Maryland Public Health Association

Governance

Board Members

Jonas Nguh, PhD, MSN, FACHE, NEA-BC, RN – President

Dr. Nguh is a global health scholar and practitioner. His scope of practice has been in maternal newborn and child health programs, immunization, family planning and reproductive health, nutrition, health systems strengthening, water/sanitation/hygiene, malaria, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and pediatric HIV care and treatment in Sub-Saharan countries and low resource countries. Dr. Nguh has taught and worked in more than 20 countries. Dr. Nguh is a distinguished faculty with professorships in six international universities. He teaches primarily in Public Health and Nursing programs where he chairs doctoral and masters prepared students. Dr. Nguh is the former Executive Dean of the School of Health Professions at the University of Providence. He holds a PhD in Public Health, a Master of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Dr. Nguh holds several certifications including Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executive, the National Academy of Practice, and board certified as a Nurse Executive, Advanced by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

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Hanna Idriess, MD, MPH, MBA – President- Elect

Cesia Portillo, MPH- Secretary

Cesia Portillo is a dedicated advocate in the field of public health, specializing in kidney health education and prevention in at-risk populations. With a Master in Public Health degree and certification as a Health Education Specialist (CHES), Cesia brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role as the Kidney Health Initiative Program Coordinator at the American Society of Nephrology.

Fluent in both English and Spanish, she is committed to bridging language barriers to reach diverse populations with culturally sensitive messaging. Cesia’s work is driven by her unwavering commitment to improving health outcomes and reducing disparities. She strives to continue her efforts in education communities, empowering individuals to take control of their health, and advocating for policies that support preventative healthcare initiatives

Victoria Revelle– Treasurer

Suparna Navale, PhD, MS, MPH – Immediate Past President

I am excited to be a part of this wonderful group of public health professionals who are focused on the health of all Marylanders. As a newer resident of Maryland, but having lived in Northern Virginia for most of my life, I am looking forward to learning more about Maryland and the public health issues that are important to our members. Prior to joining the MdPHA Board, I was and am actively involved in leadership in APHA, including Chair of the Student Assembly, Chair of the Intersectional Council, and currently a Governing Councilor of the Epidemiology Section and Chair of APHA’s Committee on Membership. With my experience working with all the boards and committees within APHA, I strive to increase member and student engagement and satisfaction. In my professional role, I am a research analyst at OCHIN, a nonprofit health care innovation company based in Oregon, and a PhD candidate in Epidemiology at Kent State University.

Alexandra DiOrio, MPH, CHES – At-Large Board Member

I am excited to serve on the board for the first time as secretary. As a Maryland transplant, I became a member of this wonderful organization in 2021. I have enjoyed meeting fellow Maryland public health professionals and working together to improve the health of our state residents. I am the accreditation coordinator for the University of Nevada, Reno’s School of Public Health. Prior to this role, I spent four and half years working at the accrediting organization for public health higher education. I have had the opportunity to travel the country, meet both academic and practice focused public health professionals, and evaluating curricula. I have also worked as an adjunct professor, a program manager for a reproductive health organization, and an analyst for a regional health insurance company. Each of my roles have had been rooted in quality improvement, which is very important to me. In addition to public health education, my research interests include social determinants and reproductive health.

Alexandra DiOrio

Michelle Glover-Brown, MPH, RS, EMT – Affiliate Representative to the Governing Council (ARGC)

As a retired NYS public health administrator, I am eager to learn and share with others. My area of public health expertise is working with employers to develop policies and procedures to reduce workplace injuries and improve employee health. An important element of improving workplace health and safety is incorporating workplace wellness programs as a part of the overall environmental health and safety (EHS) OSHA compliance program. Pre-existing medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes can profoundly impact an employee and their performance in the workplace. Creating a more holistic environmental, health and safety environment in the workplace will aid in promoting workplace equity and improvement in individuals' overall well-being.

I am optimistic and passionate and desire to improve health and safety in the workplace and reduce the incidence of preventable disease and illness within the community.

