The OHIO Alliance for Population Health News

Meet Community Health Worker Lead Kerri Shaw

Kerri Shaw joined the Ohio Alliance for Population Health in August 2021 as the Community Health Worker (CHW) Training Program Coordinator. Her connection to public health, though, started over 20 years ago.

Meet Program Coordinator Michal Searls

Michal Searls joined Ohio University in 2016 to continue her career in public service with the College of Health Sciences and Professions in Continuing Education. Prior to joining the University, she worked in local government with a focus on financial management, budgeting, training, and government contracts.

Meet Behavioral Health Lead Tracy Plouck

Plouck spent more than twenty years developing and implementing human services policy for the State of Ohio, takes the lead in recruiting expert presenters from across the state and region.

Meet Aging Lead Melissa Kimmel

Melissa Kimmel began her work with the OHIO Alliance for Population Health in October 2019. Prior to joining the Alliance, Melissa worked primarily in non-profits proving social services in roles ranging from Case Manager to Executive Director.

Meet Workforce Development Lead Tom Johnson

After retiring from a career in international banking, Mayor Thomas Johnson returned to his roots and has helped to drive investment to Perry County and Ohio’s Appalachian region.  He focuses on the link between health care and economic development as a social determinant of health, workforce expansion driver and community wealth creator. 

Meet Research Lead Orman Hall

Orman Hall comes to the Alliance with a long history in behavioral health care management and a commitment to making data-driven decisions.

Meet Alliance Director Rick Hodges

Rick Hodges came to the Ohio Alliance for Population Health in 2017 after serving as the Director of the Ohio Department of Health under Governor John Kasich for three years.  While Director, Rick was impressed by the complex local coalitions across Ohio addressing population health needs. He envisions the Alliance as a forum for bringing together partners from around the state and across the health care industry to focus resources in support of local initiatives. 

Appalachian Recovery Project at OHIO receives $1.1 million grant

The Appalachian Recovery Project (ARP), Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions (CHSP) and key University partners will soon be able to provide increased support to women across five Appalachian counties in their fight to overcome addiction through a $1.1 million POWER grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).

Breaking Back to Meth?

As the opioid crisis snags headlines and attention, police in many parts of the country are grappling with a surge in meth from Mexico.