Staff
Sheba George | PhD
Director of the CHW Academy, is professor in the Department of Preventive & Social Medicine, at Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles. She is course director of the 鈥淢edicine and Society鈥� Longitudinal Pre-Clerkship Course in the 海角社区 College of Medicine. She is Program Director of the 海角社区 Health Careers Opportunity (HCOP) Pipeline Program.
Hector Balcazar | PhD, MS
Co-Founder and former Director of the CHW Academy, was also Dean of the College of Science and Health at 海角社区. Dr. Balcazar has extensive experience as a leader in public health education, research, service and community outreach working with community health workers. Dr. Balcazar has over 180 publications including 100 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Sydni Brown
Sydni Brown serves as the Master Trainer of the CHW Academy. Sydni received her B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2021 and began her journey in the Academy as an intern shortly after graduating.
During these recent years, Sydni has gained a vast amount of experience in community health initiatives, which fuels her passion to train those aspiring to become Community Health Workers. Her interests in Public Health include Maternal and Child Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Health Equity, and Social Determinants of Health. Sydni is excited to continue to advocate for and empower underserved communities while also exploring opportunities that contribute to the Academy鈥檚 growth.
Grabriel Cardenas
Gabriel Cardenas is the program coordinator of the CHW academy. Gabriel has a B.A. in Sociology and M.A. in Chicana/o Studies. Gabriel鈥檚 research has focused on farmworker health and working conditions, and combines visual art to address social, economic, and psychological effects of farmworker and community struggles. In addition, Gabriel has worked in homeless and mental health services providing community health worker and clinical services in Los Angeles County. Gabriel believes that providing access to resources and improving community health workers impact in the clinical field will assist in providing vital care for patients and community.
Team members of Providence听
Jim Tehan 触鈥�Regional Director of Los Angeles Service
Jim Tehan is the regional director of Community Health Investment for Providence Southern California. He represents the six Providence medical centers in Los Angeles County on community benefit issues, internally and externally. Jim oversees the work of 100 Providence employees working in underserved communities and partnering with dozens of school, church, clinical, county, and nonprofit community organizations across the Los Angeles region.听
Justin Joe 触鈥�Director of Community Health Department听
Justin Joe is the Director of Community Health Investment for three of Providence鈥檚 LA hospitals鈥擲aint John鈥檚, Little Company of Mary Torrance, and Little Company of Mary San Pedro.听 Justin has over 10 years of experience working at Providence overseeing community benefit programs that address needs in underserved neighborhoods听 Throughout his entire career at Providence, CHWs have played a vital role in successful programs he implemented that address social determinants of health, and he believes that they are key members of teams that can bridge the health care system to the local community.听
Juan Mendez | Manager of Community Health听
With over 13 years of administrative experience in the community health sector, Juan Mendez has been a key contributor in the development of many community health initiatives aimed to reduce health disparities in underserved communities. Since joining Providence Health & Services in 2006, he has led programs and teams that support early learning education, chronic disease self-management, and access to preventive health services. Currently the Manager of Community Benefits and Vasek Polak health clinic at Providence, Juan serves as a liaison between health services and the community to facilitate access to quality health care in vulnerable populations. Juan is dedicated to employee growth and development and an active proponent of advancing the Community Health Worker Workforce and its integration into healthcare systems. He completed his undergraduate degree in Social Work in 2004 from Cal State Long Beach and obtained his MPH in Urban Health Disparities from Charles Drew University in 2018.听
Rosalva Salazar | Project Manager听
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