Catalyzing community momentum for
place-based change
Staff
A diverse, cross-disciplinary team, Partnership for the Public's Health staff offer a wide range of personal and professional expertise, combining multi-level, systems thinking with hands-on community experience.
Maria Casey
Executive Director
Program Director, Healthy Eating, Active communities
Maria Campbell Casey is the Executive Director of Partnership for the Public's Health and directs PPH’s support for the California Convergence. She served as Director of the Healthy Eating, Active Communities (HEAC) demonstration project, a program of the California Endowment in partnership with Kaiser Permanente, and othe Partnership for the Public's Health initiative. Before joining the Public Health Institute in 1999, Ms. Casey was President and CEO of the Oakland based Urban Strategies Council, a research, policy development and advocacy organization focused on reducing persistent poverty. While at the Council, she also directed the National Community Building Support Center. She brings over 35 years of experience working with local community residents and diverse partners in education, government, business, community organizations, public health, the faith arena and philanthropy to build healthy vibrant communities and improve outcomes for our most vulnerable children and families. She is a graduate of Morgan State University, and Harvard University where she received Masters Degrees in French and Education.
Phone: (510) 302-3319 Email: mcasey@partnershipph.org
Jeni Miller, PhD
Associate Director for Organizational Development and Communications
As Associate Direct for Communications and Organizational Development for Partnership for the Public's Health, Jeni Miller oversees communications and publications for all PPH projects and efforts, and co-manages strategic planning and program implementation for the organization. Her work centers on addressing the social determinants of health and fostering robust community well-being, at the juncture of health, equity, and environmental sustainability. She is co-editor of the first published textbook for U.S. based community health workers, Foundations for Community Health Workers (Jossey Bass 2009), and has produced toolkits to comprehensively address children's asthma care, and to improve food and physical activity environments. She is a graduate of St. John's College, and received her doctorate from the UC Berkeley Department of Rhetoric, where her research studied culture and communication in complex socio-technical systems.
Phone: (510) 302-3326 Email: jmiller@partnershipph.org
Robin Dean
Program Manager for Resource Development and Training
As the Technical Assistance Coordinator for the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program, Robin Dean provides training, technical assistance, and other resources to this California Endowment-funded project to improve food and physical activity environments in eight Central Valley counties. Robin holds a Master's in Public Health with an emphasis on nutrition from the University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health. While volunteering with the Contra Costa County Health Services Department Healthy Neighborhoods Project, she developed a media advocacy plan for a community-proposed alcohol outlet ordinance, and authored Issue 16: Moving from Head to Heart: Using Media Advocacy to Talk about Affordable Housing (Berkeley Media Studies Group). Robin has more than 25 years of experience in monitoring, managing, coordinating training for, and evaluating social services programs for the Corporation for National and Community Service, Peace Corps, the American Institutes for Research, and Juárez and Associates, among other organizations.
Phone: (510) 302-3371 Email: rdean@partnershipph.org
Lisa Hershey, MPH
Associate Director, California Convergence
As Associate Director for PPH’s support of the California Convergence, Lisa Hershey plans and manages the day-to-day operations of the California Convergence. Prior to Lisa's current position with the Public Health Institute, Lisa served as the Chief for the Coordinating Office for Obesity Prevention (CO-OP) in the California Department of Public Health. In this role, Lisa coordinated the department-wide obesity prevention policy efforts, coordinated external stakeholders wanting to collaborate for obesity prevention, and was the primary advisor to the Director's Office on obesity prevention issues and emerging policy, environmental change and health equity initiatives. She also managed the CO-OP staff of administrative and program personnel. Lisa held leadership positions at the state and local level; served on state and national committees and boards, and presented at state and national meetings. Lisa received a Masters in Public Health in Health Promotion and Education from Loma Linda University School of Public Health, with a minor in worksite wellness.
Phone: (510) 302-3327 Email: lhershey@partnershipph.org
Merry Selk
Communications Specialist
Merry Selk works collaboratively with PPH staff to communicate the resources and opportunities for communities to reshape the food and physical activity environment. She participates in strategic communications planning, and the development and dissemination of interesting information on the web and in print. Inspired by the prospect of communities collaborating to change the landscape for health, she links resources to a wide variety of audiences. As a consultant with Selk Communications, she previously consulted with a wide variety of healthcare clients and nonprofit organizations. Merry developed the first Media Alliance Media Training for Community Groups program. She is a graduate of Barnard College.
Phone: (510) 302-3362 Email: mselk@partnershipph.org
Kristania De Leon
Administrative Assistant
As an Administrative Assistant to Partnership for the Public’s Health, Kristania De Leon provides administrative support to PPH members and staff. Prior to joining PPH, Kristania worked with local and international organizations on projects to promote and support diversity initiatives within school communities. She has worked with Aspire Public Schools and Village Counseling and Assessment Center, supporting multidisciplinary teams dedicated to serving our local communities. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of British Columbia.
Phone: (510) 302-3349 Email: krdeleon@partnershipph.org
