Montelle Taméz

Montelle Taméz is the Deputy Director of Community Engagement & Health Equity at the University of Colorado’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) where she co-leads the CCTSI’s Community Engagement (CE) Core, which aims to build capacity in community-academic research partnerships to improve the translation of scientific discoveries into culturally relevant interventions and programs that improve health in vulnerable communities. Ms. Tamez has more than 20 years of experience working to improve health equity through public health interventions, community engagement and community engaged research. Before joining the CCTSI in 2009, Ms. Tamez worked for the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment’s Prevention Services Division, where she specialized in community-based initiatives to promote chronic disease prevention, screening and treatment. While at the health department, Ms. Taméz co-lead the Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease and Pulmonary Disease Competitive Grants Program. In this role, Ms. Tamez managed the communications and daily operations of the program, provided technical assistance to more than 70 grant recipients across the state, and worked closely with the legislatively mandated review committee. Ms. Tamez began her public health career at the American Cancer Society (ACS) as a Cancer Control Specialist, developing and implementing community-based tobacco control initiatives. Ms. Tamez worked closely with external partners and coalitions to pass legislation that made Colorado smoke free. In this role, Ms. Tamez also worked in the Latino/a/x community as a health educator, promoting cancer prevention, screening and treatment. Ms. Tamez co-authored the American Cancer Society’s You Can Quit smoking cessation program, developing a train-the-trainer model, which she implemented in businesses, community-based organizations, primary care clinics and hospitals throughout the state. In addition to her role at the University of Colorado, Ms Taméz is a senior consultant with the Otowi Group, LLC, specializing in communications, engagement and health equity.