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Yale Friedman – Student Representative

My journey in the public health sector began in 2015, when I began studying in the American University's Public Health program. My key interest areas include topics such as oral health, mental health, infectious disease control, and pharmacy, many of which I am currently exploring in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the George Washington University. It has been an extremely rewarding experience to collaborate with and learn from instructors and classmates from a variety of disciplines all over the world. We all have a common goal to achieve health equity on a global scale. One of the most notable experiences I have had thus far was the MPH practicum experiential component, for which I had the opportunity to intern for the Director of Infection Control and Prevention at Suburban Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine. In addition to these experiences in academia, I am thrilled to be serving the MdPHA Board as this year’s Student Representative. In this role, my goal is to act as a leader and mentor for other students who wish to explore the field of public health to ultimately give back to the community on a grand scale. What an honor it is to represent an organization whose mission is to promote and advocate for health equity to improve health outcomes, especially among underserved populations.

Jody Gan, MPH, CHES – Past-President

I am thrilled to be serving as president having served on the board of MdPHA for the last five years as an At Large Board Member, Affiliate Representative to the APHA Governing Council, and President-elect! It has been wonderful getting to know public health folks from across the state and collaborating with state association leaders in Pennsylvania and Delaware in the Mid-Atlantic Public Health Partnership that we formed at the beginning of the pandemic. With three decades of experience planning, implementing and evaluating public health programs, I now have the pleasure of teaching the “tools of the trade” to undergraduate public health students at American University. Prior to becoming a full-time faculty member ten years ago, I worked for federal and state governmental health agencies developing health communication products and community outreach strategies for a wide range of programs. Earlier in my career, I coordinated prevention programs for college students at the University of Maryland and my academic interest areas continue to revolve around teen and young adult health.

Jody Gan

Melanie Bolden, MPH – Climate and Health Coordinator

Hi everyone! I am currently a doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health, concentrating in Environmental Health. Originally from New Orleans, I earned a BS in Biology at the University of Arkansas and an MPH in Epidemiology at SUNY-Albany. I am also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and served in Mozambique, working primarily on HIV/AIDS and malaria projects from 2013 to 2015. With a range of previous public health experiences and research interests, I look forward to working with the chapter on its climate action goals and initiatives as Climate and Health Coordinator!

Lillian Agbeyegbe, DrPH – At Large Board Member

Dr. Lillian Agbeyegbe is a public health practitioner with over decades of experience in program planning and implementation. She earned her Doctor of Public Health degree from the University of North Texas Health Science Center and her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Community Health Education from The City University of New York – Hunter College. She earned her Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Economics from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Dr. Agbeyegbe has worked on the issues that disproportionately affect women, including human trafficking, healthy housing, homelessness, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, and female genital mutilation.

Dr. Agbeyegbe is the founder of The Rest Of A Life (TROAL) and has served on many boards, including the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV) and Court Watch Montgomery County. She is currently serving a third-term as a Governor's appointee on the Maryland Family Violence Council. She also was a Senior Community Engagement Manager on the Strategic Initiative on Sex Trafficking team at Polaris, a leading national anti-trafficking organization.

Dr. Agbeyegbe is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and is also Certified in Public Health (CPH).

Melissa Buckley, PhD, MSW, LMSW – At Large Board Member

Hello! I am Dr. Melissa Buckley an Assistant Professor at Coppin State University in the Department of Social Work. I am excited to be a new member of the Maryland Public Health Association Board.

I live in Baltimore and am proud to call Charm City my home. I am originally from Toronto, Canada and my parents are Jamaican…if you happen to drive by my house, you’ll see a huge Jamaican flag out front! As an immigrant, I feel that I bring a unique perspective to social work and public health conversations.

In addition to being a social work educator, I am a therapist, community activist and fitness trainer. Fitness, old TV sitcoms and face-time with my loved ones are my favorite forms of self-care.

Jonathan Dayton, MS, NREMT – At Large Board Member

Jonathan is a lifelong resident of Western Maryland. I am currently serving my first term as an At-Large Board Member. I now work as the Executive Director of the Maryland Rural Health Association; previously, I worked for a federally qualified health center overseeing their community health and enabling services departments. I am excited to work with my fellow board members to advance the organization's mission. I also serve on numerous state-appointed committees and councils, and when not working in healthcare serve my community as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. I am also a last-year doctor of public health student.

