Meet Our Team

Above all else we are passionate about children. Steadfast in our belief that it is their right to achieve optimal health, we endeavor to help solve the toughest health challenges facing children and their families today, and for the future. Our team, improvement advisors and board of directors are tireless advocates, bringing their talent, skills and expertise to create transformative change in children’s health quality. Please refer to our contact information to get in touch with any of us by email, phone, or otherwise.

Scott Berns

Scott D. Berns, MD, MPH, FAAP

President and CEO

As President and CEO, I apply my extensive experience working to enhance the health of children and families across academic, clinical, nonprofit, and public health settings to catapult NICHQ to explore new opportunities and approaches to meeting its mission. Read his full bio >

 

Heidi Brooks

Heidi Brooks, MA, MBA

Chief Operating Officer

Helping people achieve economic mobility is the thread that runs through my career, and good health is critical. I am excited to apply all that I’ve learned in different sectors to helping NICHQ drive change to improve children’s health. Read her full bio >

Nicole C., MPH

Nicole Canchucaja, MPH

Analyst, Applied Research and Evaluation

I am grateful to join NICHQ, an organization whose mission closely resonates with my own and shares an unwavering commitment towards promoting health equity and sustainable progress for children and families. I'm particularly thrilled to join a team of passionate individuals who share my passion for making impactful contributions through research and evaluation initiatives. 

 

Danisha Charles

Danisha Charles, MPH

Project Manager

As a public health advocate and woman of color, being on the NICHQ team provides me the opportunity to contribute to their extraordinary efforts by addressing health disparities within vulnerable communities and populations. I’m excited to have an active role in benefiting children and their families through projects and initiatives that are targeted towards improving the quality of life and achieving health equity for the ones that are impacted the most.

Andrea J. Cunningham

Andrea Cunningham, PhD

Project Manager, Health Equity Innovation

Andrea J. Cunningham over has over 20 years of higher education and corporate experience. She most recently served as the Director of Title III Strengthening Grants Program, at Alabama A&M University (AAMU) where she ensured that all aspects of grants, funded by the Department of Education, comply with local, state, and federal regulations while also following university policies. The grants funded fifteen programs with a budget of approximately $12 million per year. The programs collectively addressed academic quality, fiscal stability, student services, and institutional management. These focus areas fell in line with the University’s strategic plan, mission, and vision.

Madeline D'Onfro

Madeline D'Onfro, MPH

Project Manager

 

I am excited and proud to join a team that’s dedicated to improving health outcomes for children and families. I am motivated by connection and community, and I am passionate about building a future where all children and families are able to thrive. I am looking forward to working alongside NICHQ staff and partners to make that future a reality. 

Domonique Davis

Domonique Davis

Manager, Communications and Digital Strategy

I am proud to utilize my communications skillset to help showcase the incredible work NICHQ does to make certain that children and families of all backgrounds have access to quality healthcare systems. As a Black woman and communications professional, I am passionate about amplifying the voices of those who belong to marginalized communities, and I am honored to lend my own voice and skills to support NICHQ’s vision to ensure every child achieves their optimal health.

Kelly Edwards

Kelly Edwards, MPH

Senior Project Manager

I am proud to be a part of the NICHQ team working to improve the health and well-being of children and families across the country. I love that I get to use my passion for positive childhood development to make sustainable, meaningful changes in healthcare.

Tatiana Egbuna

Tatiana Egbuna

Project Coordinator

NICHQ’s dedication to this field, its active role in improving health outcomes and promotion of justice for every child and family in a system that was not built for everyone is what inspires me every day. I am honored to collaborate with so many incredible individuals who are committed to advancing the mission of health equity. I am excited to bring my passion for public health, experience as a birth doula, background in advocacy and expertise in health and hospital law to the NICHQ team.

Ana Franklin

Ana Franklin

Development Manager

My personal background, youth mentoring experiences, and project work with vulnerable communities has led me to join the Development team at NICHQ. I strive to bring my passion, writing skills, and outreach capabilities to support this amazing team that strives for health equity and aims to support all children.

Lauren Friedman, PHD, MPH

Lauren Friedman, Ph.D, MPH

Senior Analyst, Applied Research and Evaluation

I’m proud to work for an organization that is focused on health equity and sustainable change for children and families. As an analyst, I am focused/passionate about using data and evidence-based methods to improve health outcomes.

Olivia Giordano Kean

Olivia Giordano Kean, MPH

Senior Project Manager

I’m thrilled to be a part of the NICHQ team and to work alongside colleagues who are passionate and committed to driving sustainable change in child and family health. I’m grateful for the opportunity to use my project management experience and background in public health to support NICHQ’s mission every day.  

