The ND Health Equity Committee is a statewide leadership committee to address health inequities that include social, economic, and environmental disparities. Members are dedicated to increasing access to quality health care concerning affordability, availability, accessibility, accommodation, and acceptability.
The committee will promote cultural strengthening and safety while implementing strategies founded on collaboration, data, advocacy, policy, and resource alignment for all North Dakotans. Members will serve to educate, inform, and advise the North Dakota Health and Human Services agency, ensuring that social determinants of health and matters related to health equity are adequately addressed.
Health Equity Committee Members
Alicia Belay, PhD, MPH
HHS Community Engagement Assistant Director
Public Health Specialist
Brenda Finn
Tribal Projects Lead, Medical/Medicaid DHHS
Chandler Esslinger
Community Health Specialist, Essentia Health
Gordana Cokrlic
Ryan White Program Coordinator
Grace N. Njau
Special Projects & Health Analytics Director
Jorden Laducer
Community Engagement Training Coordinator
Karen K. Ehrens, R.D., L.R.D.
Coordinator, Creating a Hunger Free North Dakota Coalition
Kodi Pinks, MPH
Director, Non-Infectious Disease Surveillance & Data Management
Krissie Guerard, MS
HHS Community Engagement Director, MCH Grant Coordinator
Melanie Nadeau, PhD, MPH
Assistant Director/Assistant Professor, Public Health Program
University of North Dakota
Ramona Danielson, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health
North Dakota State University
Ryan Eagle, AIPHRC
Public Health Research Project Manager
Shannon Bacon
Health Equity Manager, Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas
Tracy K. Miller, PhD, MPH
State Epidemiologist
Vanessa Tibbitts
Program Leader, American Indian Public Health Resource Center