Delegate

Meet our 2022-2023 ELC Leadership Team!

The ELC Leadership Team represent and advocate for new or transitioning public health professional's involvement in the CPHA. Delegates engage in CPHA through its main committees in leadership roles to ensure that the new public health professional voice is integrated into all aspects of CPHA. The overall purpose of the Delegate position is to take a combination of approaches in giving early career professionals, nontraditional public health workers, and students solid exposure to the multi-faceted nature of public health.

 

Samantha

Samantha Bertomen, Director
Project Manager, Otowi Consulting Group

Samantha (she/her) is a passionate advocate for accessible, high-quality healthcare - she is continuously in active pursuit of this vision.

Samantha will graduate with a Master’s in Public Health from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2023. She currently investigates global health as a Research Assistant for the university’s Department of Community and Behavioral Health. She is also the Associate Director of the Colorado Public Health Association’s Emerging Leaders Committee, where she supports fellow public health professionals. Samantha also serves as the Project Manager for the Otowi Group where she builds relationships with clients and generates solutions to help them effectively serve their communities and provide quality public health services. 

Previously, Samantha was the Community-Based Organizations Coordinator at Tri-County Health Department. Through this position, she built community partnerships, managed funding, and provided resources to support long-term recovery from COVID-19. Prior to moving to Colorado, she worked at a non-profit health insurance company, Blue Shield of California. At Blue Shield, 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.

Samantha aspires to one day apply her skills and experience to supporting foreign health systems and work abroad in countries that may benefit from her assistance.

 

Mitchell

Jeni Mitchell, Associate Director
Communications Specialist, Healthy Jeffco Alliance - Jefferson County Public Health

Jeni (she/her) 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. 

 

2022-2023 ELC DELEGATES

Sam Ciaravola

Sam Ciaravola, Public Health Education (PHiR) Delegate
Peer Health Exchange Educator, Aurora Public Schools

Sam (she/her) is a full-time undergraduate student at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, graduating next Spring, 2023, with a BA in Public Health and a Minor in Psychology. After graduation, Sam would like to continue her education undecided; however, she feels passionate about community and behavioral health, harm reduction, health education, law, advocacy, and policy. Sam, employed through the universities department of Health Professions, is a comprehensive health educator for several DPS and APS schools, in addition to her role as a community researcher and teaching assistant.

Angela Ohm
Angela Ohm, Public Health Education (CoD) Delegate
Senior Professional Research Assistant, University of Colorado

Angela is a candidate for a Master’s in Public Health in Applied Biostatistics at the Colorado School of Public Health. She is passionate about storytelling through quantitative analysis and exploring new and exciting methods of data visualization. She looks forward to pivoting her career into the public health space with a focus of addressing issues of equitable access to health care. Angela has worked in basic science research for 25 years at the University of Colorado Anschutz campus. She has held key roles in supervising the lab, supporting the training of graduate students and managing diverse research projects. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado Boulder with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular, cellular and developmental biology.

 

Taylor Bostic

Taylor Bostic, Health Equity Coalition Delegate
Epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Taylor Bostic (she/her) is an Infectious Disease Epidemiology ORISE Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prior to moving to Colorado, she received her Master’s in Public Health from Eastern Virginia Medical School. In her position, she focuses on the intersections of health equity and the impact of communicable disease burden in minority populations and pregnant women.

 Taylor is passionate about education, mentorship, and uplifting underserved communities. She has been inducted into Delta Omega’s Honorary Society of Public Health for her dedication to the field and recognizable impact at her university and within her community. She also serves as an American Heart Association Aligned Basic Life Support (BLS) Instructor and looks forward to working as the new Health Equity delegate.

 

Dorah Labette

Dorah Labatte, MPH, Health Equity Coalition Delegate
Doctor of Public Health Epidemiology Student, Colorado School of Public Health

Dorah Labatte, MPH (she/her/hers) is a student in the Doctor of Public Health program at Colorado School of Public Health, focusing on Epidemiology. Originally from Queens, NY, Dorah has worked with NYC Health and Hospitals to address maternal health disparities within the Haitian immigrant community in NYC. As a first-generation American citizen, it is important to her to continue her work in health equity and serve the Latinx and African immigrant population in Denver and Aurora. She earned her master’s degree (MPH) in Epidemiology at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, NY. She is also an alumna of Quinnipiac University, where she earned a Bachelors in Journalism and a Bachelors in Mathematics.

 

Yesenia Wilson

Yesenia Wilson, Public Health Policy Delegate
Disproportionately Affected Populations Liaison for Congregate Settings, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)

Yesenia (she/ella) currently serves as the Disproportionately Affected Populations Liaison for People Experiencing Homelessness and Congregate Settings at CDPHE. In her role, she actively addresses social determinants of health and health disparities across Colorado by connecting and working with community based organizations, stakeholders, and government agencies. Yesenia focuses on intersectionality, equity, and fostering strong partnerships. Yesenia is passionate and determined to be a voice for individuals who have been historically marginalized and underrepresented. 