Sharon Gutu, MPH

Sharon Gutu, MPH

Project Manager

I am happy to work with an organization whose mission of driving change to improve children’s health and vision that every child achieves optimal health aligns with my hope to one day live in a world where optimal health is not determined by race, ethnicity, geographic location, or socioeconomic status.

 

Kenn Harris

Kenn L. Harris

VP, Engagement and Community Partnerships

My motivation generates from the threat that injustice and inequity pose to anyone’s quality of life. My inspiration comes from working in environments of intelligent, compassionate, empathetic and committed individuals. And my dedication is to the health and well-being of women, children, fathers and families. Working at an organization like NICHQ provides me the opportunity to deliver equity and justice through the implementation of quality programs.

Amy Hu

Amy Hu, MBA

Senior Financial Analyst

Life is a journey of pursuing happiness. Quality health is part of a happy life. As an Accounting Analyst, I will apply my knowledge to produce quality work and support colleagues and teams to achieve their goals.

Rebecca Huber

Rebecca Huber, MPP

Senior Analyst

I am thrilled to contribute to NICHQ’s mission of improving social determinants of health for children and families. As an analyst, I am committed to advancing equity through evaluation research, using numbers and data to identify service gaps and inform practical two-generation solutions for vulnerable groups.

 

Meghan Johnson, MSc, VP Mission Integration

Meghan Johnson, MSc

VP, Mission Integration

As a public health professional and a parent, I am passionate about improving systems to ensure that every child thrives.

ShaylaRose Johnson

ShaylaRose Johnson

Technology & Data Systems Manager

My personal heart and passion has always been for children and families. Health equity is not something we often think of and can easily be taken for granted. I am honored to be able to work with others who value equity. All children and families deserve quality healthcare and I am happy to work in a place that is using their influence and expertise to continually push health equity forward.

Kirsten Klatka

Kirsten Klatka, MSW

Associate Project Director

I work at NICHQ because of my aspiration to improve the lives of children and families. It is great to be a part of a team that shares this passion and excitement for making our healthcare system better for all people.

Dominique Maffei

Dominique Maffei, MSc

Associate Project Director

I believe that all families, regardless of where they are from or what they look like, should have access to the care and support they need to life healthy lives. I am thrilled to be working with a team and partners who are passionate about and dedicated to making this a reality. 

Meera Menon

Meera Menon, PhD

Associate Director of Research and Evaluation

I am enthusiastic about NICHQ’s data-driven approaches to innovative and impactful projects that address the complex issues surrounding children’s health. Additionally, I am especially passionate about using rigorous research and evidence-based methods to promote equity and well-being among our nation’s diverse children and families.

Rinka Murakami

Rinka Murakami, MPH

Analyst

In the words of Paul Farmer, “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.” I am honored to work with NICHQ and its partners to ensure and improve maternal and child health outcomes, especially those exacerbated by racial disparities.

 

Amy Oppenheim

Amy Oppenheim

Director of Development

Helping to secure projects that positively impact children’s health, and knowing that those projects are in the hands of my passionate and expert NICHQ colleagues, keeps me coming to work every day with a smile! Also, sometimes there are bagels.

Stacey Penny

Stacey C. Penny, MSW, MPH

Executive Project Director

As a public health leader, a woman of color, and a "girl mom," I have never been more passionate and more empowered than I am right now to work in maternal and child health.  NICHQ's reputation of building strong relationships among stakeholders to create effective strategies for change aligns well with my love for collaboration. I am excited to work alongside other passionate people to tackle the wicked health inequities facing so many of our nation's women and children. 

Nate Pickett, PhD

Nathaniel Pickett, PhD

Web & Product Manager

From Los Angeles to Kyiv, Ukraine, and back to Lawrence, KS, my diverse background in community organizing and environmental disaster response research has led me to NICHQ, where I'm honored to bring my skills in communications and web design to help fulfill the organization's mission to improve the health outcomes of children.

 

Tess

Tess Pierson

Project Manager

I am excited to work with such a motivated team, dedicated to helping all children achieve a bright future by making positive, lasting improvements in the health care system for families.

Beverly Reyes

Beverly Reyes

Project Coordinator

I joined NICHQ because, to me, it’s important that I support quality work that benefits communities that have been marginalized and are close to my heart. I take a human rights-based approach to health and believe everyone deserves access to high-quality healthcare. I am excited to have joined NICHQ, and I hope to contribute to work that amplifies the voices of those who are oppressed and produces lasting positive impacts on their health and well-being.

