The African American Health Coalition is a community-based nonprofit in Houston, Texas. The Coalition promotes healthy lifestyles and healthy communities for people of African American descent but welcomes members, partners and support from all races and ethnic backgrounds. Our members are skilled in the area of community health education and advocacy. The Coalition is available to host and organize training seminars for health professionals, community health workers and the general public.

Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF) believes ALL Texans deserve to live a healthy life, especially those with the least resources and those who face the most obstacles to health.

Working across 80 counties, including Harris County, EHF has changed the conversation to reshape the debate around health care to focus on addressing non-medical drivers of health: factors and conditions outside the health care system that significantly influence a person’s overall health.

The Foundation believes that whole-person well-being requires addressing these non-medical factors across three key action areas - accessible health and health care services, healthy communities, and health policies.

By providing millions of dollars in grants, working with community partners and congregations, and providing important research, EHF promotes equity by supporting solutions that address the underlying causes of poor health in Texas. #HealthNotJustHealthCare 

As the largest provider in Texas, The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) strives to provide high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective services so that persons with behavioral health and developmental needs may live with dignity as fully functioning, participating, and contributing members of our community. We do not deny services based on a patient’s inability to pay for any reason, including race, color, sex, national origin, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

With support from local, state and federal levels, The Harris Center provides high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective services so that persons with behavioral health needs may live with dignity as fully functioning, participating, and contributing members of our community. Each year, we serve tens of thousands of Harris County’s most vulnerable populations with more than a million services in every corner of the County. Our strong community partnerships and support allow us to provide care and contribute to making Harris County a resilient community with a strong safety net.

Harris County Public Health (HCPH) provides comprehensive health services and programs to the community through approximately 700 public health professionals. Our mission is to protect health, prevent disease and injury, and promote health and well-being for everyone in Harris County by advancing equity, building partnerships, and establishing culturally responsive systems.

HCPH is dedicated to promoting and protecting the health of community members living in the County by not just providing direct services but also serving as the Public Health Strategist. This affirms our vision for Harris County, where all people can achieve their full potential for health and well-being regardless of their circumstances or condition. HCPH realizes this vision by helping community members prevent or manage chronic diseases, such as diabetes or tobacco addiction; providing clinical services - including reproductive health and immunizations; ensuring animal welfare and mosquito and vector control; responding to public health emergencies, such as natural disasters and infectious diseases, and developing programs that promote a safer environment and community, such as violence prevention, maternal and child health, and nuisance abatement.

Harris Health is the public healthcare safety-net provider serving the residents of Harris County, Texas. As an essential healthcare system, Harris Health champions better health for the entire community, with a focus on low-income uninsured and underinsured patients, through acute and primary care, wellness, disease management, population health and correctional healthcare services. Ben Taub Hospital (Level I Trauma Center) and Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital (Level III Trauma Center) anchor Harris Health’s robust network of 37 clinics, health centers, specialty locations and virtual (telemedicine) technology. Harris Health is a recognized leader for its trauma, cardiology, stroke, neonatology and community healthcare services, among others.

Established in 1982, the Houston Food Bank is the largest food bank, based on size and distribution, in the Feeding America Network. In collaboration with our 1,600+ community partners, we serve more than 1 million people in our 18-county service area. To help individuals and families achieve long-term stability, we address the root causes of poverty through nutrition education, assistance in securing state-funded benefits, strategic partnerships, and multi-level policy change.

The Houston Health Department (HHD) is a full-service health department that performs many enhanced functions to address health inequities.

HHD services benefit all Houston residents but takes additional steps to support those most in need, such as low-income mothers and children, the elderly, and minority populations.

The mission of the Houston Health Department is to work in partnership with the community to promote and protect the health and social well-being of Houstonians and the environment in which they live.

The Houston Health Department is accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board.

The Houston Recovery Initiative is an effort to work toward a recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC) for those who are affected by alcoholism and addiction. It creates opportunities to collaborate with agencies across Houston, working together to aid those in recovery.

