ABOUT US
PROJECT TEAM | ADVISORY BOARD

PROJECT TEAM

Whitney Brooks (Project Coordinator)
Development Associate, California State Rural Health Association

As development associate of the California State Rural Health Association (CSRHA), Whitney Brooks assists with foundation research, proposal development and writing, and membership recruitment and retention outreach efforts. In addition, she serves as coordinator for the Transforming the Future of Rural Health Care Communities through Economic Development project. For this program, Ms. Brooks organizes activities of the project team as well as the rural health organization participants. Ms. Brooks recently graduated from University of California Davis, and received her Bachelor of Arts in socio-cultural anthropology. Her interest in the relationship between cultural systems health problems lead her to pursue a position at CSRHA. Prior to working with CSRHA, Ms. Brooks interned for the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics (CCLE) in Davis, California. The CCLE is an organization devoted to elaborating the law, policy and ethics of freedom of thought.

Paty Gonzalez (Website and Communications Manager)
Education and Communications Manager, California State Rural Health Association

Ms. Gonzalez has been with the California State Rural Health Association (CSRHA) since April of 2002. She is responsible for providing members with up-to-date educational resources and news through CSRHA's electronic news publication, the Rural Health Advocate and the CSRHA web site. She manages rural workforce programs and the CSRHA annual conference. Ms. Gonzalez received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. She also holds an Associate of Arts in Paralegal Studies and is a licensed Pharmacy Technician. Ms. Gonzalez was born and raised in rural El Dorado County where she has lived the majority of her life. She is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Cathy Martin (Project Director)
Executive Director, California State Rural Health Association

Cathy Martin joined CSRHA as the executive director September 25, 2006. Ms. Martin graduated from CSU, Sacramento with a degree in Political Science and has spent the last 14 years working in the nonprofit sector for the California Center for Civic Education. As the Associate Director for the California Center, Ms. Martin gained valuable experience growing a nonprofit organization from the ground up. She understands the challenges that nonprofits face and is excited to be taking on new challenges in the area of rural health care.

Ms. Martin is also looking forward to contributing her knowledge of the legislative process and policy in an effort to strengthen the voice of rural Californians at a statewide and national level. She understands the importance of bringing all stake holders to the table in order to form win-win strategies so that positive strides can be made in the effort to improve all aspects of health care for rural residents.

Having family roots deep in the central valley, including Lemoore, Hanford, and Madera California, Cathy is honored to be a part of an association that is doing such important work for rural communities.

Debra Olesen (Project Consultant)
Regional Director, John Snow, Inc.

Mrs. Olesen has an extensive primary health care administration and consulting background. For twenty-five years she worked in rural health, orchestrating the development of a non-profit rural health care network of family practice clinics servicing central eastern Colorado. The National Rural Health Association recognized this network as the “Outstanding Rural Practice in America” in 1997. Over the past ten years she has served as a roster consultant providing Technical Assistance (TA) to over 150 Community Health Centers (CHC) and National Health Service Corp (NHSC) sites across the country. The assistance provided has ranged in scope from board development and strategic planning to consultation on the improvement of operational systems including fiscal management, provider compensation, revenue maximization, policy development, as well as the feasibility and implementation of Rural Health Clinic status.

Ms. Olesen is currently serving as one of four national trainers involved in the training of CHCs in the collection of data describing the financial and operational parameters for the 330 Uniform Data System (UDS). She also serves as a UDS technical editor for a number of BPHC funded sites. Additionally she provides oversight consultation as an Administration / Governance and Fiscal / MIS reviewer for the bureau's Primary Care Effectiveness Review process. Her extensive experience as a grant reviewer for the BPHC and Office of Rural Health Policy has given Mrs. Olesen a unique understanding of the great breadth of initiatives that communities undertake to improve access. She has participated in the objective review process for applications for new/expanded access, ISDI, and HCAP funding, as well as rural networking grants.

Michael Rodriguez (Project Consultant)
HIT Projects Director, John Snow, Inc.

Michael P. Rodriguez is a senior level consultant and project manager at John Snow, Inc., with over 15 years experience in consulting, healthcare, creating technology solutions, international research and contracting with a wide range of public, private and community health organizations. As a senior staff member for a national community health consulting practice, Mr. Rodriguez has provided detailed analyses of both the business and clinical operations of community, rural and migrant health centers, primary care associations, and other networks of providers. A major focus of his work has been on developing robust information systems, which typically require significant capital. Mr. Rodriguez has done significant research and worked with his clients to identify and access a wide variety of resources, such as federal and state development grants, developing special districts (e.g., Empowerment Zones and Renewal Communities), low cost federal or private loans, as well as accessing local funding. Mr. Rodriguez works with clients to build comprehensive funding plans for capital projects and presents seminars on the topic at community health conferences across the country.

Mr. Rodriguez was the Manager of Consulting Services at American Group Practice, Inc. and worked for the City of New York as a Senior Analyst in the Department of Mental Health prior to entering the community and public health consulting arena. Mr. Rodriguez received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Middle East Studies (with a focus on International Relations and Economic Development) from the University of California, Berkeley and his Master of Arts degree in Political Science (focused on Social Welfare Policy) from Columbia University in the City of New York.

Mr. Rodriguez is active in many professional organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of The Samaritans of New York. He is also an active member of both the Colorado and California State Rural Health Associations, and the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California.