Callie Rowland

Callie Rowland, MPH

Project Manager

The hope for a future where all children and families possess the resources to access their version of holistic health and well-being is what motivates me to affect change in the systems serving these groups. I’m thrilled to join the NICHQ team as a Project Manager to work towards more equitable health outcomes for all.

 

Priscilla Roy

Priscilla Roy

Executive Assistant and Office Manager

I was inspired by the work and research NICHQ has done and continues to do to improve healthcare for children. NICHQ gives a voice to those who otherwise do not have one.

Becky Russell

Becky Russell, MSPH

VP, Applied Research and Evaluation

My passion is utilizing the power of data to drive changes necessary for every child to have the opportunity to live a healthy life. I love working alongside other passionate professionals at NICHQ to help move us towards that goal equitably for everyone.

Stacy Scott

Stacy Scott, PhD, MPA

VP, Health Equity Innovation

I always say, not only does it take a village to raise a child, it takes a village to save one.  Working with NICHQ provides a wonderful opportunity to impact families and achieve better outcomes for all children. Recognizing the importance of being inclusive and striving for health equity, NICHQ’s mission is aligned with my passion for being a champion for social justice and an agent of positive change.

Gabe Soto

Gabe Soto

Accounts Payable Coordinator

As a parent, I am proud and excited to be joining an organization like NICHQ that is dedicated to improving the lives of families and children regardless of race or color. As an Accounts Payable Coordinator, I will be a good team player for all my colleagues and help them achieve the organization's mission of ensuring every child reaches optimal health.

 

Sprunck

Kim Sprunck, MSW, MPH

Director of Program Operations

I am grateful to be a part of the dedicated program staff working to address challenging children’s health issues. I am specifically interested in NICHQ’s focus on addressing health equity and social determinants of health, as we work to reach our vision of optimal health for all children.

Christine Wantman

Christine Wantman

Human Resources Generalist

As a mother and human resources professional, it is a priority for me to be part of a team that leads with compassion. I’m honored to be at NICHQ where compassion is at the heart of the work we do everyday.

Jey Weisgerber

Jey Weisgerber

Director of Communications and Digital Strategy

I’m honored to join NICHQ’s great work to drive dramatic changes in children’s health. As an advocate for queer and intersex youth and an accomplice to communities of color, often ignored and underserved by health systems, I’m grateful to bring my experience in nonprofit communications and public education, community organizing, and brand engagement to support NICHQ’s mission of improving equity in maternal and child health.

Dana West

Dana West, PhD, MHS

Associate Project Director of Equity

Healthcare is ever evolving, from research to policy, to practice, and, ultimately, to health outcomes. I am most interested in and find that there is tremendous need in identifying connections across this evolution to better understand the impact of these on child and family health. Doing so promotes awareness of and effective response to national, state, local, and even cultural barriers that impact health equity. Working with NICHQ – an organization dedicated to improving children’s health and achieving health equity – is an honor. 

Sandra Windland

Sandra Widland, MPH

Project Director

I work at NICHQ to provide a framework for and a lasting impact of improving children's health.

Eliza Williamson

Eliza Williamson

Associate Project Director

I am proud to work with NICHQ on an inspiring portfolio of projects that not only aim to help children and families achieve optimal health but also anticipate how positive change in health outcomes and quality/access to care and information can be sustained.

Isabel Zuckoff

Isabel Zuckoff, MPH

Project Director

I’m inspired by NICHQ’s mission and commitment to improving health outcomes for the most vulnerable members of our society: children. Working at NICHQ motivates and enables me to use my skills, expertise, and passion to make meaningful, systems-level changes and to reduce health inequities.

Advisors & Faculty

Sue Butts-Dion

Sue Butts-Dion

Improvement Advisor

As President of Butts-Dion Consulting Inc., Sue Butts-Dion applies her more than 25 years of experience as an improvement advisor to many maternal and child health projects, including advising the Center for Medicare and Medicaid’s Strong Start initiative and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s EMPower Breastfeeding Collaborative. She has multiple publications and has provided expertise to state improvement programs along the east coast, including programs in Maine, New Hampshire and North Carolina.

Jarvis Gray, NICHQ Improvement Advisor

Jarvis Gray, BSIE, MPM, MHA

Improvement Advisor

Jarvis Gray is a world-class business strategy and optimization expert. Gray has over 13 years of experience as an accomplished healthcare improvement consultant, master facilitator, executive adviser, strategic planner, and change agent. He specializes in helping healthcare companies, entrepreneurs, and small business owners implement transformational strategies, and he works with executives and frontline teams to affect strategic changes related to quality and patient safety, high-reliability transformation, and growth within healthcare organizations.