This initiative is based on the recognition that addiction is a chronic health disorder, similar in many ways to other chronic health conditions such as diabetes or hypertension which are usually disorders of life-long duration. Achieving and maintaining recovery from alcoholism and addiction may also require occasional treatment for acute problems, but more importantly, it requires lifelong work to maintain health and wellness in all areas of life, including peer and family social support for recovery.

The Houston Recovery Initiative is one of many local recovery-oriented systems of care across Texas. A recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC) is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that is person-centered and builds on the strengths and resilience of individuals, families, and communities to achieve improved health, wellness, and quality of life for those with or at risk of alcohol and drug problems.

Living Hope Wheelchair Association's mission is to affirm dignity and enhance the quality of life for individuals with mobility disabilities and their families, particularly those affected by spinal cord injuries or diseases, including immigrants and refugees. The organization operates at the intersection of disability rights, health justice, and advocacy for vulnerable individuals and workers. By providing essential medical supplies, equipment, leadership development opportunities, and fostering an inclusive, respectful, and supportive community, Living Hope empowers individuals to thrive.

The Kinder Institute for Urban Research is an interdisciplinary research organization at Rice University in Houston. Under the leadership of Ruth N. López Turley, the institute’s vision is inclusive prosperity, where everyone has an opportunity to contribute to Houston’s success and share in its opportunities.

The institute focuses on the intersecting issues of housing, education, economic mobility, health and population research. Research initiatives are housed under five research centers.

The institute works in direct partnership with agencies and organizations that can use its research, data and policy analysis in meaningful ways to implement solutions to critical challenges facing the nation’s fifth-largest metro. Its research agenda is jointly developed with these partners.

Founded in 2010, the Kinder Institute was endowed with a $15 million gift from Houston philanthropists Richard and Nancy Kinder. Today, the institute receives its funding from grants, corporate sponsorships, individual donors and an endowment.

The Montrose Center empowers the community—primarily lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals and their families—to live healthier, more fulfilling lives by providing a wide range of services including counseling, case management, outreach, recovery support services and testing. The Center provides services to clients of all ages, and has programming specifically designed for Seniors and Youth.

The Center’s services are focused on providing competent and affirming care to the LGBTQ+ community through multiple means, including: counseling, case management and recovery services. 

Dr. Banerjee serves as the Bureau Chief for the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Research for Effectiveness (OPERE) at the Houston Health Department (HHD). She has more than 20 years of experience in the field of public health, in a variety of roles, both in public health practice and in academia. For the past 17 years, her special areas of interest are health equity, social determinants of health, underserved populations, quality of life, mental health, social networks, and social support, particularly in relation to assessment, measurement, data, and evidence-based intervention development in these areas.

Dr. Banerjee earned her doctorate from the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston in 2006. Her areas of specializations were Epidemiology, Behavioral Sciences and Health Policy during her doctoral studies. She holds a master’s degree in educational psychology, Statistics and Measurement. She has served and continues to serve on several local and national expert committees. 

Osvaldo Capmany is the Executive Director of Living Hope Wheelchair Association, with extensive experience in humanitarian services. He has held leadership roles at NACC Disaster Services and the American Red Cross, where he worked on national and international operations. Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Capmany's multicultural expertise has contributed to saving lives and supporting vulnerable communities worldwide.

Dr. Kristen M. Clancy, PharmD, MHA, has directed, worked, volunteered for, or consulted with non-profit organizations in public health and public safety for nearly 25 years. She holds a Doctorate of Pharmacy from Texas A&M Health Science Center and a Masters in Healthcare Administration from the University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley.

Throughout her career, Dr. Clancy has worked as a police dispatcher, emergency medical technician, health inspector, veterinary technician, pharmacist and pharmacy intern, research assistant and outspoken community advocate. Her well-rounded personal and professional life both complement the multi-faceted approach she takes to interdisciplinary data-sharing projects.  As a woman in long-term recovery, Dr. Clancy enjoys collaborating with individuals from all walks of life and strives to create mutually beneficial opportunities for others in recovery.

