Gov. Tony Evers today announced 33 appointments to the Governor’s Health Equity Council. The purpose of the council is to address the various factors that exacerbate health disparities by creating a comprehensive plan to achieve long-lasting and equitable health outcomes for all Wisconsinites.
“Ensuring that all Wisconsinites have access to quality healthcare has been and will continue to be one of my administration’s top priorities,” said Gov. Evers. “I have no doubt that the members of this council will be effective in delivering actionable solutions to help Wisconsin become an equitable place to live for all individuals.”
In a 2016 report published by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, the state of Wisconsin was given an overall health disparities grade of “D.”
“We didn’t need the COVID-19 pandemic to tell us that your health is closely linked to your zip code, race, and other socioeconomic factors,” said Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “Through this robust public-private collaboration we can target the social determinants of health that drive these health disparities and make real progress towards ensuring that every Wisconsinite has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.”
Serving on the Health Equity Council will be:
- Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes
- DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm
- Michelle Robinson, Research, Evaluation, & Program Integrity Advisor, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF)
- Gina Green-Harris, Director of Center for Community Engagement and Health Partnerships, UW School of Medicine and Public Health
- Paula Tran Inzeo, Group Director, UW Population Health Institute, Mobilizing Action Toward Community Health
- Lilliann Paine, Chief of Staff, Milwaukee City Health Department
- Micaela Berry-Smith, Executive Director, Harambee Village
- Tia Murray, Owner, Co-Founder, and President, Harambee Village
- Jasmine Zapata, Assistant Professor, UW School of Medicine and Public Health
- Maria Barker, Director of Latinx Programs and Initiatives, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin
- Janel Hines, Senior Director of Grant Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Greater Milwaukee Foundation
- Lisa Peyton-Caire, Founder and President, The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness
- Andrea Werner, Senior Vice President, Bellin Health Hospital Center
- Ellen Sexton, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Wisconsin
- William Parke-Sutherland, Health Policy Engagement Coordinator, Kids Forward
- Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, UW Health
- Sandra Brekke, Senior Consultant, Office of Population Health, Gundersen Health System
- Tito Izard, President and CEO, Milwaukee Health Services, Inc.
- Jerry Waukau, Tribal Health Director, Menominee Nation
- Guy (Anahkwet) Reiter, Executive Director, Menikanaehkem, Inc.
- Mary Thao, Marshfield Clinic
- Sarah Ferber, Associate Director, Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing
- Amy DeLong, Family Physician and Medical Director, Ho-Chunk Nation
- Wanda Montgomery, Community Partnerships Director, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
- Stacy Clark, Intersectionality Among Men Program Coordinator, Diverse & Resilient
- Elizabeth Valitchka, Strategic Advisor, DCF
- Joya Headley, Public Health Student, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Cristal Tinajero Rodríguez, Student, Milwaukee Area Technical College
- Gale Johnson, Director of Wisconsin Well Woman Program, DHS
- Isaak Mohamed, Somali Liaison & Community Health Worker, Barron County
- Diane Erickson, Clinic Administrator, Red Cliff Community Health Center
- Patricia Metropulos, President and CEO, Kathy’s House
- Julie Mitchell, Commercial Medical Director, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin
The first meeting for the Governor’s Health Equity Council is scheduled for September 30.
Executive Order #17 is available here.