Deena Chisolm, PhD, Chair
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Dr. Chisolm cares about health policy and health equity in Ohio because it is her home. Originally from Springfield Ohio, Dr. Chisolm completed her undergraduate degree at Miami University and her MS and PhD at The Ohio State University. She serves as Director of the Center for Health Equity and Outcomes Research at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics and Public Health at the Ohio State University.
Dr. Chisolm has published nearly 100 papers exploring health outcomes, equity, and policy. She serves on the HPIO board because publishing research findings is not enough. Enduring change requires moving that research into policy. In her spare time she reads science fiction and fantasy novels, watches sports with her husband, engages in community service and tries to keep fitness fun.
Adrienne Mundorf, MPH, Vice Chair
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio, Inc.
Mundorf is the Health Equity Director at UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Ohio where she works collaboratively to address health disparities across Ohio. Prior to joining UnitedHealthcare, Adrienne held leadership roles in the philanthropic and academic sectors. Most recently she served as Vice President at Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland where she led the foundation’s health policy and food justice portfolios and was instrumental in establishing a health equity grantmaking focus area and an integrated approach to advance a place-based two-generation initiative.
Adrienne holds a Master of Public Health from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kalamazoo College. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Malawi 2002-2005) during which she developed a passion for promoting social justice and addressing the social drivers of health. She is also a cancer survivor and her personal experience navigating the healthcare system has fueled her passion for health equity. She lives in University Heights with her spouse and 3 young daughters.
Fallon Peterson, MS, CHES, Treasurer
The Raymond John Wean Foundation
Peterson is Senior Director of Programs and Operations at The Raymond John Wean Foundation. In her role she provides thought partnership in planning and leading implementation teams for critical, Foundation-wide projects, including grantmaking and capacity building innovation. Prior to joining The Raymond John Wean Foundation, Peterson was a Program Officer at the Nord Family Foundation in Lorain County, Ohio and also served as the Aging Services Administrator for the City of Cleveland Department of Aging.
Peterson is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and certified in the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP). Peterson holds a bachelor of science in chemistry degree from Hampton University and a master of science in health promotion and education degree from the University of Cincinnati. In addition, she was an Exponent Philanthropy 2020 Next Gen Fellow and a Rockwood Virtual Art of Leadership for Philanthropic Leaders Fellow.
Molly Culbertson, Secretary
Cardinal Health
Culbertson is passionate about eliminating inequities in quality physical and behavioral healthcare services. She is proud to serve on the HPIO board and support its vision of advancing health through informed policy decisions. Molly is part of the External Affairs team at Cardinal Health, a mission- and values-driven company that strives to be healthcare’s most trusted partner.
As a volunteer, she seeks meaningful ways to give back to the community, including supporting Pelotonia, the United Way of Central Ohio, and other nonprofit organizations engaged in improving health and eliminating inequities. In her spare time, she reads, runs, bicycles, gardens and tries to tame her two enormous Great Pyrenees pups.
Jennifer Chubinski, PhD, Immediate Past Chair
Xavier University
Dr. Chubinski serves on the HPIO because she wants to be sure HPIO is around to serve many generations of Ohioans. She has a profound respect for the powerful and long-lasting change that good public policy can make and she believes HPIO is contributing to better health policy in Ohio.
Originally from northern Indiana, Dr. Chubinski completed her undergrad at Purdue University, MS at Carnegie Mellon University and PhD at the University of Cincinnati. Currently, Dr. Chubinski is an Assistant Professor in the Health Services Administration Program at Xavier University in Cincinnati. In her free time she likes to learn new recipes, hike, read or watch her kids play sports.
Philip D. Atkins, PhD, LICDC-CS, OCPC, ACHE
Harbor
Dr. Philip Atkins received his PhD in Human Services Administration from Capella University in 2014 and has a post-graduate certificate from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in Mental Health Executive Leadership. He has worked in behavioral health since 1988 and served as a clinician, prevention educator, administrator and consultant. He currently serves as the Chief Care Coordination Officer for Harbor, headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, where he oversees a wraparound implementation project serving nearly 750 families, as well as prevention services, youth and adult psychology, and autism services. He teaches at the doctoral level, focusing on human services, program evaluation, qualitative research, substance abuse treatment and prevention, and community-based research. He was recently appointed to the National Advisory Council for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). He has extensive experience with service coordination, behavioral health treatment, and prevention services for adults, children and youth.
Wallace Chambers, PhD, MHA, REHS
Cleveland Department of Public Health
Chambers is the Commissioner of Environment at the Cleveland Department of Public Health. He is a registered sanitarian and Healthy Homes Specialist, having served on multiple national CDC advisory groups related to lead exposure. He was also part of the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) Environmental Health Work Group from 2017 to 2019.