Through a partnership with the Houston Health Foundation, Dr. Clancy leads the Houston Recovery Initiative which is a ROSC-modeled coalition with 1,000+ members and 16 workgroups focusing on the many facets of Recovery Support Services.  Dr. Clancy’s interest focuses on collaborations between community-based organizations, health departments, and police/fire/EMS agencies, to identify overdose hotspots and target those areas for naloxone distribution and other prevention/outreach activities. Her current projects are funded by the CDC, ONDCP, NIH, JCOIN, the CDC Foundation, and private foundations in her hometown of Houston, Texas. 

Dr. Chelsea Coffield is a Smith College alumnae with an MD and MBA from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Carey Business School. Dr. Coffield is a Senior Public Health Analyst in the Office of Planning and Innovation at Harris County Public Health, and coordinator of the Community Health Assessment. Her areas of expertise include preventative care, health insurance and care access, maternal and child health, and adolescent psychiatry. A native Houstonian, she strives to improve her community through strategic planning and advancing health equity.

Esperanza “Hope” Galvan, PhD, MS, RN, CVRN-BC, CDCES, is the Vice President of Population Health Transformation at Harris Health, where she has served for over a decade in various leadership roles. In her current capacity, she successfully spearheaded the launch of the first cutting-edge, multi--sectoral clinic-based food prescription initiative for patients with food insecurity and diabetes in the region. She has oversight of Remote Patient Monitoring, Patient Centered Medical Home accreditation, Diabetes Self-management education staff for inpatient and outpatient, community health workers, nurse patient educators, and ambulatory clinic dietitians. As a board-certified cardiovascular nurse with over 25 years of experience, Hope holds extensive clinical experience in inpatient and outpatient nursing. She serves as a member of the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), CDC and NIH National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) Hispanic/Latino Stakeholder Group, Houston’s Health Equity Collective Steering Committee member, and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Dr. Galvan has been named twice in the Houston Chronicle’s Top 150 Nurses in Houston/Galveston and was the 2021 Outstanding PhD student at Texas Women’s University. She is certified as a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Jon Garcia completed his Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Master of Public Policy at the University of Houston, focusing on housing policy and urban planning. Before joining Public Health, Jon worked for two other county departments. At the then-Tax Assessor Collector and Voter Registrar’s Department, Jon contributed to the department’s GIS team; at the Community Services Department, he worked on the county’s My Home is Here: 10-year Housing Plan and Strategy, Strategic Plan, and various policy requests. Jon also has experience staffing elected officials in constituent services and policy capacities on the state legislative and Congressional levels. He now assists with HCPH strategy, including the development of the CHIP.

Jometra Hawkins-Sneed is often called a “community health translator” with life experience as a person who lives with Lupus. Jometra has served as a bridge between communities and policymakers, uncovering and communicating the needs of residents in underserved communities while advocating for policies that will help lift their socioeconomic status. She currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of her health and racial equity consulting firm, Equity Bridge LLC ™, where she works with nonprofits, government agencies, healthcare systems, educational institutions and communities to build strategic plans that invest in the betterment of the community through equitable and healthy solutions. Prior to her business venture, Jometra attended Texas Southern University, where she studied Education. She has overseen key public health initiatives in Houston and surrounding areas and currently serves as the Executive Director/ Co-Chair of the African American Health Coalition. She is also a former co-chair of the Acres Homes Health Action team, which was created as part of the City of Houston’s Complete Communities Initiative. She currently serves as Assistant Presiding Officer and a Board Member for the Texas Department of State Health Services, Community Health Workers Advisory Committee. She holds the official titles of Community Health Worker, Board Co-Chair, Community Leader and now Author.

