Suzanne Keep – President, 2023-2025
Dr. Suzanne Keep is Site Director for the McAuley School of Nursing BSN, pre-licensure program, and Associate Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy in Grand Rapids. She has been with the university for over 15 years. In addition to teaching undergraduate nursing students and graduate students, she is a published author and funded researcher. Dr. Keep has been a registered nurse for 47 years. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Nazareth College in Kalamazoo; a Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration of Community Health Nursing and a minor in Nursing Administration from Wayne State University; and a Ph.D. in Nursing from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Dr. Keep is a 2017 recipient of the Michigan Public Health Association, Public Health Nursing Section: Excellence in Public Health Nursing Leadership. She has held various board positions across national, local, and regional organizations. Her focus is on serving the vulnerable, the marginalized and eliminating health inequities and health disparities. She is a fellow of the National Academies of Practice.
Dr. Marcia Mastracci Ditmyer – President Elect 2023-2025
Dr. Marcia Mastracci Ditmyer is Dean for the Crystal M. Lange College for Health and Human Services at Saginaw Valley University (SVSU) in Saginaw, Michigan. She came to SVSU after serving as the associate dean for education and professor in residence with Emerita at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), School of Dental Medicine where she provided leadership and assumed oversight for all educational programs and learning environments within the school. In her 18 years at UNLV, she gained experience in interprofessional education and collaborative practice working within a variety of health professions.
Apryl Brown – Immediate Past President, 2021-2023, Chair, Public Policy/Legislation Committee
Dr. Brown is the co-chair of the Science Board of the American Public Health Association (APHA) while serving on the joint policy and scientific session planning committees. She previously served on the APHA Education and Action Boards as well as the Governing Council where her votes helped to influence federal legislation. Dr. Brown is an adjunct professor at the University of Detroit Mercy and Wayne County Community College District preparing students to excel in their future careers in the health professions.
In the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, Dr. Brown is the chairperson of the Health Commission of the AME North District Michigan Conference overseeing 26 congregations. This endeavor includes her training as a community partner on how to effectively implement and maintain congregational health and wellness ministries through the CBPR Partnership Academy affiliated with the University of Michigan. As a past coordinator of the Detroit Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Dr. Brown participated in initiatives pertaining to health and wellness and public health preparedness and response while striving to achieve health equity. Dr. Brown’s history of excellent service and dedication led to her initiation in Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health and recognition as a 2012 Community Leader in Global Health at her alma mater Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Fatema Mamou – Secretary, 2018-present
Fatema is a Regional Epidemiologist with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Fatema has been an MPHA member for 11 years and has previously served as a Section Treasurer, Chair-Elect, and performed as the Chair of the MPHA Epidemiology Section during the 2010-2011 term. In 2012 she became a MPHA Board Member and served for three consecutive terms in that position before being elected as the current MPHA Secretary in 2018.
Brian Hartl – Treasurer, 2018-Present, Chair, Epidemiology Section
Brian joined the Michigan Public Health Association as a Councilor in the Epidemiology Section shortly after starting his public health career in 2003. After serving as Chair of the Epidemiology Section in 2009, he stayed involved with the board, and took on the role of Secretary in 2012. Brian is currently serving as the Treasurer of MPHA.
Board of Directors
Sarah Nechuta – Chair of Nominations and Elections Committee, Editor, Michigan Journal of Public Health
Dr. Sarah Nechuta is an educator, epidemiologist, and population health scientist with over 15 years of experience. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Public Health in the Master of Public Health program in the School of Interdisciplinary Health at Grand Valley State University (Grand Rapids, MI). She teaches and mentors students in epidemiology, public health science, and applied data analysis in both research and public health surveillance. She obtained her MPH from the University of Michigan and PhD in epidemiology from Michigan State University. She is the chair of the MPHA Nominations and Elections Committee and serves as mentor to the MPHA Student Section leadership. She is a member of the MPHA Epidemiology Section.
Prashanti Boinapally – Director at Large
Dr. Prashanti Boinapally has been working within Michigan for the past 15 years in various roles as Epidemiologist, Research Lead, Data Scientist, Public Health Consultant, Data Analytics Manager, Evaluation Manager, Program Manager, and Director for many organizations such as MDHHS (Michigan Department of Human & Health Services), MPRO (Michigan Peer Review Organization), Trinity Health, MSU (Michigan State University), MPHI (Michigan Public Health Institute), SWMBH (Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health), and MPCA (Michigan Primary Care Association). She has a MD along with a master’s level training in Epidemiology & Biostatistics; has been instrumental in developing strategic plans, budget proposals, grant writing and submission, national and state level data books, coding, and analysis, preparing reports, scorecards, and dashboards for various Medicare, Medicaid and clinical data systems to improve patient safety, quality improvement and render better care for patients within Michigan.