Garrette Martin-Yeboah, PharmD, MPH, BCGP, PMP – At Large Board Member

I am a pharmacist of over 20 years and have 10 years’ experience in public health with a commitment to expanding access for underserved populations. I serve as U.S. Public Health Service Officer. My background includes working within contract and program management to ensure proper care to vast populations after disasters. I have both hospital and long-term care pharmacy experience and have worked as a delegate to the American Pharmacists Association to develop profession-related policy. I also have work experience with the Food and Drug Administration. I am a Board-Certified Geriatric Pharmacist (BCGP) and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). I am committed to community service and have coordinated volunteer events with the Baltimore-area American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity, and First Fruits Farm that harvests produce for local food banks. Via MdPHA, I would like to collaborate with other public health practitioners to expand knowledge among the public and set and revise policy to align with the APHA.

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Ilona Argirion Kabara, PhD, MPH – At Large Board Member, Advocacy Committee Co-Chair

I am excited to be serving my first term as the advocacy committee chair and at large board member for MdPHA. I am an epidemiologist currently working as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. My expertise lies at the cross-section between descriptive and molecular epidemiology with a focus on cancer, infectious etiology and global public health. As a recent transplant from the midwest, I am excited to meet fellow Maryland public health professionals and become more engaged in the translation of scientific research into health policy. In my role, I hope to do what I can to advocate for and improve the health of our state residents.

Ilona Argirion Kabara

Naya Lindsey – At Large Board Member

Cassandra Chess, MPH – At Large Board Member

I am currently serving in my first term as an At Large Board Member. I currently work for the U.S. DHHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) as a Public Health Analyst serving as a Project Officer overseeing grant programs. I have a background in HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual and reproductive health education, program management, and program development. Aside from my work experience, I am involved in other community service focused organizations. That includes the NAACP Prince George's County Branch’s Women in the NAACP committee and Top Ladies of Distinction Prince George’s County Chapter UNCF and NCNW committees. Between 2010 – 2019, I served as a member of the Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association (MWPHA), two years (2015 – 2017) as the President. I also served four years as the Affiliate Representative representing MWPHA on the American Public Health Association (APHA) Governing Council and two years on the APHA Coalition of Affiliates (CoA) as an At Large member and CoA representative on the APHA Nominations Committee. As a longtime Prince George’s County resident I am looking forward to having an opportunity to address the health inequities in the county through my participation in MdPHA.

Cassandra Chess

Genevieve Barrow Gongar -- At Large Board Member

Genevieve Barrow Gongar is an accomplished health program manager and strategist with over

20 years of public health leadership experience (U.S. and international). She serves as the

Director for HIV/STI Prevention at the Baltimore City Health Department. In this capacity, she

oversees a large portfolio of federal and state grants aimed at decreasing the incidence of HIV

and ensuring that those diagnosed are linked to care. Her role includes oversight of departmental

and implementing partners’ HIV programs, community outreach for HIV/STI testing and

education, community engagement and mobilization, and the viral hepatitis program. She leads

the continuous quality improvement work group and facilitates capacity building. Genevieve

believes in the transformational power of harnessing community voices as the anchor of public

policy and serves as the manager of the city’s HIV Planning Group and Commission and the

department’s liaison for Baltimore City’s community-driven Undetectable=Untransmittable

campaign. She also co-chairs the health department's health equity committee and participates in

Baltimore-based community health advisory groups.

Genevieve earned a Master of Science in Biostatistics from the University of Pittsburgh

Graduate School of Public Health and has an undergraduate degree in mathematics. She has

previously worked to design and implement several global health programs in sub-Saharan

Africa and held positions of statistician at the University of Pittsburgh Epidemiology Data

Center and research and evaluation specialist at the Maryland State Department of Education.

She was a member of the 2019 cohort of NASTAD's Minority Leadership Program and the 2022

recipient of the Baltimore City Health Department’s Employee Leadership Award. Her passion

for health equity led to the founding of Shaping Health Equity, Inc., an organization focused on

improving health outcomes for Black women and girls. Genevieve enjoys applying her critical

thinking and analytical skills to program design, implementation, and improvement.

Join MdPHA now!

Donate to MdPHA

The Maryland Public Health Association
PO Box 7045
6801 Oak Hall Lane
Columbia, MD 21045-9998
443-475-0242

MdPHA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.