Modesto is a 24-year-old committed to fostering unity and inclusivity for individuals with disabilities. Diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis at age 14, which resulted in a C3 incomplete spinal cord injury, he overcame immense challenges through determination and rehabilitation. He now serves with the Living Hope Wheelchair Association, focusing on communications and fundraising to support his community.

Thy T. Ho-Pham, MS, PMP serves on the Population Health platform at Harris Health as the Manager of Community Health and Wellness. Her primary role is to build strategic partnerships to address social drivers of health needs of Harris Health’s patients. Prior to her current role, she led the implementation of evidence-based health programs to support families with children carrying excess weight, adults with arthritis, and cancer survivors at the YMCA of Greater Houston. Most prominently, she headed the expansion of the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which received recognition from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Thy holds a Master of Science in Nutrition Sciences from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana.

Tanweer Kaleemullah is Episcopal Health Foundation’s Director of Policy and Research. Tanweer’s expertise and methods include public policy and advocacy, legal and policy research, cultivating strategic partnerships, and convening stakeholders to advance collective solutions. His work has focused on health policy and systems, in particular around addressing the non-medical drivers of health. His experiences also include the integration of physical and mental health, health access, and public health. Tanweer is also an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center and South Texas College of Law. Prior to his time at EHF, he worked for more than two decades in health care and public health at various health care systems, a county health department, and a nonprofit, and he is a former high school teacher.

He has earned his JD from South Texas College of Law, LLM in National Security from Georgetown University Law Center, MHA/MBA from University of Houston-Clear Lake, BS in chemistry at Midwestern State University, secondary teaching certificate from the University of Texas-Arlington, and is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

Jeanette Lastrape, M.P.H., is a community relations manager at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She oversees cancer prevention education programs for at-risk populations in the greater Houston area. Lastrape received a bachelor’s degree in health care administration from Texas Southern University and a master’s degree in public health from The University of Texas School of Public Health. She currently serves as the co-chair of the African American Health Coalition.

Kyle Leisher began his time with the Montrose Center as a Staff Therapist in the Anti-Violence Program in late 2013 working with LGBTQ+ survivors of violence and abuse, as well as conducting outreach to community organizations and participating in panels focused on increasing awareness of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and hate crimes within the LGBTQ+ community. Kyle later took on the role as the Center’s Compliance and Admissions Coordinator and later the Director of Social Services before becoming the Chief Behavioral Health Officer. Kyle has a passion for quality improvement and has overseen several projects and led initiatives at the center that have focused on improving the quality of care provided to clients across various clinical and non-clinical programs. Kyle makes it his personal goal to ensure that all clients at the center are treated in a dignified manner and can access the care they need to improve their quality of life.

Brandon Maddox has been serving as the Associate Director of the Office of Planning and Innovation (OPI) at Harris County Public Health (HCPH) since June 2022. Brandon joined the OPI team during its origination in June 2021 and has been with HCPH for over nine years.

Brandon is a native Houstonian who earned his Master of Science in Analytics from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Houston-Downtown.

During his time at HCPH, Brandon earned his Project Management Professional and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certifications and has been involved in numerous public health projects.

Daniel Potter, Ph.D., is the Director of the Houston Population Research Center at the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University. In his role, Dr. Potter has built and leads a full-service survey research team. The team has worked with local nonprofits, school districts, health agencies, and other community organizations to gather critically important data that articulates the needs of Houston-area residents while working with experts to help identify solutions. This work includes the Greater Houston Community Panel (GHCP), a longitudinal, panel study of more than 7,000 adult residents in Houston and Harris County, which uses quarterly surveys to examine topics like health and well-being, civic engagement and participation, safety and experiences with crime, social connectedness, and financial stability. One of the hallmarks of this work is the Kinder Houston Area Survey, which is entering its 44th year, making it the longest running survey study of any major metropolitan area in the country.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Potter was the Senior Director of Research at the Kinder Institute, where he grew the institute from one research center to five of them. In addition to the Houston Population Research Center, Dr. Potter established and directed the early development of the housing and neighborhoods, community and public health, and economic mobility and inequality research centers. Dr. Potter was previously the Associate Director for Regional Research at the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC), the education research center at the Kinder Institute. He grew the consortium from having a partnership with one school district to 11 Houston-area school districts that serve over 715,000 students.

