regional Emergency Preparedness and Response Planner in the northeast region of Colorado; Nurse Consultant for the Office of Local Liaison at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and Director of Emergency Medical Services in Kit Carson County. In addition to her immediate past term as the Colorado Public Health Association Nursing Section Director, and current role as a CPHA Director representing Public Health Nurses, Dawn has served on various boards and committees including as the President of the Public Health Nurses Association of Colorado, President of the Emergency Medical Services Association of Colorado, and was appointed to the Cancer, Cardiovascular and Chronic Pulmonary Disease (CCPD) Review Committee by the Colorado State Board of Health for two terms representing rural public health. Dawn is an advocate for equality and equity for all people, and has particular interest in rural health. She continues her work in chronic disease management as an advanced practice nurse and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist and is currently employed as a nurse consultant at CDPHE in the Disease/ Immunization/ Public Health Emergency Response Section.

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 interviews with individuals diagnosed with any reportable condition, notifying contacts, offering health education, and responding to outbreak situations within Denver County as assigned. He is passionate about public health and health equity with close to 15 years’ experience working with underserved populations. Theo has previously worked as an educational pro-tech, disease intervention specialist, and HIV Care Manager with Denver Public Schools, Colorado Department of Public Health, and Environment (CDPHE), Kaiser Permanente and most recently with CDPHE as a workforce and Health Equity Specialist. I enjoy playing/coaching kid’s soccer on volunteer basis, meeting new people and visiting the hot springs when the opportunity arises. Theo was born in Ghana and moved to the US in 2003 after spending some time in England. Theo holds an MPH from the Colorado School of Public Health. I am very excited to be joining CPHA board and excited to bring my lived experience plus passion about community inclusion and targeted outreach to communities of color.

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 sister and bike to work. She has spent over 2 decades leading public health research and evaluation projects at the community, state, federal, and international levels. One of her most life-changing projects was developing evaluation plans for the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi, where her experiences with the talented, passionate, and well-educated Emirati women implementing these programs were completely counter to the negative media stereotypes of Muslim women in this region. She is currently examining the impact of climate change and severe weather events on public health infrastructure and population health in the coastal Gulf of Mexico region.

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, organization of communications within the Alliance, and more. With a background in human nutrition and digital marketing, Jeni brings a collaborative approach to her work within public health operations and communications. While working with the Healthy Jeffco Alliance and serving as the Associate Director of the Emerging Leaders Committee with the Colorado Public Health Association, Jeni is finishing her Master's in Public Health at the Colorado School of Public Health. Jeni is excited to be a part of CPHA's vision of creating the healthiest Colorado for everyone and is passionate about engaging emerging leaders within Colorado's public health workforce.

Samantha (she/her/hers) is the Community-Based Organizations Coordinator at Tri-County Health Department. Through this position, she builds community partnerships, manages funding, and provides resources to support long-term recovery from COVID-19. As a Master of Public Health student and Student Senator at the Colorado School of Public Health, Samantha represents her peers and assists in coordinating the university’s annual Emerging Leaders Conference. She serves on several Colorado Public Health Association committees, including the Public Health in the Rockies Conference Committee, the Communications and Membership Committee, and the Public Health Policy Committee.  Samantha previously worked at a non-profit health insurance company, Blue Shield of California, where she organized biometric screenings and flu shot events, implemented virtual wellness programs for clients and their employees, and served as a panelist at large nutrition and fitness events. Applying her undergraduate degree in nutrition, Samantha represented Blue Shield of California as a nutrition expert at events such as Wellvolution, ¡Unidos!, and California Schools Employee Benefits Association. Samantha aspires to one day apply her skills and experience to supporting foreign health systems and work abroad - she plans to carry out her Master of Public Health student practicum overseas.

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 needs.  The Caring for Denver Foundation funded opportunities totaling over $69 million since its inception to improve the mental of Denver’s youth, reduce their risk of substance misuse, create greater public visibility around those issues to reduce stigma, support initiatives to divert those struggling with mental health and substance misuse away from the justice system and increase access to and use of resources for those struggling with mental health and substance misuse issues. Lorez has more than 20 years of health care policy and fundraising experience as a director of multi-lateral initiatives involving the public, private, and civic sectors, working at the local, state, and national levels and experience with a broad range of stakeholder engagement formats to inform policy. Prior to joining Caring for Denver, Lorez has served as Senior Policy Director at Keystone Policy Center, Senior Policy Director for two Governors in Colorado, Deputy Director for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and Senior Program Officer for the Colorado Health Foundation as well as founder of a nonprofit.