Chambers is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., an alumni ambassador for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a member of the National Association for Healthcare Quality, National Environmental Health Association, Ohio Environmental Health Association, and Ohio Public Health Association. He earned a bachelor of science degree in environmental health and master of health administration (MHA) degree from Ohio University. He received his PhD in public health, health policy and management at Kent State University, and a master of applied science degree in population health management at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Anne Goon, MS, RD, LD
Public Health Services Council of Ohio
Anne Goon is the Executive Director of the Public Health Services Council of Ohio (PHSCO), which is the state's only public health regional Council of Governments. She serves on the HPIO Board of Directors because she believes public health is all about improving the health of our communities (and Ohio as a whole), which requires many partners to work together in complementary ways. HPIO engages people across the entire public health system in Ohio- from health educators to medical professionals, from academic to primary care, and from state and local government to non-profit agencies- to identify what works best to improve Ohioans’ health.
Goon has served as a health commissioner for over a decade (most recently with Seneca County) and has worked in local governmental public health for 20+ years, helping many health departments on their journeys toward national public health accreditation. Anne has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Allied Medicine and a Certificate in Public Health Management and Leadership from Ohio State.
Ericka King-Betts, PhD
Humana Healthy Horizons Ohio
Dr. Ericka King-Betts joined Humana in 2021 as the Director of Health Equity Strategy for Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio, with over 20 years of experience leading organizational efforts, working across health care, academia, non-profit, and government sectors. Ericka has experience in strategic planning, business process improvement, cultural humility and implicit bias training, performance management, organizational development, research and analysis, leading health equity and DEI initiatives, quality improvement, public and media relations, and community outreach / engagement / investments. Ericka also served as a board member and former president of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, a governor-appointed commission serving all Ohioans.
At Humana, Ericka serves as a trusted thought partner with plan leadership, local communities, state agencies, and hundreds of internal and external partners to have an impact on health disparities at a population level.
Ericka holds dual Bachelor degrees in Psychology & Multicultural Studies from Purdue University, a Masters degree in Family Science with a minor concentration in Ethnic Studies from The Ohio State University, and a PhD in Consumer & Family Science with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University. She is a published author, has presented across the country, and received numerous awards from her alma maters, the Cincinnati Business Courier Forty Under 40, Who’s Who, and others. She also serves in other capacities for several local and national organizations. She genuinely believes in giving back to a community who has given her so much. She is a wife, mother of four boys, dog mom, and resides in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Gregory Lam, MD
OhioHealth
Dr. Lam is a cardiologist in rural Southern Ohio. He helps his patients with the health consequences of economic inequities on a daily basis, and through his work with the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and the Ohio Asian American Health Coalition, he has tried to address health disparities due to race.
Dr. Lam loves serving on the HPIO board because HPIO’s work is instrumental in informing the policies that directly impacts his patients. Originally from Honolulu, HI, Dr. Lam has lived in Columbus for the past 11 years after completing his undergraduate degree at Yale University, medical school at the University of Rochester, and residency/fellowship training at Duke University and the NIH. In his spare time he loves spending time outdoors with his wife and two sons, and he continually questions whether he should give up golf.
Anju Mader, MD
Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery
In August of 2020, Dr. Mader began serving as the Chief Integration Officer at Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery and serves as the lead for both the Behavioral Health Collaborative and Stark County’s Social Information Exchange Network initiative.
After practicing medicine for almost 20 years, Dr. Mader changed gears and worked in various roles in community settings helping to bridge gaps between healthcare and various other systems. Formerly, Dr. Mader has served as Director of the Stark County Help Me Grow and Early Intervention programs (part of the statewide system serving the comprehensive developmental needs of children from birth to age three), Director of the Related Services Division at the Stark County Educational Service Center (staff provide specialized Individualized Education Plan services to students of the 22 public school district members of the Stark County Educational Service Center), and the Medical Director of the Canton City Health Department. In addition, she was functioning as a consultant for Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery from 2012 until 2020 to assist with promoting and increasing access to Behavioral Health services for youth.
Dr. Mader is a graduate of Northeast Ohio Medical University. She completed her pediatric residency and fellowship in Ambulatory and Academic Pediatrics at Akron Childrens Hospital.
Srinivas Merugu, MD, FACP, MMM, CPE
MetroHealth Institute for H.O.P.E.
Dr. Merugu is the President for the Institute for H.O.P.E at MetroHealth. He previously served as the Chief Medical Officer for United Healthcare Community Plan of Ohio and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Northeast Ohio Medical University. As Chief Medical Officer for United Healthcare Community Plan of Ohio, Dr. Merugu is the clinical lead for strategic initiatives including practice transformation, population health and plan performance improvement that cover more than 300,000 Ohioans. He is also the health plan lead for health equity for United Healthcare Community Plan of Ohio. Throughout his career, he has held a variety of leadership roles at the intersection of quality improvement, population health and healthcare innovation.