Desiree Rose (Evaluations Manager)
Development Manager, California State Rural Health Association

Ms. Rose currently serves as the development manager of the California State Rural Health Association. Over the past two years, Ms. Rose has contributed her research and writing expertise in the areas of foundation, corporate and government grant writing, policy briefs and position papers, and membership correspondence. Ms. Rose has assisted with grant and fundraising efforts totally approximately $800,000 for CSRHA. In addition, Ms. Rose researches funding opportunities for more than 400 healthcare organizations each month. Ms. Rose is a member of the California Association of Non Profits, and serves as the staff to the CSRHA Membership Development Task Force, and the Rural Health Research Network. Ms. Rose received a Bachelors of Arts in English and a minor in Social and Ethnic Relations from the University of California, Davis.

Reesa Webb (Project Consultant)
Project Director, John Snow, Inc.

Reesa Webb has 28 years of health care experience both as an administrator and as a consultant. Ms. Webb has her Masters in Biometry and has completed the University of Colorado's Graduate Program in Health Care Financial Management.

Ms. Webb's particular expertise is in the following areas: community needs assessments, strategic planning, facilitation, primary care service development, integrated health care delivery systems, market research, grantsmanship and new business development. Ms. Webb also has an extensive background working with health care organizations in rural areas. Recently, Ms. Webb has been working with the Title X Family Planning program to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of federally funded family planning clinics.

During her career, Ms. Webb has worked with community health centers, hospitals, physicians' practices, family planning clinics, long term care facilities and community based coalitions in both rural and urban areas to improve their ability to deliver high quality, accessible, cost effective health care. Ms. Webb has assisted these agencies and organizations in successfully meeting the health care needs and challenges of their communities.

Some recent examples of projects include:

• Facilitating a strategic planning process for Plains Medical Center, a multi-site community health center headquartered in Limon, Colorado. This project entailed conducting a planning retreat for Board, physicians and staff. The retreat involved an environmental scan, a strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats analyses, and determination of priority goals, objectives and strategies.
  
• Conducting a medical needs assessment for Telluride, Colorado. The needs assessment was commissioned by the Telluride Foundation to determine the need for expanding health care services and the best location for the services. The assessment involved the collection of primary data through a phone survey, focus groups and key informant interviews. The assessment also included the analyses of secondary data to determine market and financial feasibility of identified product lines. The results of the primary research were synthesized with the data analyses and recommendations were presented to the Telluride Foundation regarding the optimal health care delivery system for Telluride.
• Developing a Community Health Center New Access Point Grant for Cheyenne, Wyoming. Development of the grant involved researching and compiling the pertinent data as well as determining the scope of the project, the goals for the project, the management plan and the budget for the project.

Kathy Yarbrough (Project Consultant)
Executive Director, Rural Health Design Network

With over thirty five years of health care experience, Ms. Yarbrough has demonstrated leadership experience in the operation of non-profit, public district and rural healthcare systems, including: financial turnaround; organizational restructuring; community outreach and planning; capital campaign development; new facility planning, development and opening; implementation of Continuous Quality Improvement Programs: marketing and public relation programs; development and implementation of new services with physician recruitment and development to support sustainable clinical programs; developed clinic systems to support outreach communities; successful compliance programs; and active participation in community, state, national and professional organizations.

Ms. Yarbrough has been frequently recognized for her leadership and contribution to rural health in the state of California by her peers. Particular to this partnership, the RHDN provided expertise to rural health organizations in the broad areas of board leadership, community assessment and training development.

[back to top]

ADVISORY BOARD

Julie Griffiths (Advisory Board Member)
District Office Director, Assemblyman Mike Villines, Rural Caucus Chair

Kay Reynolds (Advisory Board Member)
Executive Director, California Academy for Economic Development
Vice President, California Association for Local Economic Development

Kay Reynolds has over 30 years of economic development experience, specializing in business assistance and retention, strategic planning, and economic revitalization. Her primary focus has been on statewide policy and rural development, emphasizing improved quality of life.

Reynolds also operates her own consulting firm, focusing on projects in Calaveras County. Reynolds served as Executive Director for a rural countywide economic development corporation, Federal Grants Coordinator for the City of El Paso, Deputy Director of Local Economic Development for the State of California, and Executive Director of two statewide economic development associations. She has written over $28 million in successful grant applications. Specializing in project analysis, business visitation, and marketing, Reynolds has worked with hundreds of companies, nonprofits, and individuals, providing business counseling and help with business plans.

She is passionate about mountains, skiing, rock climbing, fishing, camping, and Mozart. She breathes rural. Reynolds and her husband John raised their sons in Calaveras County and are building a home above Fiddletown.

Colly Tettelbach (Chair of the Advisory Board)
Immediate Past-President, CSRHA Board of Directors

Ms. Tettelbach was born in San Francisco, but reared in Salinas, California, where she currently resides. Tettelbach was trained as a nurse at the University of California in San Francisco. After practicing critical care nursing for several years, she became an instructor in nursing and then received her first Master's degree in Nursing Education from California State University in Los Angeles. She also received a Master's degree in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. While in Pasadena, she instructed during at Pasadena City College and started the first Paramedic program in a community college in California.

Tettelbach coordinated the Allied Health Programs at Gavilan College in Gilroy and then was the Director of Nursing and Health Services programs at Hartnell College in Salinas. In 1998, she was promoted to the position of Director of the Regional Health Occupations Resource Center, which is located on the Hartnell campus. In this position, she served 14 regional community colleges, assisting them to develop and implement allied health programs in response to health industry need. Her region comprised most of the Central Valley of California.

[back to top]