Community Advisory Board Members
D’Andra Bradford Odom
Health Equity Director – Aetna Better Health of Louisiana
“Community engagement is integral to improving health outcomes amongst our most vulnerable populations. I believe community members should have the opportunity to feel valued and included in all decisions impacting their personal health.”
Veronica Magee-Jackson, M.A, M.Ed.
Deputy Director/Director of Prevention Services Brotherhood. Incorporated
“Community engagement is vital in addressing the unique challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is only through active community engagement that myths are dispelled to overcome vaccine hesitancy and save lives.”
Celia Miles, Overseer
Wellness Ministry
Grace and Glory Family Worship Church International
“Community engagement is crucial because of its effects on so many we come into contact with on a daily basis. It is important that all people in the community feel as though their voices are being heard.”
Mariana Montero, MBA
CEO/Founder – Golden Change Inc.
“Community engagement is foundational to creating healthy communities and leveraging community assets for the betterment of society. Each one reaches and touches one with love and caring to eradicate COVID-19 through vaccinations and proven prevention strategies.”
Kieta Mutepfa
Community Liaison
“Community engagement is an imperative essential to addressing the immediate, current, and long-term traumatic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically with Black and Brown people. The U.S. has a history of ignoring, pacifying then forgetting Black and Brown people. Our communities will no longer be forgotten.”
Michelle Nelson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Specialist in Minimally Invasive Surgery, The Surgeons Group of Baton Rouge
“Community engagement is important as we work to improve the disparities COVID-19 has exposed, one community at a time. We are in this together to come back stronger and better than before.”
Debbra Thompson Pogue, PhD(c) APRN ACNS-BC
Congregational & Parish Nurse, The King’s Children Fellowship
“By serving as a conduit of information between the medical and faith-based communities, we can continue the development of resilient, well-informed, and engaged healthcare consumers. It is important to nurture the relationships that connect trusted medical professionals with the faith-based community and thereby help them achieve and maintain optimal health. Knowledge is a powerful tool, especially when everyone has equal access to such information.”
Natalie Reine, Minister
Youth Overseer and Event Coordinator, Faith Full Gospel Baptist Church, NOLA
“Community engagement has been an effective measure to bridge the gap between disadvantaged pockets of people and crucial Covid 19 information, vaccines, education, and positive dialogue.” “Community engagement is love in action that must continue for everyone to come out on top.”