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OPHA SECTIONS, CAUCUSES & COMMITTEES

Listed below are OPHA's active and inactive Sections, Caucuses, & Committees (SCCs). All members are encouraged to select an SCC that fits their area of work or interest and to participate in the selected SCC's activities. Membership in the American Public Health Association provides an opportunity for involvement in national sections and caucuses.


Ten or more OPHA members may petition the OPHA Board to form a Section to address a particular field or area of public health or to form a Caucus around a particular public health issue. Following board approval, SCCs must elect officers, develop bylaws, and hold at least one business meeting scheduled during OPHA's annual conference. 


Community Health Worker Section

Monthly meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of every month at 1pm. Contact the Community Health Workers Chair Kerstin Reinschmidt for more information on meeting times and events.

LEADERSHIP

Chair – Kerstin Reinschmidt, PhD, MPH

Vice-Chair – La'Keira Watson

Membership includes:

Community Health Worker /

CHW (Umbrella Term) 

CHW Ally (Umbrella Term)

 Community Health Representative / CHR

Community Health Advisors

Case Managers/Case Workers

Community Health Advocate

Community Health Outreach Worker

Community Liaison

Community Organizer

Health Educator

Health Ambassador

Enrollment Specialist

Lay Health Advisor

Public Health Aide

Patient Navigator

Peer Counselor

Peer Educator

Promotor/s

Promotor/a

Community Health Aid

Community Health Navigator

Healthcare Providers

Social Service Providers

Payers

Public Health Departments

Businesses

Education Institutions

Public and Private Agencies 

Objectives include:

Policy Development

  1. Develop and support policies for the CHW workforce.
  2. Share best practices and advance institutional, local, state, and national policies that support the CHW workforce.

Leadership

  1. Ensure CHWs have a voice regarding their workforce development
  2. Ensure CHWs have a voice at all levels of public health planning and decision-making tables to improve health outcomes in Oklahoma.

Membership Engagement

  1. Recruit and retain CHWs and CHW allies as members of the section. This will occur through local and regional networks, health networks, academic networks, and tribal communities throughout Oklahoma.

Continuing Education Committee

The Continuing Education Committee meets quarterly. Please contact Continuing Education Committee Chair Tracy Freudenthaler for more information on Committee activities and events.

LEADERSHIP

Chair – Tracy Freudenthaler

Active CPH – McKenzie Cowlbeck, MPH, CPH

Active CHES/MCHES – Wendi Middleton, PhD, CHES

Membership includes:

  • At least one member with active CPH credentials
  • At lease one member with active CHES/MCHES credentials
  • The Chair of each of OPHA's active Sections, Caucuses & Committees

Objectives include:

  1. Maintaining accrediting body compliance and ensuring CE competency is held to the highest standard in all continuing education activities.
  2. Curating continuing education content for Certified Public Health (CPH), (Master) Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES/MCHES), and Licensed Social Work.

Emergency Preparedness & Response Section

Monthly meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of every month at 2:00 P.M. Contact the Emergency Preparedness & Response Chair Michael J DeRemer II for more information on meeting times and events and learn more about the EP&R Section from their brochure.

LEADERSHIP

Chair – Michael J DeRemmer II, MS

Vice-Chair – Stacey White

Secretary – Rachel Morse

Membership includes:

  • Regional Planners
  • Regional Nurses
  • State/County Preparedness
  • Individuals (Annex H, Medical Reserve Corps, MMRS/RMRS, SNS Coordinators)
  • Volunteer Coordinators
  • Grant Developers
  • Emergency Management Staff
  • Medical Professionals

Objectives include:

  1. Providing a mechanism of sharing of preparedness and emergency response initiatives, ideas, and experiences between individuals engaged in supporting public health preparedness and emergency response.
  2. Providing an avenue for improvement and collaboration of communication and preparedness skills relating to public health preparedness and response.
  3. Providing an opportunity for networking, relationship building among response personnel engaged in public health preparedness and response.

Epidemiology & Laboratory Section

Contact the Epidemiology & Laboratory Chair Lauren Kidwell for more information on meeting times and events.

