Nominee: Ashely Popejoy, DDS, MS Organization: Jordan Valley Community Health Center Ashely Popejoy was nominated by Elizabeth Fogle, Director of Program Advancement at Jordan Valley Community Health Center in Springfield, MO. Dr. Popejoy is a pediatric dentist whose innovation, coupled with her heart for service, has created solutions-based programs to help expand access to care. Under her leadership, …
NHCW Health Center Hero Nominee: Martha Madero
Nominee: Martha Madero Organization: Family Medicine Health Center (Operated by Family Medicine Residency of Idaho) Martha Madero has worked in Community Health Centers for over a decade. Beginning her career first as a medical assistant and now as community health worker working mostly with Latino seasonal farmworkers. “Martha is incredibly effective at her job as …
NHCW Health Center Hero Nominee: Courtney Allen Cowardin
Nominee: Courtney Allen Cowardin, CNM Organization: OneWorld Community Health Centers Courtney Allen Cowardin, CNM, is the Associate Medical Director of Women’s Health at OneWorld in Omaha, NE. Courtney has been an employee at OneWorld for 14 years and as one of the health center’s first midwives, she paved the way for additional midwives–at OneWorld and in …
NHCW Health Center Hero Nominee: Guy Simmons
Nominee: Guy Simmons Organization: Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center “As Chair of the Board of Directors, Guy Simmons exudes the mission of community health centers,” writes Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center Chief Executive Officer Kim Schwartz. Simmons has over 20 years of experience as a health center board member and offers his extensive expertise generously. He uses …
NHCW Health Center Hero Nominee: Paula Smith
Nominee: Paula Smith Organization: Lamprey Health Care Director of the Southern New Hampshire Area Health Education Center, Paula Smith was the first staff director when the Southern New Hampshire AHEC began 20 years ago. Southern New Hampshire AHEC improves community health by promoting and coordinating community and academic multidisciplinary partnerships with a focus on rural communities …
NHCW Health Center Hero Nominee: Martha Ayano
Nominee: Martha Ayano, NP Organization: Brockton Neighborhood Health Center Martha Ayano was nominated by Brockton Neighborhood Health Center (BNHC) Assistant Medical Director Dr. Joe Panerio-Langer and many of her colleagues at BNHC. Her nomination centers around her tireless work with the homeless population. Ayano, lovingly dubbed with the nickname “Martha Theresa,” is the sole provider at BNHC’s …
NHCW Health Care Hero Nominee: Katie Steele
Nominee: Katie Steele Organization: Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Centers Katie Steele is the Pharmacy Manager and Clinical Pharmacist at Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Centers at one of their locations in Newberg, Oregon. She arrived at the clinic at a time when it was forced to shut down their 340B pharmacy, a move which deeply impacted their patient …
Tools for Building a Health Center Workforce
We regularly invite writers to share ideas and topics helpful to the health center community. Today’s guest blog post is by Shannen Camarena, Marketing Coordinator, UST Community Health Centers nationwide face common challenges like recruiting and retaining workforce. According to a NACHC report, 95 percent of all health centers have a clinical staff vacancy and …
Celebrating National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. An estimated 50% of all Americans are diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is why breaking down barriers to provide accessible, affordable, and community-based primary care for behavioral health is …
Kicking off NACHC’s Countdown to National Health Center Week with Key Facts about Health Centers
By Megan Chung, NACHC Intern National Health Center Week begins August 12th and it is an annual, nationwide celebration with the goal of raising awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s Health Centers over the past five decades. We hope advocates, providers, staff, and patients will enjoy health centers’ rightly-deserved spotlight, and demonstrate their …