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Role & History of CHWs
In this module, participants will learn about the history of the Community Health Worker (CHW) in Nebraska, across the United States, and worldwide.
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What's Included
Meet the Subject Matter Expert
Alissa Rankin
Alissa is a Program Specialist for the Center for Public Health Initiatives at the Wichita State University’s Community Engagement Institute. She works on the statewide Community Health Worker workforce initiatives and systems development. Previously, Alissa worked at the Sedgwick County Health Department, managing several programs, including the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and the Oral Health Education Program. Over her 17 years in public health, Alissa has been employed by the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. She’s also volunteered for the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Due to her time while studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador, in 2003, she has developed a deep passion for disparate populations and addressing health inequities. Alissa earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2004 from Southwestern College in Winfield, KS, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO, in 2006.
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Meet the Subject Matter Expert
Kelly Salamanca
Kelly Salamanca is a Community Health Worker for CHI Health Partners, and supervises a team of Community Health Advocates (CHA), who provide support to over 20 primary care clinics in the Omaha Metro area. The CHAs address social needs to improve health outcomes, and are an integrated part of the health care team.
Kelly is a member of the Nebraska Community Health Worker / Promotoras Collaborative with the Department of Health Human Services, which provides leadership in the area of CHW workforce awareness, development, and training.
Kelly is a Colorado native with a strong background in child welfare. She graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with her bachelors in sociology and a double emphasis in Family Studies and Social Issues. Kelly transitioned into healthcare after moving to Nebraska eight years ago, when she was the first CHW to pilot a hospital discharge program that included home visitation for high-risk patients.
Kelly enjoys mentoring and supporting CHWs in the field and advocating for increased awareness and professional recognition of their impact across the state
Kelly is a member of the Nebraska Community Health Worker / Promotoras Collaborative with the Department of Health Human Services, which provides leadership in the area of CHW workforce awareness, development, and training.
Kelly is a Colorado native with a strong background in child welfare. She graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with her bachelors in sociology and a double emphasis in Family Studies and Social Issues. Kelly transitioned into healthcare after moving to Nebraska eight years ago, when she was the first CHW to pilot a hospital discharge program that included home visitation for high-risk patients.
Kelly enjoys mentoring and supporting CHWs in the field and advocating for increased awareness and professional recognition of their impact across the state
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Meet the Subject Matter Expert
Johanna Pesante-Daniel
Johanna Pesante-Daniel is the Health Equity Coordinator for Public Health Solutions Health Department. Her role is to assist in the development and implementation of health equity initiatives. She leads a team approach to address local community efforts to reduce health disparities in the PHS district and coordinates health equity activities and education for staff and other organizations. She graduated in 1996 from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts with majors in Marketing and Human Resources Management.
Johanna is part of the Nebraska Community Health Worker/Promotora (CHW/P) Collaborative at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of the CHW/P Collaborative is to provide leadership in CHW workforce development activities in Nebraska. Johanna served on the CHW Advisory Committee for the CHWConnect@UNMC (University of Nebraska Medical Center) training project.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Johanna is fluent in English and Spanish. She holds a certificate as a Health Literacy Specialist from the Institute for Healthcare Advancement. In addition, she is certified as an Online Medical/Community Interpreter by the Blue Horizon Interpreter Training Center. Johanna recently successfully completed the Culture Intelligence Facilitator Trainer Program and Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Unconscious Bias Train the Trainer Program from the Cultural Intelligence Center. Johanna was the recipient of the Health Equity Champion Award at the 2023 Public Health Association of Nebraska (PHAN) Conference.
Johanna is part of the Nebraska Community Health Worker/Promotora (CHW/P) Collaborative at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of the CHW/P Collaborative is to provide leadership in CHW workforce development activities in Nebraska. Johanna served on the CHW Advisory Committee for the CHWConnect@UNMC (University of Nebraska Medical Center) training project.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Johanna is fluent in English and Spanish. She holds a certificate as a Health Literacy Specialist from the Institute for Healthcare Advancement. In addition, she is certified as an Online Medical/Community Interpreter by the Blue Horizon Interpreter Training Center. Johanna recently successfully completed the Culture Intelligence Facilitator Trainer Program and Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Unconscious Bias Train the Trainer Program from the Cultural Intelligence Center. Johanna was the recipient of the Health Equity Champion Award at the 2023 Public Health Association of Nebraska (PHAN) Conference.
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