LEADERSHIP

Chair – Lauren Kidwell, MPH

Membership includes:

  • Infectious and Chronic Disease Specialists
  • Physicians
  • Nurses
  • Epidemiologists 
  • Microbiologists

Objectives include:

  1. Promoting scientific knowledge and interaction through presentation of scientific studies
  2. Recognizing excellence in scientific inquiry and outstanding student scientists through awards


Health Equity Caucus

The Health Equity Caucus meets the 4th Wednesday of each month at 3–4pm. Please contact the Health Equity Caucus Chair Amy McGehee for more information.

LEADERSHIP

Chair – Amy McGehee, MSHDFS

Vice-Chair – Elliot Parker

Secretary – Florah Aluoch

Members include:

  • OPHA members who are interested in promoting health equity for all and who designate the Health Equity Caucus as their choice.

Objectives include:

  1. Provide a mechanism of sharing of ideas and experiences among people engaged in supporting public health.
  2. Provide an avenue for awareness for the Health Equity Campaign.

Public Health Education & Promotion

Monthly webinars are held the 1st Friday of every month at 10am. Register online at www.opha.net/events to attend. Webinars regularly offer CPH, CHES/MCHES, and OK LSW continuing education credits. Please contact the Public Health Education & Promotion Chair Wendy Frankenburger for more information or with interest to present at an upcoming webinar.

LEADERSHIP

Chair – Wendy Frankenburger, MPH, CHES, CPH

Secretary – Avery Geist

Membership includes:

Individuals working for public health education and health promotion within:

    • Communities
    • Schools
    • Health care facilities
    • Businesses
    • Public agencies
    • Private agencies

    Objectives include:

    1. Promoting understanding of health promotion and disease prevention. 
    2. Educating the general public on issues affecting their health.
    3. Impacting legislation affecting health issues.
    4. Presenting continuing education involving the rapidly evolving field of public health issues.
    5. Aiding in the establishment of standards and guidelines in the health promotion field.
    6. Initiating projects designed for improving the health of the population.
    7. Striving for the prevention of disease for all age groups.

    Oral Health Section

    The Oral Health Section meets quarterly and in partnership with the Oklahoma Oral Health Coalition. Please contact Chair Nicole Reynolds for more information on meeting times and events.

    LEADERSHIP

    Chair – Nicole Reynolds, DDS

    Secretary – Mahta Afradeh, DDS, MPH

    Membership include:

    • All dental health personnel
    • Others interested in the promotion and public health aspects of oral health 

    Objectives include:

    1. Promoting understanding, capability and action in oral health promotion and disease prevention.
    2. Educating the general public
    3. Presenting continuing education involving this rapidly evolving field
    4. Aiding the establishment of standards and guidelines
    5. Initiating projects designed for improving the health of the population
    6. Striving for the elimination of oral disease for all age groups

      Policy Committee

      Monthly meetings are held the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 4pm. Contact the Policy Committee Co-Chair McKenzie Cowlbeck for more information and/or to join the Policy Committee.

      LEADERSHIP

      Co-Chair – McKenzie Cowlbeck, MPH, CPH

      Co-Chair – Stephanie Mansour, MHA

      Secretary – Hanz Atia, MPH

      Membership includes

      • All OPHA members who are interested in public health policy that will have a positive impact on the health and safety of the citizens of Oklahoma and advancing those concerns within our own association, communities and with legislative bodies and policy makers at all levels.

      Objectives

      1. Assist in shaping OPHA’s public policy agenda by helping to identify and prioritize relevant public health issues. 
      2. Make recommendations on legislative priorities to the OPHA Board.
      3. Work with OPHA to build strategic relationships with public officials, nonprofit colleagues and other sectors. 
      4. Gather information relevant to the development and promotion of Public Policies, such as public opinion and stakeholder surveys, demographic trends, political and economic environment. 
      5. Assist in building grassroots support for positions. 
      6. Scan the environment for advocacy in order to identify factors conducive to, and factors inhibiting, achievement of the expected advocacy outcomes. 
      7. Identify different targets for advocacy initiatives.
      8. Develop strategies and operational plans for implementing advocacy.

      Oklahoma Public Health Association
      121 NE 52nd Street, Ste. 260
      Oklahoma City, OK 73105
      405-605-2099
      opha@opha.net

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