Margie has been Health & Medicine’s Executive Director since 1993. Prior to taking the position, she was a Health & Medicine board member and served as the organization’s vice president. While maintaining overall responsibility of all of Health & Medicine’s activities, her specific policy expertise is in public health systems development, public health workforce, women’s health, and health care safety net. Prior to joining Health & Medicine, Margie, who holds a Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of Illinois and a Bachelor's Degree from Washington University in St. Louis, served for eight years as the Director of the Women’s Health Resource Center at Illinois Masonic Medical Center, the nation’s first hospital-based comprehensive primary care center for women. She is passionate about creating a just and equitable health system that will improve the health of the public; speaks nationally and locally on a variety of health systems and health advocacy issues; and has published articles on women’s health, health care safety net, health system reform, and public health policy. Margie is adjunct faculty at the Northwestern University Program in Public Health. She currently sits on several boards and committees, including the Advisory Committee to the Northwestern University Program in Public Health, the Community Advisory Committee to the UIC School of Public Health, President Preckwinkle’s Health Equity Fund Taskforce, the Advisory board to the All of Us Research Program at the Feinberg School of Medicine, and the Advisory Committee to the UIC Center for Healthy Work. In her free time, Margie can be found reading, cooking, walking, and visiting with friends and family—many of these at the same time.

Gita joined Health & Medicine in January 2022 as Deputy Director. She is responsible for the oversight of day-to-day operations, working with program directors and staff to ensure alignment with our mission and vision. In addition, she will manage implementation of a new strategic plan and closely support the Executive Director. Gita began her professional career as a K-12 classroom teacher and later as a public health professional, she continued to work with school districts and nonprofit organizations interested in policy changes to support health equity and lifelong health for students. Just before joining Health & Medicine, Gita was the Acting Director of the Community-Oriented Public Health Practice program at the University of Washington in Seattle where she also taught courses on the social determinants of health, community health assessment, and participatory evaluation. She is passionate about building equitable community partnerships and views a strong anti-racist organizational culture as essential to this work. Originally from Illinois, Gita earned a B.A. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Northwestern University, a M.Ed. from DePaul University, and MPH from the University of Washington. Outside of work, you can find Gita in the kitchen, yoga studio, forest preserve, or vying for the attention of aloof cats everywhere.

Leandra joined Health & Medicine in June 2021 and works cross-programmatically to ensure smooth running of the office across all areas, working closely with the Director of Finance & Operations and Director of Development & Communications. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Policy from Northwestern University and has worked with a variety of nonprofits, including UNSILENCE, Taproot Foundation, and Rainbows for All Children. As a former barista, she is passionate about combining her customer service and administrative, development, and communications experiences to build community and promote social justice. Outside of Health & Medicine, she loves exploring Chicago’s vegetarian restaurants, coffee shops, and concert venues and can usually be found reading, spending time by the lake, and playing music.

Anaga joined Health & Medicine in May 2022 to focus on three aspects of external communications: social media, press outreach, and marketing. She was most recently an editor at MDRC, a social policy research organization based in New York where Anaga lived until August 2019. She has worked at a range of nonprofits including the United Nations Development Programme, the Coalition for the International Criminal Court, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and Ms. Magazine. Anaga received her B.A. in Philosophy from Barnard College and did work towards her M.A. in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two kids (one soon off to college at the University of Chicago), and her dog. She loves to travel, play tennis, and paddleboard!

Karol joined Health & Medicine in June 2022, driven by a passion to nurture a community service orientation among evolving health and human service professionals. Her career journey thus far has been focused in higher education as an educator and academic administrator at mission-centered liberal arts institutions focused on preparing non-traditional students for their lives and careers. In these positions, she has focused on ensuring the quality of teaching and learning for students and for faculty, while contributing to organizational change and resiliency. Karol’s scholarly and professional focus is on reducing violence, supporting women, and building leadership. She is committed to the expansion of equity, inclusion, and social justice. She earned her Ph.D. and master's degrees in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her bachelor's degree from Boston University. As she gets to know Chicago, Karol is learning about philanthropy as a member of the West Suburban Giving Circle of the Chicago Foundation for Women, while she dreams of travelling, reads, and enjoys great meals with family and friends.

