An Overview of RIPHA’s Strategic Plan Followed by Panel Discussion with Board Members and Partners
Dr. Larry Warner
Job title or function
Dr. Larry Warner is the Chief Impact and Equity Officer at United Way of RI, where he oversees the organization’s grantmaking, policy and advocacy work, research and data analytics, 211 call center, senior and disability services, and work to advance racial equity. Dr. Warner is also chair of the Governor’s Council on Behavioral Health, serves on several nonprofit boards, and is an adjunct assistant professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice at the Brown University School of Public Health. Larry has a Doctor of Public Health degree in Health Equity and Social Justice from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and an MPH from Brown University School of Public Health.
Elena Nicolella
Job title or function
CEO, Rhode Island Health Center Association
Ms. Nicolella’s experience includes the role of Medicaid Director at the Rhode Island Office of Health and Human Services, policy work at the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services in the Boston Region 1 Office, and most recently as the Executive Director of New England States Consortium Systems Organization (NESCO). In addition, Ms. Nicolella has been the Chair of the Providence Community Health Center Board of Directors.
Dr. Patricia Risica
Job title or function
Dr. Risica is an Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences and of Epidemiology at the Brown School of Public Health and serves as the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Public Health concentration at Brown. Dr. Risica has a B.S. from the Ohio State University in Medical Dietetics (nutrition), and MPH and DrPH from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Risica's research includes service as Co-Investigator or Principal Investigator for a number of projects involving nutrition, physical activity, and smoking cessation/avoidance, early detection of melanoma, and opioid use. Her work chiefly involves health and/or nutrition of babies, young children, birthing people, people identifying as women, and other vulnerable or low-resourced populations. Dr. Risica has been a member of the RIPHA Board of Directors since 1998. She has served as President twice and is serving currently as the Chair of the Advocacy Committee..
Paola Martinez-Amaro MPH, CCHW
Paola Martinez-Amaro MPH, CCHW is the Program Coordinator at RIPHA with over five years of experience helping marginalized communities in Rhode Island address health disparities. Specializing in community health, Paola uses that experience and passion for helping reduce healthcare disparities among underserved populations.
By focusing on influencing public health policy and promoting public health practice in Rhode Island, Paola has put the master’s in public health she earned at Southern New Hampshire University to good use.
When they’re not at RIPHA.
Paola is an avid Singer who loves writing songs and spending time with her family.
Dr. Soumyadeep Mukherjee
Job title or function
Dr. Soumyadeep (“Deep”) Mukherjee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health & Physical Education, and the Program Coordinator for the B.S. in Community & Public Health Promotion at Rhode Island College. Deep is a co-Chair of the Racial Equity Committee and a Board of Director for RIPHA . Deep is also a Section Councilor for the Ethics Section of APHA. Deep teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in epidemiology, health behavior, global health, and other topics. After his medical degree (MBBS) and Diploma in Public Health in India, Dr. Mukherjee did PhD in Public Health (Epidemiology) at Florida International University, and post-doctoral training at Stony Brook University.
With an overarching focus on social determinants of health including the far-reaching consequences of systemic racism and other structural inequities, Deep uses trauma-informed principles to examine disparities in a variety of mental and behavioral health outcomes, ranging from depression during pregnancy and postpartum, weapons possession and other risk factors among high-school students, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the disproportionate impacts of the climate crisis on the poorest communities. In addition, Deep’s scholarship aims to destigmatize and advocate for the neuro-atypical members of the society, especially those who are BIPOC, by focusing on barriers in accessing care, seeking accommodations, and leading healthy and productive lives.