Naomi Ervin PhD, RN, PHCNS-BC-Retired, FNAP, FAAN- Chair of Bylaws Commitee
As an MPHA member for 29 years, Naomi Ervin has served the organization in several positions. Most recently she served as Director-at-Large of the MPHA Board of Director. She currently chairs the Bylaws Committee and is a member of the Public Health Nursing Section Program and Nominations Committees. Previously she served as chair-elect and chair of the PHN Section. Other positions previously held throughout the years in MPHA are member of the Rules Committee, member of the Program Planning Committee, and member of the Archives Committee. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the National Academies of Practice.
Jihan Aiyash – Director at Large, Chair, of Awards Committee
Jihan Aiyash’s professional strengths are in quantitative data analysis, relational organizing, and state level advocacy. Her dedication to equity expands beyond her 9-5 and is reflected in her sophisticated electoral, advocacy, and community organizing background. She serves as a Director At Large with the Michigan Public Health Association and is the president of her city’s Board of Education. She has a Master’s of Public Health from Wayne State University and just completed a fellowship with the CDC funded Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health (LAPH) where her project scope focused on the counter narratives of Brown and Black communities in Flint and Detroit.
Andrea Agboka – Chair, Public Health Nursing Section
Andrea Agboka works at Oakland County as the Chief of Special Programs. She manages the Children’s Special Health Care Services program, Nurturing Parent Program and Nurse on Call Health Information Hotline. Andrea graduated in 2001 from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan with a bachelor’s in nursing and completed her master’s in public health in 2003 at Loma Linda University in California. Andrea has worked in public health for 16 years. Her experience includes working as a public health nurse in maternal, child and health home visiting, immunization clinic, and communicable disease unit, she has supervised a variety of public health programs and has also worked as the Director of Nursing at the Detroit Health Department. Andrea is the 2023-24 Michigan Public Health Association, Public Health Nursing Section Chair, and a member of the Board of Directors. Andrea has been a member of the Oakland County Health Equity Team for two years and is committed to advancing the work of health equity for individuals, families, and the community.
Ella Greene-Moton – APHA President (Past MPHA Director at Large)
Serving as a community/academic bridge, Ella has an extensive background in public health advocacy, public health policy, Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), and programming, spanning over the past forty plus years in the City of Flint and surrounding areas. She currently serves as Administrator of the Community Based Organization Partners (CBOP) Community Ethics Review Board (CERB), with specific efforts in public health Ethics focused on providing an awareness at the community level, developing and elevating the community voice and advocating for community inclusiveness at the State and National Levels. Her areas of expertise include facilitating community/academic/practice partnership building and sustainability as well as developing and managing community-based projects. Ella is honored to continue her engagement with the Michigan Public Health Association, the Great Lakes Public Health Coalition, and humbled to have been elected the 2022 President-Elect of the American Public Health Association.
Meghan Faulkner – Director At Large
Meghan Faulkner oversees operations at the Center for National Prevention Initiatives (CNPI) at the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI). She also serves as Principal Investigator for the CDC and NIH-funded Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Sudden Death in the Young Case Registry Data Coordinating Center, as well as the FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety grant. Ms. Faulkner has been with MPHI for 12 years. Before joining CNPI, she worked as an MPHI affiliate, serving as a Public Health Consultant at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Division of Diabetes and Other Chronic Diseases. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Dietetics and a Masters of Arts in Health and Risk Communication, both from Michigan State University.
Crystel Hepburn – Chair, Membership Committee
Crystal Hepburn is the Children’s Special Health Care Services program manager at the Detroit Health Department. She has been with the Children’s Special Health Care Services program for the last 12 years. Crystal is a Registered Nurse and a Certified Case Manager working with children, youth young adults and some adults and their families.
Crystal has participated in many a variety of work groups, including the Disability Task Force in Detroit.
She is the past president of the Michigan Public Health Association Public Health Nursing Section, in which she is currently serving as the treasurer. She is also a Board member of the Michigan Public Health Association as well as the current membership officer.
Crystal has served as the President of the Windsor-Essex RNAO Chapter, representing over 1100 registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing students for the last 9 years from 2014-2023 and recently transitioned to the past president role. Crystal is also the treasurer of the Complementary Therapies Interest Group, a member of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environment, a member of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, American Public Health Association, CSHCS Local Advisory Council with MDHHS and CSHCS Advisory Committee with MDHHS.