Dr. Merugu volunteers in various community engagement activities on Cleveland’s west side, where he has helped to develop and implement ideas that bring together people of different backgrounds to build a healthier community. He has engaged in activities ranging from working on grant applications to fund community programs, to coordinating and organizing events as a volunteer coordinator. He serves on the boards of directors for The Land (an online news publication in Cleveland), and was formerly a member of the board for the Rainey Institute, and Joseph’s Home. Dr. Merugu is also an active member of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Merugu earned his bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery degrees from Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad, India before receiving his MD from St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in 2003. He also holds a master of medical management degree from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jill Miller, MBA
Bethesda Inc.& The bi3 Fund
Jill Miller is President and CEO of Bethesda Inc., co-sponsor of TriHealth, and creator of the bi3 Fund. Through Jill’s leadership, the bi3 Fund has awarded more than $105 million to TriHealth, community-based organizations, and nonpartisan policy and advocacy organizations to fuel health equity and innovation.
Jill is proud that nearly 220 babies are alive today due to the collaborative efforts bi3 helped fund to reduce infant mortality in Hamilton County. She is passionate about leading the way to a day when every person has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
Jill serves as an Ambassador of the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project and is a board member of Philanthropy Ohio and Bethesda Foundation, serves on multiple TriHealth Steering Committees advancing health equity and care delivery, was a member of the Hamilton County Commission on Women & Girls and is the former chair of the Greater Cincinnati Funders Collaborative.
Jill holds a Business Economics degree from Ohio’s Miami University and an MBA from Xavier University. Jill was recognized as a 2024 YWCA Career Women of Achievement, named one of Venue Magazine’s 2023 Influential Women of Greater Cincinnati, and was selected as a Cincinnati Business Courier 2023 Women Who Mean Business.
Denise Moore, MA
Ohio’s Hospice
Trotwood City Council
Moore is the Community Care Liaison for Ohio’s Hospice in Dayton, Ohio and is a member of Trotwood City Council. Moore has an extensive background in community outreach and education, both in her role for Ohio’s Hospice and as a certified Respecting Choices Advance Care Planning Specialist, a certified First Steps facilitator for Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs, and a Healthy U speaker, teacher and facilitator. She has held a variety of roles in end-of-life care over the past decade, primarily working with patients, their families and community partners such as hospitals and other facilities. In 2021, she was recognized as “Remarkable Woman of the Year” by the city of Dayton.
Moore is actively engaged in service to other nonprofit organizations, both locally and nationally. Ohio She is a member of the National Alliance for Black School Educators, National Black Caucus, Ohio Urban Advisory Network and the Ohio School Board Association. Moore was also President of the Trotwood-Madison Board of Education from 2017 to 2020, where she implemented district turnaround policies to avoid a state takeover and opened a districtwide community health center on the school’s campus. Moore holds a bachelor of science in business management degree from Central State University and a master of arts in conflict analysis and engagement (MA-CAE) degree from Antioch University. She is also currently working toward a doctorate of business administration degree in healthcare management and leadership.
Samantha Shafer, LISW-S
Integrated Services for Behavioral Health
Sam Shafer serves as the President and CEO at Integrated Services for Behavioral Health. Sam is an Independently Licensed Social Worker and has worked in the Behavioral Health field for over 15 years. Throughout her career Sam has worked hard to highlight the innate strengths of individuals, families, and communities even as they are in the midst of challenges.
Sam is a fierce advocate for equitable healthcare services across Ohio, as she leads the ISBH team in building out behavioral health systems of care within the Appalachian region. Sam believes we must stay committed and organized around this essential work. "The future of Ohio depends on how we show up for one another today".
Kate Schroder, MBA
Interact for Health
Kate Schroder joined Interact for Health as its fourth President and CEO in January 2022. In this role, she works with Interact for Health’s staff and board to provide leadership, direction and vision to the organization and to develop strategies to address some of the most pressing health needs in Greater Cincinnati.
A native of Cincinnati, Kate has experience leading health initiatives locally and internationally. Prior to joining Interact for Health, she oversaw a regional collaborative effort to increase COVID-19 vaccination throughout 14 counties in Greater Cincinnati and to address disparities in vaccination rates while working at The Health Collaborative.
Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Indiana University and a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kate currently serves on the boards for Cincinnati State Foundation and OneNKY Alliance and the advisory board for the NKU Institute for Health Innovation.
Chris Whistler
Whistler Consulting, LLC
Whistler is a mission-driven executive with diverse, private and public sector leadership experience in strategic management, public policy, budgeting, and advocacy. Most known for his role as assistant director of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management under then-Governor John R. Kasich, as well as policy director during Kasich’s 2016 presidential bid, Whistler also has held key positions in a Medicaid-focused health plan, the state legislature, county government, and a provider trade association. He is most at home as a collaborative leader of extensive but efficient, consensus-building processes that define and advance an organization’s mission to support individuals and families who are most in need.
Whistler is passionate about his family, volunteering, playing electric guitar in his church band, and enjoying the outdoors. He tremendously regrets the length of his hair in his outdated headshot.
Last updated 11/14/2024
