Leadership Council
The purpose of the Leadership Council is to provide strategic guidance and direction for the COI and its key stakeholders in support of implementation of the COI Action Plan, strategic plan, evaluation, and domain workplans. In addition, the Leadership Council provides guidance and oversight for COI operations including review and approval of core funding applications and policy positions.
The roles and responsibilities of the Leadership Council members are to serve as advocates and vocal champions of the COI, identify how the activities of partner organizations align with COI goals, track and inform progress on COI activities using agreed-upon indicators and domain workplans, identify opportunities for new partnerships and cross-domain collaboration, and to attend COI trategic planning retreats.
Dr. Suzanne Afflalo, MD
Healthcare Domain Champion
A Healthier Me, Founder and CEO
Amelia Barile-Simon, Business Domain Co-Chair
Community Health Promotion Specialist, County of San Diego HHSA
Luke Bergmann PhD, Mental Health Seat
County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services, Director
Natalia Blackman, DPT, Early Childhood Co-Chair
Neighborhood House Associate
Naomi Billups, COI COR
County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency, Public Health Nutrition Manager
Deirdre Browner, Evaluation Committee
Senior Epidemiologist, County of San Diego HHSA
Noe Crespo, Research Seat
Associate Professor, SDSU – School of Public Health
Asmaa Deiranieh, Youth Ally Seat
Program Coordinator, UCSD Center for Community Health
Joangrace Espíritu, Media Domain Co-Chair
Area Marketing Director, YMCA Community Support Services
JoAnn Fields, Business Domain Co-Chair
County of San Diego HHSA
Mireya Mateo Gomez, Binational & Border Health Seat
Office of Binational Border Health, Program Manager
Katie Gordon, Community Domain Co-Chair
Community Health Engagement Team Manager, County of San Diego HHSA
Kristin Haukom, Government Domain Co-Chair
Planning Associate | Manager, Alta Planning + Design, Inc.
Eric Hekler, COI Consultant
Interim Associate Dean, Community Partnerships, UCSD Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Design Lab
Deidre Kleske, Schools Domain Tri-Chair
Healthy Works Program Specialist, County of San Diego HHSA
Stacey Kurz, Government Domain Co-Chair
Senior Project Coordinator, City of Chula Vista/Healthy Chula Vista Initiative
Ivette Lorona, Binational Border Health Seat
Program Coordinator, Border and Binational Programs, Office of Binational Border Health
Spencer Stein, Business Domain Co-Chair
County of San Diego HHSA
Adrienne Markworth, Food Security Seat
Executive Director, Leah’s Pantry
Kate McDevitt, Schools Domain Tri-Chair
District Wellness Supervisor, San Diego Unified School District
Kim McDougal, Early Childhood Seat
Executive Director, YMCA Childcare Resource Service
Bill Oswald, Community Domain Co-Chair
Assoc. Executive Director, Global ARC
Lexie Palacio, Community Domain Co-Chair
Community Collaborative Director, YMCA Childcare Resource Service
Megan Porter, Early Childhood Domain Co-Chair
Social Services Director, YMCA Childcare Resource Service
Blanca Melendrez, COI Backbone Staff
Executive Director, UC San Diego Center for Community Health
Amina Sheik Mohamed
Director of the UCSD Refugee Health Unit
Paige Metz, Schools Domain Tri-Chair
Health and Physical Education Curriculum Coordinator, San Diego County Office of Education
Mary Beth Moran, Healthcare Domain Co-Chair
Director, Rady Children’s Hospital, Center for Healthy Communities
Kelly Motadel, Child Health Medical Officer
Child Health Officer, County of San Diego HHSA
Angeles Nelson, Food Security Policy Seat
Policy Associate, Nourish California
Kay Rhee, Academic Research Seat
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, UC San Diego
Shaila Serpas
MD Family Physician
Chelsea Walczak Virks
Senior Director of Community Impact at American Heart Association
Wilma Wooten MD
MPH Public Health Officer, County of San Diego HHSA
Shana Wright
Director, San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative