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 open positions of the Editorial Board will begin Jan. 1, 2022.
The council meets once annually in conjunction with NRHA's Annual 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 the Health Equity Conference.
Online applications are no longer being accepted.
The current council roster consists of the following individuals:
David Line,Ph.D. (chair) Eastern Washington University Associate professor | David L. Albright, Ph.D. University of Alabama Endowed Chair in Mental Health | Agnes Attakai, M.P.A. University of Arizona Zuckerman College of Public Health Director of health disparities outreach |
Sarah Beehler, Ph.D. University of Minnesota Medical School Dept. of Family Medicine Assistant professor | Sarah Brinkman, M.B.A. Stratis Health Program manager | Carla Gibson REACH Healthcare Foundation Vice president of programs |
Carrie Henning-Smith, Ph.D. University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center Deputy director | Sarah Huling Forks Community Hospital Hospital board, RHLR board | Susan Kunz, M.P.H. Consultant |
Mary-Katherine McNatt, D.Ph., M.P.H. | Joni Nelson, Ph.D. Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine Division of Population Oral Health Assistant professor | Bryan Price University of Virginia Cancer Center Outreach and Education Specialist |
Jan Probst, Ph.D. University of South Carolina Distinguished professor emerita | Julie St. John, Dr.Ph. | Mina Tanaka, M.D. Northern Navajo Medical Center Internal medicine physician |
Kay Miller Temple, M.D. Rural Health Information Hub Physician writer and journalist | Matthew Tobey, M.D. Massachusetts General Hospital Rural medicine programs director Harvard Medical School Assistant professor | Maricela Vallejo Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Medical student |
Heather Whetsell, M.B.A. Southern Illinois University Medicine Office of Population Science and Policy Administrative director |
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 the annual NRHA 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 more than 21,000 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.