Dr. Potter has authored journal articles, research reports/briefs, and book chapters. Dr. Potter earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Virginia.

Toral Shah is passionate about creating sustainable, positive change by serving others. As the Community Engagement Officer at the Houston Food Bank, she transforms community feedback into actionable strategies that ensure resources are aligned for impactful outcomes. With expertise in health, social determinants, and evidence-based engagement, she helps for-profit and nonprofit organizations understand their roles in systemic solutions that foster economic and community growth. Toral holds an MBA from the University of Houston and a degree in Nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin and is a Registered Dietitian.

Dr. Larissa Singletary is the Associate Director of the Office of Planning and Innovation (OPI) at Harris County Public Health (HCPH). Dr. Singletary joined HCPH in 2018 as an Epidemiologist and later served as Manager of the Clinical Quality Management Program in the Community Health and Wellness Division (CHW) for over four years. Before joining HCPH, Dr. Singletary worked in academia as a research scientist in microbiology and infectious disease for 11 years. Dr. Singletary holds a PhD from the University of Washington School of Medicine and a BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

Kim King-Tezino has worked for Harris County Public Health (HCPH) for over seven years. She currently serves as the Strategy and Planning Manager with the Office of Planning and Innovation (OPI). Through this role, she led a team responsible for creating agency-level and program-specific strategic plans and proposals rooted in data, equity, and sustainability. Kim previously served as the Assistant Outreach Manager at HCPH’s Office of Communication, Education, and Engagement (OCEE), where she oversaw a team of Community Health Workers dedicated to educating and connecting community members to HCPH services and public benefit programs. She is passionate about supporting public health programs to positively impact the community and continuous engagement with community members/partners to incorporate their voices in the decision-making process to improve community health. Kim earned her Bachelor of Arts in Medical Humanities from Baylor University.

Dr. Stanley Williams is the Director of Integrated Health at The Harris Center, where he directs four integrated primary health and behavioral health outpatient programs in partnership with the University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine. He also spearheaded the development of the Harris Center Integrated Behavioral Health Home in partnership with United Healthcare and Optum Health, as well as other managed care organizations focusing on health equity and underserved communities. He has a PhD in Psychology, a master’s degree in Counseling and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Healthcare Management. He is an American Psychological Association full member, is an alumni member of the SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions’ Addressing Health Disparities 8 month-Leadership program.

Dr. Williams was appointed by Texas Lt. Governor to serve on the Texas Peer Support Stakeholder Group that led to peers being certified in Texas. He is Co-Chair on the Mental Health Sub-committee for the 400-member, 140-organization Harris County Health Equity Collective. The Collective works on improving health disparities and health equity, along with the development of a Health Exchange. He worked in contract with the Carter Center in Georgia, where he was part of the faculty to create collaboratives and partnerships between Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Local Mental Health Centers, for 5 years he traveled to over 20 communities in Georgia to create integrated systems of care.

Dr. Williams has presented at the Texas Council, National Council, American Psychiatric Association, and a number of conferences on integrated health, Non-Medical Drivers of Health and systems of care. He has over 20 years of experiences in developing and working in community collaboratives and integrated health systems of care in Georgia, rural East Texas, and Houston. Dr. Williams served in the military as a behavioral health scientist, participated in mission trips to Haiti and with homeless populations related to integrated health and social determinants of health. 

Kristie Yit serves as the Community Engagement Supervisor at the Houston Food Bank. In this role, Kristie fosters community-driven connections and multisector partnerships to advocate for equitable change. She is a first-generation native Houstonian and is dedicated to honoring cultural diversity, facilitating impactful conversations and elevating community voices. Kristie is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in the state of Texas with a Master of Social Work from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sport Management from Rice University.