 

Improvement Advisor - Virginia Crowe

Virginia (Ginna) Hamilton Crowe, RN, EdD

Improvement Advisor

Virginia (Ginna) Leigh Hamilton Crowe, principal for Hamilton Consulting, LLC, is an experienced nurse, adult educator and quality management consultant. Crowe has over 30 years’ of practice in many areas and multiple levels of healthcare, ranging from care delivery to management and international consulting. Crowe is well versed in quality improvement theory and is especially intrigued with systems thinking and human relationships.

Dr. Henderson

Zsakeba Henderson, MD, FACOG

Senior Health Advisor

Dr. Zsakeba Henderson is currently a Senior Health Advisor for NICHQ, advising NICHQ’s President and CEO to advance the work of the organization to achieve optimal health for children and families. She previously served as Senior Vice President of MCH Impact and Interim Chief Medical Officer at March of Dimes, providing strategic direction and clinical expertise across the organization to help end the maternal and infant health crisis. She is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, with more than 18 years of experience managing numerous maternal and infant health initiatives. Dr. Henderson is a nationally recognized leader in the growth and spread of perinatal quality improvement efforts across the country, including leading the establishment of the National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives (NNPQC).

Suzette Oyeku

Suzette Oyeku, MD, MPH

Medical Advisor

Dr. Suzette Oyeku is Chief of the Division of Academic General Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM). She is also Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Oyeku also serves as Medical Director for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Demonstration Program National Coordinating Center with NICHQ. On a regional and national level, Dr. Oyeku has also served on advisory panels and committees focused on sickle cell disease and improving healthcare quality for children and adolescents.

ADRIANNA SAADA, MPH, IHI-IA

Adrianna Saada, MPH, IHI-IA

Improvement Advisor

Adrianna believes that a learning orientation and testing mindset can be powerful tools for achieving system-level change and driving health equity. She is an Institute for Healthcare Improvement-certified Improvement Advisor with expertise in planning and executing quality initiatives in healthcare settings and skilled at facilitating front-line teams toward a shared aim. As Director of Quality Improvement at Health Leads, Adrianna provides direct oversight and technical leadership for shared learning initiatives including design, implementation, data infrastructure, and insight development. She serves as an Improvement Advisor at the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality, supporting birthing hospitals in the NY State Perinatal Quality Collaborative. Previously she advised a learning collaborative aimed to improve contraceptive care at Federally Qualified Health Centers in NYC. Adrianna has a background conducting qualitative and survey research related to women and children’s health issues in academic, non-profit, and hospital settings. She holds a BA from Mount Holyoke College and an MPH from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique.

Jane Taylor - Improvement Advisor

Jane Taylor, EdD, MBA, MHA

Improvement Advisor

Jane Taylor is a learning and improvement advisor for healthcare, manufacturing and education. She brings more than 30 years of experience supporting patient and family engagement, and collaborative learning and improvement. Taylor has served as a hospital CEO and a quality improvement professional, and has published articles on rapid cycle change, the role of middle management in transformation and the art of using questions to drive transformation.

Health Advisory Council

Dennis Kuo, MD, MHS

Dennis Kuo, MD, MHS

NICHQ Health Advisory Council

Dennis Kuo, MD, MHS, is a pediatrician who serves as Chief of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Rochester. Dr. Kuo is particularly interested in population health, practice transformation, and health care delivery and outcomes for children with special health care needs and medical complexity. His research interests focus on health care systems and quality improvement for children with special health care needs, children with medical complexity, the patient/family-centered medical home, and family-centered care.

Tina Shah, MD, MPH

Tina Shah, MD, MPH

NICHQ Health Advisory Council

Tina Shah, MD, MPH, is a physician-scientist focused on redesigning healthcare so that clinicians can provide the best possible care to their patients. As principal of TNT Health Enterprises, she advises federal partners and health systems on how to leverage healthcare technology and create workflows to reduce clinician burnout, improve care efficiency and increase quality. Dr. Shah recently served as Senior Advisor to the US Surgeon General, where she led development of a national plan to stabilize the medical workforce and address health worker burnout.