Mayra joined Health & Medicine in February of 2022 as Policy Analyst for the Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative. As Policy Analyst, Mayra will play a critical role in supporting institutions across Illinois in integrating trauma-informed and healing-centered frameworks into their policies and practices. She holds master’s degrees in public health and social work from the University of Illinois at Chicago, with concentrations in Community Health Sciences and Mental Health, and a bachelor’s degree in Latina/Latino Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to beginning her position at Health & Medicine, Mayra worked on numerous public health projects in various settings, including Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Department of Public Health, and the UIC Collaboratory for Health Justice. Mayra has a strong passion for health justice work in BIPOC communities, with special expertise in the Latinx community, and advocating for the integration of anti-racist, health equity frameworks in public health policy. Aside from her role at Health & Medicine, Mayra supports the work of Telpochcalli Community Education Project (Tcep), a Latinx-serving community-based organization in Little Village, Chicago, where she began as an intern and largely credits for sparking her interest in addressing health inequities through policy work. In addition to being a public health nerd, Mayra is a Latin dancer, gym goer, true crime documentary lover, and fur mom to her dog, Maddie.

Brigitte joined Health & Medicine in July 2021 because of her passion for public policy and equitable public health practices. She holds a Master’s in Public Health with concentrations in Health Management and Public Policy from Saint Louis University and a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Promotion from Illinois State University. Previously, Brigitte has worked with a variety of public health and healthcare organizations on COVID-19 related emergency interventions and communications. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with animal rescues, reading, and hiking with her dog.

Ann, who joined Health & Medicine in December 2010, holds a Bachelors Degree in English from The University of Georgia. Prior to Health & Medicine, Ann worked for several years at a non-profit animal shelter in Colorado. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her daughters.

Angela joined Health & Medicine in 2020, and her work as Workforce Policy Analyst supports Health & Medicine's longstanding commitment to advancing the community health worker workforce in Illinois. In 2019, she earned a master’s degree in Anthropology and Community and Economic Development from Illinois State University and completed a professional practice fellowship focused on anti-hunger and workforce development policy advocacy. Additional prior experience includes coordinating former First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move! Outside” initiative in Omaha, Nebraska and conducting medical anthropology research studies on mosquito-borne illnesses in Mexico. Angela is motivated by the power of community engagement to identify the intersections of social, cultural, and economic well-being and to push the needle forward on health equity. In her free time, Angela enjoys exploring Chicago and learning its history, reading mystery/thriller novels, and spending time with friends and family.

Wesley's work focuses on advancing health equity and public health, health reform and health safety net, and aging equity across the life course. As Policy Director, he leads development of and tracking of Health & Medicine’s annual policy agenda. Wesley advocates for equitable policies across structural inequities, making a public health argument for justice in social determinants such as housing. Wesley contributes to public health and broader planning efforts, including the Healthy Chicago 2.0 and Healthy Chicago 2025 plans, the OnTo 2050 Regional Plan, and the We Will Chicago citywide plan. At Health & Medicine, Wesley helped develop and leads planning for the Chicago Forum for Justice in Health Policy. He is also on the steering committee for the Collaborative for Health Equity Cook County. Wesley earned a Master of Public Health degree in Community Health Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health (SPH) and a BA in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2016, Wesley was selected for the inaugural cohort of the Culture of Health Leaders, a national leadership program supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to create collaborative solutions that address health inequities and move communities and organizations toward a Culture of Health. During the program, he co-developed and piloted the Organizing Health institute to train people in health organizing. Outside of his work at Health & Medicine, Wesley is a co-founder of Radical Public Health, a group at the UIC SPH that moves the public health field to focus on root causes of health inequities. In his spare time, Wesley enjoys gardening and cooking, reading, and travel.

Bridget Gavaghan leads the Illinois ACEs Response Collaborative, a cross-sector movement to prevent trauma and promote thriving across the lifespan while placing childhood adversity at the forefront of the equity agenda in Illinois. Prior to joining Health & Medicine, Bridget led a national initiative to build stronger support for human services through evidence-based communications strategies. Previously, Bridget was director of Prevent Child Abuse America’s public policy program and a member of the public policy team at United Way of America. Bridget graduated from the College of William and Mary, where she studied history and classical singing. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two cats. Bridget still enjoys singing, and always tries to make time for runs on the lakeshore path, annual hiking trips to national parks, and long walk-and-talks with her friends.

Mia Hayford joined Health & Medicine in October 2022. Before her time at Health & Medicine, she worked for two years as a contract tracer for the Boston area. She also worked as a Policy Fellow at the Chicago Jobs Council. Mia is passionate about eliminating health disparities as a way to advance social justice through anti-oppression policy change that centers community advancement and focuses on improving social determinants of health. She earned her BS in Health: Science, Society, & Policy and Biology from Brandeis University. Outside of work, Mia enjoys reading, dancing, photography, and spending time with her friends and family.

Marissa graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and minor in childhood studies from Case Western Reserve University in 2019. After receiving her degree, she worked at Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation to promote health through housing repairs. That experience sparked her interest in public policy and encouraged her to pursue a master's degree in public policy. She is currently enrolled in the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, where she is in the second and final year of her graduate studies and has the opportunity to learn about the health care system in the United States. As a natural progression of her interests and career development in health equit, this internship will help to expand her knowledge of social determinants of health and how these determinants are integral in understanding racial inequalities and injustice throughout our communities.