Laura Dewberry CHW, MPH – Director at Large and Chair of Marketing Committee
Currently serving as Community Health Worker for Meridian Health Plan-Centene Corporation
“I come as one, but stand as 10,000”- Maya Angelou
Laura Dewberry MPH, CHW– is a health equity change agent that is passionate about addressing the barriers to quality health care and health experiences for communities of color. Laura received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Tuskegee University and a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Management from Creighton University Graduate School of Health Sciences. By training Laura is a Certified Community Health Worker through the Michigan Community Health Worker Alliance (MiCHWA) and has managed community health programs addressing social determinants of health for Molina Healthcare’s Community Connector Program and The Detroit Health Department Homeless Emergency Management Program. Most recently, Laura served as a health equity fellow with the National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health (NLAPH) where she trained as a change agent for a year to propel a population health initiative forward by elevating the role of Community Health Workers in addressing social determinants and health disparities among communities of color in hospital systems. Ms. Dewberry is a Director at Large with the Michigan Public Health Association (MPHA), Interim Social Media and Marketing Chair for MPHA, the host of the Michigan Health Equity Team Podcast, and a member of the Community Health Worker Subcommittee through MDHHS (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services). Additionally, Laura has found passion is serving as a Big Sister and Mentor with the Sister Friends Maternal and Infant Health Program and leading the Events Committee for Centene Corporation MOSAIC Diversity and Inclusion Mentorship program. Most recently, Laura was elected to the Board of Directors for the Detroit Parent Network. Laura is seeking to support and expand the health equity programing within the organization so parents and children feel supported in achieving great health. Laura believes that quality health experiences lead to quality educational outcomes. She is a native Detroiter, mom of an amazing son, and currently resides in Detroit with her family.
Raegan Holek – Chair, Student Section
Raegan Holek, currently serves as the Chair of the MPHA Student Section. She is earning her Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Epidemiology at Grand Valley State University. She graduated from Lake Superior State University with her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology in 2022. Raegan strives to empower fellow students to become leaders in the field of public health by providing opportunities for networking and professional development.
Katherine Balint DNP, PHRN -BC, MSN-NA, CHSE, CRRN, FCN-C – Director at Large
Dr. Katherine Balint became a director-at -large in MPHA in 2023. Kathy also serves as the Associate Director of Clinical Simulation and Learning, Assistant Professor, and Specialty Coordinator for the Advanced Public Health Nursing program at the College of Nursing, Wayne State University. Completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice in 2013, Advanced Public Health Nursing Masters in 2012, Master’s in Nursing Administration in 2008, and is certified as a Healthcare Simulation Educator, Faith Community Nurse, and Rehabilitation Registered Nurse. Additionally, she is an IPE scholar’s faculty for the Michigan Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholars Program. Served on ANA- MI Policy Committee for region 7, and over the past four years, served on the executive board and assumed the role as treasurer of Nurse Practice Corporation, a nurse practice corporation providing primary care services for Campus Health Center, WSU, and Talyor Street Primary Care clinic in Detroit Mi. She also volunteers as a faithcommunity nurse in downtown Detroit.
Hope Rollins-Affiliate Representative to Governing Council of APHA (ARGC)
Hope Rollins serves as the Director of Education and Training and Equity in Action Project Lead for Education and Communication Services at the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI). MPHI is a Michigan-based and nationally engaged non-profit public health institute dedicated to working to center equity, promote health, and advance well-being for all.
She provides programmatic, financial, and administrative oversight for the event management and continuing education teams, annually developing and producing 300+ trainings and virtual educational offerings. The average annual grant funding for her team is $4.4M. Her work entails business development, trainer coaching, compliance, and strategic outreach and promotion. Additionally, she was appointed in 2022 to serve as the Co-Chair of the MPHI Staff of Color Affinity Group (SOCAG), a voluntary employee group whose mission is to actively attract, support, develop, and retain staff of color at MPHI. The group facilitates human connectedness to foster relationship building and provide a psychological safe space for members to show up as themselves to rest and heal with others who share similar experiences. Also in 2022, she was appointed to the Executive Committee of MPHI’s Anti-Oppression Leadership Team, whose initiative is to build internal capacity to intentionally embed an anti-oppression framework into the organization’s systems and culture.
Ms. Rollins completed her four-year term on the American Public Health Association Executive Board, culminating as the Board Chair in 2022. She has since returned to the Michigan Public Health Association as the Affiliate Representative to the Governing Council of APHA completing a three-year term. Past APHA experience have encompassed serving on Action Board, as Region V Representative and Secretary on the Council of Affiliates, and on ad hoc climate change initiatives. Outside work, she works with various community and faith-based organizations and boards to support grant and programmatic initiatives, through her consulting firm, Hope for All Occasions, LLC. She is also Associate Minister and devoted member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Lansing Alumnae Chapter and serves as the technology chair and webmaster.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary in Health Studies from Michigan State University. She is completing her Masters in Business Administration from Davenport University.