Rachel Thornton, MD, Ph.D

Rachel Thornton, MD, Ph.D

NICHQ Health Advisory Council

Rachel Thornton, MD, Ph.D., serves as Vice President and Enterprise Chief Health Equity Officer at Nemours Children’s Health. Dr. Thornton leads the organization’s work on an enterprise-wide health equity strategy and coordination in support of Nemours Children’s vision to create the healthiest generations of children. In this new role, Dr. Thornton leads Nemours Office of Health Equity and Inclusion and is also responsible for supporting a richly diverse and inclusive environment for patients, families, associates, and the communities we serve.

Board of Directors

Jeanette Betancourt, Ed. D.

Jeanette Betancourt, Ed. D.

SVP for U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop

Dr. Betancourt is the Senior Vice President for U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, the global nonprofit educational organization whose mission is to help all children become smarter, stronger, and kinderShe directs the development and implementation of Sesame Street social impact initiatives meeting the needs of children and families, especially those most marginalized. These research-based initiatives impact children’s social and emotional well-being, early learning, and address the long-term effects of trauma, systemic racism, and inequities.

Charlene Collier

Charlene Collier, MD, MPH

Medical Director of the Bureau of Maternal and Infant Health at Mississippi State Department of Health

Dr. Charlene Collier is the Medical Director of the Bureau of Maternal and Infant Health, at the Mississippi State Department of Health in Jackson, Miss. She is also Director and Co-Founder of the Mississippi Perinatal Quality Collaborative and co-chairs the Maternal Mortality Review Committee. 

Laurie Doran, MPH

Laurie Doran, MPH

Strategic Advisor/CEO at Advancing Health Care

Laurie has over 20 years of experience developing strategies and programs to capitalize on the changing requirements of a rapidly evolving healthcare marketplace.  She partners with health plans, providers, and government programs on initiatives focused on operations, policy, and finance.  She currently leads corporate strategy and network services for a regional health plan and serves as consulting partner for the Association for Community Affiliated Health Plans (ACAP).  Laurie has a deep interest in social determinants of health and patient and provider engagement and has served as lead consultant for the Payment Reform Council for the Connecticut State Innovations (SIM) primary care modernization project and supported Kresge sponsored research led by Boston Medical Center to evaluate use of insurance reserves to invest in low income housing.   She is also a member of the board for Domestic Violence Ended (DOVE).

BoardPhoto-BethHurley

Beth Hurley, MBA

Human Resources Director, Simmons College

Beth Hurley has decades of experience as a human resources professional at a variety of mission-based organizations. She currently serves as AVP, Compensation and Employee Relations, Simmons University and serves on the NICHQ board of directors.

BoardPhoto-ScottOGorman

Scott O’Gorman

Consultant, The Concept Group

Scott O’Gorman most recently served as president of Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan (BMCHP), a managed care organization committed to ensuring quality health coverage and services for underserved populations. With 15 years of experience in Massachusetts, BMCHP, under O’Gorman’s leadership, expanded that mission into New Hampshire in 2013.

BoardPhoto-MichalRegunberg

Michal Regunberg

Principal at MR Associates

Michal Regunberg is an award-winning communications professional with a successful track record in public relations, government and community relations, academia and journalism. Most recently she served as senior vice president at Solomon McCown & Company where she provided senior strategic counsel to the healthcare and mission-focused clients.

LaToshia Rouse, CD/PCD(DONA)

LaToshia Rouse, CD/PCD(DONA)

Birth and Postpartum Doula/ Owner of Birth Sisters Doula Services

LaToshia Rouse, CD(DONA), is a birth and postpartum doula/ owner of Birth Sisters Doula Services as well as a Patient and Family Engagement Consultant. Her journey began as a patient partner 9 years ago, after having triplets at 26 weeks gestation via an emergency vaginal delivery. Early on her work was focused on bringing the parent perspective to the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) and antepartum improvement committees. Rouse’s passion is finding ways for clinicians and patients to have a true partnership and improve outcomes.

 

BoardPhoto-GregorySerrao

Gregory Serrao

Founder and Chairman, President and CEO Thrive Skilled Pediatric Care (Thrive)

Gregory Serrao is President of Colony Care Behavioral Health; he is also the founder and a board member of Thrive Skilled Pediatric Care, a provider of home care services to medically fragile children. Prior to Thrive, Serrao founded American Dental Partners, Inc. (ADPI), and served as the company's CEO and President and a Director for 20 years. Serrao’s previous roles include CEO and senior executive roles in health care and banking.  

BoardPhoto-WendyWarring

Wendy Warring, JD

President & CEO of the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation (NEHI)

Wendy Warring, JD, is President & CEO of the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation (NEHI). She is focused on strengthening NEHI’s role in advancing innovative care models and technologies that improve access to effective health care, especially by lowering individuals’ health care costs.