Health Equity Council
NRHA's Health Equity Council and Conference, formerly the Rural Multiracial and Multicultural Health Council and Conference, highlight issues related to rural, underserved, and often under-represented populations, including LGBTQIA+, veteran, and homeless rural residents as well as multiracial and multicultural members of rural communities.
Health Equity Council Member Application
- The National Rural Health Association’s Health Equity Council is not currently seeking applications for individuals interested in serving on the council board. Terms for positions of the Health Equity Council will begin Jan. 1, 2025.
NRHA encourages applications from members of all races, religions, national origins, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and ages, as well as veterans and individuals with disabilities.
The council meets once annually in conjunction with NRHA's Annual Rural Health Equity Conference and via teleconference each month. Members pay their own travel and lodging expenses for the annual meeting. Potential candidates must have significant rural health experience and an established record of work. Council members must also be members of NRHA and active participation in council events is required for the duration of their term.
Requirements- Applicants to the Health Equity Council must be NRHA members or willing to join before the start of the program. - Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the health of all people residing in rural America through the provision of equitable health care services. This commitment must be demonstrated in the personal statement, as well as the curriculum vitae/resume of the applicant.
- Applicants must be willing and able to commit to monthly conference calls as part of the program and the in person meeting prior to NRHA's Rural Health Equity Conference.
The current council roster consists of the following individuals:
Mary-Katherine McNatt, DrPH, MPH (chair) A.T. Still University College of Graduate Health Studies Professor | Victor Armstrong, MSW American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement | Agnes Attakai, MPA University of Arizona Center for Rural Health Director of health disparities outreach |
Becky Bayley, MBA Nevada Rural Hospital Partners Vice President | Sarah Brinkman, MBA Stratis Health Quality Improvement Program manager | Leah Cross, MPH Hood Memorial Hospital Community & Population Health Specialist |
Isela Garcia, MPH New Mexico Rural Health Assocation Executive Director | Carla Gibson REACH Healthcare Foundation Vice President of Programs | Sarah Huling, EdD(c), MBA Forks Community Hospital Hospital board, RHLR board |
Eisha Khan, ALM | Alanti McGill University of South Carolina Program Manager | Summer Mochida-Meek Hawaii State Rural Health Association Executive Director |
Joni Nelson, Ph.D. Medical University of South Carolina Associate Professor & Division Chief | Bryan Price Virginia Rural Health Association Program Coordinator | Chris Salyers, DHSc |
Shena Popat, MHA NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Senior Research Scientist | Christi Sherrill, MPH, MS OSU Center for Rural Health Program Manager | Stacy Stellflug, PhD Montana State University Mark & Robyn Jones College of Nursing Associate Professor of Nursing |
Cody Utz Holton Community Hospital Director of Quality and Informatics | Erika Ziller, PhD Northeast Rural Health Research Center Program Manager |
The Health Equity Council’s mission is to promote and enhance physical and mental well-being for rural and frontier underserved populations through national leadership, representation and advocacy for accessible, affordable, high-quality health services that result in an improved quality of life. The council will bring these issues to the forefront of discussion at NRHA's annual Rural Health Equity Conference. NRHA encourages all who are interested to attend this conference to learn and engage with experts in health equity, view research posters and network with peers.
With the Health Equity Council and Conference, NRHA remains committed to issues impacting underserved populations in rural and frontier communities. With tens of thousands of members, NRHA continues to provide leadership on rural health issues through communications, advocacy, research and education. Your participation in presentations and contributions to the dialogue of best practices would be of great value for this national audience.