Yesenia is pursuing a Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Health dual degree at CU’s School of Public Affairs and the Colorado School of Public Health. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Washington State University and her associates degree in Sociology from Colorado Mesa University. A Colorado native, Yesenia aspires to influence social, health, and systemic changes through policy and advocacy.

 

Brenna Combs

Brenna Combs, Public Health Policy Delegate
Student Research Assistant, University of Colorado Department of OB/GYN - Division of Family Planning

Brenna (she/her) is a research assistant with the Colorado University Family Planning research team and a master’s degree candidate at the Colorado School of Public Health. With a concentration in Health Systems, Management, and Policy, Brenna is looking forward to integrating these studies into her role as an ELC Delegate. She is committed to working with policy to maximize social justice, lessen health inequities, and promote overall well-being in our communities.

After graduating with a BA in Sociology from the University of Vermont in 2019, Brenna has worked in various public health settings, including community health centers, state hospitals, and the Vermont Public Health Association. After being a member of the VtPHA and APHA for the past three years, Brenna is excited to now join the CPHA and public health community in Colorado.

 

Lexie King

Lexie King, Communications Delegate
Program and Communications Coordinator, University of Colorado Denver Division for Teaching Innovation & Program Strategy (TIPS)

Lexie is currently working as a Program & Communications Coordinator while working towards her master’s in public health in Leadership & Public Health Practice at the Colorado School of Public Health. Prior to her roles at CU, she earned a degree in Communication with an emphasis in Public Health from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Lexie has over four years of experience in a higher education setting, with over three years at CU Denver and more than six years of combined professional experience in training and development, communications, event management, and working in diverse teams. Lexie is passionate about communications, public health, accessibility, and inclusion.

 

Anna Woolrey

Anna Woolrey, MPH, Membership Delegate
Health Science Specialist, Veterans Affairs

Anna (she/her/hers) graduated from the Colorado School of Public Health in August 2022 with a Master of Public Health, concentrating in Epidemiology and Global Public Health. Anna is a new Health Science Specialist at the Center of Innovation for Veteran Centered and Value Driven Care (COIN). Prior to moving to Colorado, Anna obtained her B.A. degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and then worked as an analyst for a healthcare market research and consulting firm in New York City. She carried out quantitative and qualitative research for large pharmaceutical and biotech companies and is looking forward to applying those research skills to her work with veterans. As the membership delegate, Anna is excited to support expanding and deepening the connections within the Colorado Public Health Association. 

 

Alyssa Dalen

Alyssa Dalen, Executive Delegate
Student Research Assistant, Colorado Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence

Alyssa (they/them) is in their final year as an MPH student at the Colorado School of Public Health on the CU Anschutz campus. Before this, Alyssa graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where they studied Neuroscience and Biology. Alyssa is passionate about interpersonal violence prevention and response work and hopes to bring together professionals in various disciplines to address this topic. Outside of work and school, Alyssa enjoys exploring new places for food and drinks, music, crafts, and spending time at home with their cats Linus and Charlie.

 

 

Jared Schenfeldt
Jared Schenfeldt, Colorado School of Public Health Delegate
Personal Fitness and Nutrition Consultant/Trainer, Xena Fit Consulting

Jared is a graduate student at the Colorado School of Public Health with a concentration in Environmental and Occupational Health. He works at the university within the Environmental and Occupational Health as a Student Administrative Assistant where he manages the program’s social media, events, outreach, and data consolidation. He also runs his own business as a Fitness & Nutrition Consultant and Personal Trainer and trains as a bodybuilder as his largest hobby. He is a cat dad to two kitties who he loves more than anyone, except his partner, and loves to cook and learn about technology, philosophy and spirituality in his free time.

  

 

Senite Tewahade

Senite Tewahade, Finance Delegate
Financial Planner, Infinity Wealth Management

My name is Senite. I started my public health journey wanting to work as a Community Health Educator. COVID changed a lot, including that dream. Instead of Community Health I am now a financial advisor. I have the honor of helping families build generational wealth to get them out of the poverty cycle. In a way, COVID forced me to think outside of the box and apply my studies in an unconventional field. I am honored to serve as the Finance Delegate for the 2022-2023 year. I am sure we will have a phenomenal impact!

 

Nicole Tabor

Nicole Tabor, Volunteer Delegate
Student Research Assistant, Colorado School of Public Health

Nicole is a dual degree graduate student at the University of Denver and the Colorado School of Public Health seeking Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health degrees. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Illinois University in Rehabilitation Services with minors in Art and Psychology. Nicole's current academic interests include health equity, social justice, and health policy. She has enjoyed work in clinical mental health, student and community programming, and research settings. Nicole is passionate about food justice and harm reduction. In her free time, Nicole likes to hike, take photos, upcycle clothes and spend time with her cat, Asiago. 

 


 

View previous leadership teams:

2021-22 Leadership