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 Public Health and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and she previously worked for four years as a congressional aide leading community outreach efforts across the state. Ellen has a bachelor's degree in social work from Colorado State University and a Master’s degree in political science from the University of Colorado-Denver.

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, 2010. With more than 10 years' experience in the public health sector, and applying strong expertise in program planning and implementation, grants management and community-based health education and promotion, Montelle is a welcome addition to the Community Engagement and Research core of the CCTSI. ​ Prior to her position at CDPHE, Montelle was employed by the American Cancer Society, managing community-based cancer control and health initiative programs. She represented the American Cancer Society as a scientific partner on the Latino/a Cancer Prevention Network and numerous coalitions and task forces. Throughout her educational and professional career, Montelle has been an active participant in efforts to address health disparities, particularly in the Latino/a Community. ​ Montelle was raised in Colorado Springs and attended Colorado State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, with a focus in Journalism and Speech Communications and a certificate in Latino Studies. Montelle plans to pursue a Masters of Public Health from the University of Colorado’s School of Public Health.

Jessica has cultivated a distinguished global career, engaging in pivotal work evaluating hospitals and clinics, overseeing the procurement of medical equipment, orchestrating training programs, and spearheading initiatives in the water, sanitation, and hygiene sector. Her commitment extends further as she advocates for children's health, with a specific focus on ensuring equitable access to nutritious foods in Colorado. Currently, Jessica holds a key role with the City and County of Denver on the Healthy Food for Denver’s Kids initiative. In response to the evolving landscape of domestic public health, Jessica's interest in the Colorado Public Health Association (CPHA) has flourished. She previously held instrumental roles as the Associate Director and Director of Communications for CPHA. Excited to continue her contribution to the CPHA team as Secretary, Jessica remains fervently passionate about communicating vital information to CPHA members and the wider community. Beyond her professional responsibilities, she serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the United Nations Association of Denver, holds the position of Chief Operations Officer at Water for Generations, and actively participates as a member of Rotary International. In her leisure time, Jessica, accompanied by her loyal canine companion Sahara, enjoys the scenic wonders of Colorado's outdoors.

Tara has more than 15 years’ experience building collaborative relationships with health professionals, government, and community partners to implement initiatives in the areas of maternal child health, home visitation and health care delivery. She currently leads family planning and health education efforts for Denver Health, the region’s safety-net health system. Tara serves on the State & Local Strategies Advisory Group for Power to Decide, formerly the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, City Match’s Reproductive Justice Action Group, and volunteers with the CPHA Mentoring Program.  She holds an MPH in Global Health from George Washington University and completed a post-graduate fellowship in International Healthcare Management with Yale University in Ethiopia.

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 priorities. I am passionate about supporting communities, efforts and public health organizations to imagine and create new evidence-based programs. In my work, I have built organizations, created new programs, initiated community engagement initiatives, and advised local leaders to increase their effectiveness. Prior to my work in Otowi Group, I was CEO for Trailhead Institute, a Colorado public health institute.  I have held multiple positions in state government, with particular focus on leading chronic disease programs. I have worked in the private sector, managing retail stores.  I have extensive experience working in the field of developmental disabilities, where I served as program director for a community based housing effort. I spend my free time with my family, dabbling in art, hiking, volunteering for my local community and loving my dog.

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 push the field of public health forward by seeking innovative solutions to common problems. She is a systems thinker who builds, implements, and sustains initiatives that have positively impacts the health of communities spanning public health, health care, and behavioral health. As a long time Jefferson County resident with several family members who live in this district, Sarah is passionate about seeking solutions to the persistent health programs in her community. Prior to serving as the President and Executive Director, Sarah also served as the Chief Operating Officer and Program Director. Before joining Trailhead, she worked as the Program Manager for the Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials where she managed Public Health Services and Systems Research projects and evaluated work of the Public Health Alliance of Colorado. Outside of work Sarah thrives in the kitchen and can, at times, be found behind a mic at karaoke night.

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.  The work of his position involves engaging the entire health system in considering difference and its impact on work and care in our community.  Guided by a coordinated strategy, Robert’s programs and initiatives engage care givers to learn and talk about, celebrate and take action in response to difference. For nearly two decades, Robert has worked with youth serving organizations through throughout the nations in training, advocacy, program development, change leadership and management activities. Most recently, with Colorado State University, Robert co-chaired the Diversity Catalyst Team, and served as leader trainer and coach with Denver Public Schools and Parks and Recreation. A youth developer by trade, education and passion, Robert has worked to positively impact the lives of young people, their families and communities through advocacy, ally-ship and educational programming. Focused on creating new and inclusive opportunities for learning and engaging, Robert and his wife, Melissa, built MNMR, LLC to further their passions, merging entertaining performances and opportunities to learn – the EduTainment Experience.  Each experience is designed to engage its audience, and in doing so, provide lasting, memorable, and tangible “ah-ha!” moments.

Wivine’s professional background is in medical and public health research, health programs management, community engagement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. However, her passions and experiences center around addressing racial health disparities for Black/Indigenous/People of Color (BIPOC) populations. These include her work and collaborations with the Colorado Sickle Cell Treatment and Research Center, the Center for African American Health, the Colorado Public Health Association, the Denver Justice Project, and other local community-empowerment groups located in the Denver and Chicago areas. She has authored and co-authored publications centering health equity in medical education and has current interest in pursuing a PhD tract in psychology to offer non-readily available forms of therapy among populations experiencing systemically removed access to behavioral health resources. Her proudest achievement is leveraging her gained knowledge and privileges around sickle cell treatment and research to help get her sister cured from the invasive disease in 2020. When she is not building relationships and addressing disparities through public health work, Wivine indulges in painting (acrylic, watercolor), taking care of her many houseplants, going on night hikes and long walks, reading, and spending time with her chosen family.

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. He is also a national speaker on social justice, critical race theory, criminal justice reform, father engagement, male mental health, and collective liberation. In 2017, Jason founded the Colorado Public Health Association’s Health Equity Coalition and was elected as the first Health Equity Director. He presently serves as the Health Equity Officer. Prior to his career in public health, Jason was a social worker and therapist who provided advocacy, mentorship, case management and clinical services. It should be noted that before he was ever a provider of human services or family assistance - he was a recipient of them. His ultimate interest is in the betterment of the human condition through fierce compassion, difficult conversations, collaboration across struggles, the peaceful obliteration of structural inequalities and comprehensive paradigm transformation.

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 Partnerships. In this role, she provides support to local public health agencies for their community health improvement processes, including conducting community health assessments, capacity assessments, and writing improvement plans. She graduated from the University of Colorado Anschutz in December of 2019, with a Master’s degree in Public Health. During her time as a graduate student, she served as the Communications Chair for the Student Health Promotion Committee and as the Speaker Engagement Chair for the Annual Emerging Leaders Conference. As a graduate student, she also worked at CDPHE as a Research and Evaluation Coordinator with the Marijuana Health Monitoring and Research Program. Her involvement with CPHA began as a graduate student mentee with the Colorado Public Health Mentoring Program. She is excited to continue her work with CPHA as a current member of the Board.

With 5+ years' experience, Lisa Peters has demonstrated mastery of skills in financial program design, management and evaluation, ensuring cost effective use of resources and efficient public information and communication strategies. Lisa Peters is a Senior Reimbursement Analyst at Centura Health, specializing in data analysis, state and federal cost reporting, project management and healthcare informatics. She excels in leadership and collaboration, and due to her innovative contributions, she won a CRISSIE Honor for showing outstanding efforts in respect, integrity, imagination, and excellence within reimbursement. Prior to Centura, Lisa worked in public reimbursement consulting at FORVIS, and served on their employee-community outreach advisory board.  In 2021, Lisa began pursuing a Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, concentrating in Health Systems and Policy. During her time at Bloomberg, she published an article in Perspectives Magazine, served on the ADHD Advisory Committee, earned a certificate of Health Disparities and Inequities, and won the 2022 Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE) Graduate Edu-Thon in digital communication. She hopes to use these experiences, classes, and skills to create a more accessible and equitable Colorado for all.   As a Board Member of the Colorado Public Health Association since 2021, Lisa has successfully formulated, driven, and lead projects using process improvement methodologies, leadership, program evaluation, and change management skills to build programming for students and early careerists. In September 2022, Lisa was awarded the John Muth Award due to her contributions toward cultivating a community for those entering public health that connects them to professional opportunities and networks.   Lisa graduated with B.S.’s in Accounting and Business Administration from Colorado Christian University in 2019, and in 2022, she was awarded CCU’s Graduate of the Last Decade award for showing vocational promise in her field. In her free time, she loves hiking or finding new coffee shops downtown with her husband and two dogs.