Alizandra joined Health & Medicine in October of 2022. As the Health and Aging Organizer, her work focuses on engaging with community partners to identify key issues on aging for the strategic plan on aging in Illinois. Previously, she worked with community members and leaders to help bridge the gap of access to quality health care and resources for older adults. This work inspired her interest in the issues and brought her to Health & Medicine to continue her work in aging related issues. Outside of work, Alizandra enjoys reading, writing, traveling, and outings with her husband and two daughters.

Norma joined Health & Medicine in January 2023 and works closely with the Schweitzer Fellowship Program Director and Program Coordinator. A first-generation Assyrian-American graduate student who began her professional career as a health administrator, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Health and Wellness and is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health from Northeastern Illinois University. Her passion for public health, health care advocacy, and social justice have led her to work closely with organizations that aim to reduce violence against women. Norma was born and raised in Rogers Park and has always had a passion for working to better her community. She sees her career positively impacting the lives of individuals and groups in many communities, including creating better systems for quality patient care and advocating for patients across the Chicagoland area. Outside of work and school, you can find Norma trying new neighborhood restaurants with her friends, going to music concerts, jumping rope, reading, or spending time with her 2-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Denesha joined Health & Medicine in 2023 and supports the Development & Communications team. She began her professional career as a Public Heath Technician in the United States Air Force and worked to become the Community Health Clinic Manager were she supported the health needs of military members and veterans. She is currently pursuing a Master in Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a focus in Health Policy and Administration.

Shannon joined Health & Medicine in 2020, and supports the organization through her work developing and executing an annual fund development strategy that grows and maximizes revenue and incorporates external communications into all aspects of the fundraising plan. She also provides support for Health & Medicine’s many events, including the Annual HMPRG Awards Gala, Black Men in White Coats Summit, and the Health & Medicine Forum for Justice in Health Policy series. Shannon holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Randolph College, a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Hollins University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis. She also earned a certificate in nonprofit resource development from The Kellogg Center for Nonprofit Management. Prior experience includes work as director of development at a Chicago nonprofit supporting refugees and asylum-seekers and work in higher education marketing and communications. In her spare time, she likes to spend time outdoors with her family.

Anson joined Health & Medicine's Center for Public Health Equity in February 2023. She is endlessly passionate about prioritizing care and community for all people. Her background in psychology and economics stems from a persistent interest in how people make choices and how their environments shape those choices. She holds an MSc in Behavioural Science from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a BA in Cognitive Sciences and Economics from Rice University. She is also a Fellow For Life with the Houston-Galveston Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. Outside of work, she spends her time reading, writing, watching TV, crocheting, taking concert photos, and catering to her corgi Cornelia’s every whim. Anson also helps to run communityutility.org, a Chicago-based utility bill mutual aid effort.

Sara joined Health & Medicine in 2022 to coordinate Chicago AHEC initiatives. AHEC programming seeks to recruit and retain a more diverse health workforce. Sara has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago in public policy with a specialization in public health. Prior to joining Health & Medicine, she completed a global health fellowship with UNICEF. In her free time, Sara enjoys biking around Chicago, cooking with friends, and spending time by the lake.

Anna joined Health and Medicine in January 2023 and is responsible for overseeing efforts related to building a sustainable, equitable public health workforce, including managing the Good Jobs Chicago grant and various Community Health Worker initiatives. Anna works with local public health employers and training providers to assure that employers have access to the workers they need to best serve their communities, and that these positions provide the conditions and benefits workers need to thrive. Anna’s interests are at the intersection of health, work, and community, and how work can be used as a tool to build healthy communities and promote health equity. She began as a youth activist focusing on community engagement and organizing and furthered her passion for public health and social justice while earning her B.S. in Public Health from Brandeis University and her M.P.H. and M.B.A. from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). While earning her master’s degrees, Anna worked as a researcher for the UIC Center for Healthy Work and taught academic writing to other students. After graduating, Anna joined the Lake County Health Department (LCHD) where she oversaw the development, implementation, and evaluation of the agency’s internal strategic plan and Community Health Improvement Plan. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Anna also served as the Chief Community Mitigation Officer for Lake County’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) and developed and launched LCHD’s first Community Health Worker program. In addition to her professional role, Anna also serves as a facilitator for Radical Public Health and helped create its flagship course, Epidemics of Injustice. In her spare time, Anna enjoys hiking, cooking, and exploring new neighborhoods in Chicago and beyond.