Nominees for Board Members
Teresa Chapa, PhD, MPA
| Education: | Harvard School of Gov’t, Mass MPA Public Administration CSPP Berkeley, CA MA and Ph.D. Clinical Psychology SF State University, CA BA Psychology Santa Rosa College, CA Nursing Diploma |
| Current Employment: | HHS Office of Minority Health—-Teresa Chapa, PhD, MPA, serves as the Senior Policy Advisor for Mental Health at the Office of Minority Health (OMH). She leads several key strategic priority areas of her office including addressing the state of minority behavioral healthcare, eliminating health disparities, primary and behavioral healthcare integration, and building the minority behavioral health pipeline.Previously, Dr. Chapa served in an IPA to the Mental Health America (MHA) National Office, where she developed an organizational focus on eliminating mental health disparities. She has also served as OMH Director for Data and Policy; Chief of Extramural Research for the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health; and as Special Expert in cultural and linguistic competence and mental health disparities for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Prior to joining HHS, Dr. Chapa co-led a multi-site Latino social service agency in the Minnesota Twin Cities Chapa was recently selected as 1 of 15 American Psychological Association Minority leaders. In 2011, Chapa received the APHA Helen Trias-Rodriguez Social Justice Award, an HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health special recognition for her work in Minority Behavioral Health and a National Award of Excellence in Public Service from the National Hispanic Science Network. Other awards include a Congressional Award of Special Recognition for helping design a school-based Latina youth suicide prevention project and a Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service for her role in developing the US Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health: Culture, Race and Ethnicity. |
| Professional Organization(s): | American Psychological Association |
| Past Offices Held: | HHS HEO President in 2003 NIH HEO President in 2002 HEO member since 2001 |
| Goals and Objectives to Accomplish if Elected: | If elected as a representative for ‘Board Member at Large’, my goal would be to work together with HEO board members, general membership and future members to build a more contemporary, transparent and respected HEO! During my tenure as president, HHS-HEO was a vibrant and active organization—that included ACTIVE members from across HHS operating divisions. For the first time in many years, I see that same level of esprit de corps reemerging among Latinos in HHS. I would be honored the help usher-in the new direction!I also hope that we might take a close look at our roles, operations, etc…and look to add new layers and dimentions that will make HEO more functional. I also look forward helping reestablish the HEO as the trusted organization—the voice —the advocate. |
Ledia I. Martinez
| Education: | BA MD MPH |
| Current Employment: | OASH OWH Regional Women’s Health Liaison |
| Goals and Objectives to Accomplish if Elected: | Increase the number of HEO members Increase the recruitment of qualified Hispanic accross a wide variety of position within HHS Improve the employment conditions among Hispanics in the workplace |
Moraima J. Ramos Valle
| Education: | Biotechnology, Master in Science-University of Maryland University Collage Industrial Microbiology, Bachelor in Science -University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus |
| Current Employment: | 2006-present-Consumer Safety Officer-Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Office of Food Additive Safety, Division of Biotechnology and GRAS Notice Review.2002-2006-Microbiologist- |
| Professional Organization(s): | CFSAN Society of Hispanic Professionals (SHIP)- Chair Person (2013) |
| Goals and Objectives to Accomplish if Elected: | My goal is to learn more about the needs of the Hispanic Population and utilize my knowledge and experience of more than ten years working at FDA to help HEO reach their goals. |
Gloria Sanchez-Contreras
| Education: | MA in Interactive Journalism, American University BA in Radio, TV and Motion Pictures and Minor in French, University of Chapel Hill, NC Ciencias de la Comunicación, UNAM, México |
| Current Employment: | International and Bilingual Public Affairs Specialists, FDA, HHS |
| Professional Organization(s): | HOLA FDA HHS-HEO National Association of Hispanic Journalists Binational Health Week Committee, D.C. Mexican Consulate |
| Past Offices Held: | Chair, Hispanic/Latino Health Advisory Committee (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services) Secretary, AMEXCAN – Asociación de Mexicanos en Carolina del Norte Chair, North Carolina Latina Women’s Health Committee Appointee, North Carolina Youth Advisory Council Board member, Student Action with Farmworkers Member at Large, Mexican Council of the Carolinas (North Carolina and South Carolina) Board member, Executive Services Corps of the Triangle |
| Goals and Objectives to Accomplish if Elected: | Latinos in the federal workforce are underrepresented and lack opportunities for career advancement. In the other hand, Latinos face big health disparities in comparison to general population and there is a lot of room for improvement. If elected as a member at large, I would like to advocate and work to bring more opportunities for recruitment and advancement of Latinos in all the operating divisions of the Department of Health and Human Services. At the same time, I would like to work to improve the Department services for the Latino population and provide a voice that represents Latinos in HHS. |