Leadership
Staff Members
Jodi Palmer, MSW, CEO/Executive Director
Jodi Palmer, MSW, has been appointed CEO/Executive Director of Western Washington Area Health Education Center. Jodi has more than 30 years in health and human services planning and administration. Jodi had previously served as WWAHEC’s Deputy Director. Jodi’s background includes community mobilization, group facilitation, conflict resolution and coalition building across a variety of health and human services. Before joining WWAHEC, Jodi managed mental health services for Pierce County where she staffed the County Mental Health Advisory Board. She has a master’s in social work from the University of Washington School of Social Work with a focus on planning and administration.
Renee Fullerton, MPH, Program Coordinator
Renee Fullerton, MPH, is new to WWAHEC and has several responsibilities as part of her position. She coordinates the Rural Outreach Nursing Education Program, works to place health professional students, helps with primary care provider recruitment and provides technical assistance.
Coming into the position, she has several years of experience with rural health issues, developed while working for the Arizona Rural Health Office. Renee earned her MPH degree from the University of Arizona, Zuckerman College of Public Health. Before going back to school to get her master’s degree in public health, she spent five years as a journalist, working at newspapers in Missouri, Oregon and Arizona. This diverse background gives her extensive experience in information design and communications along with a public health perspective on rural and urban underserved health issues. Renee has a special interest in ensuring an adequate mental health workforce for Western Washington and in public policies that affect health.
Jana Lindner, BA, Program Manager
Jana Linder manages the Volunteer/Retired Providers (VRP) Program and Project H.O.P.E. (Health Occupations Preparatory Experience) and she is well acquainted with the AHEC programs in Washington State. Before going back to school to get her education degree, she worked at both Western Washington Area Health Education Center and the Area Health Education Center of Eastern Washington. This makes her familiar with the AHEC mission and with rural and urban underserved healthcare issues. Jana is diplomatic, patient and detail oriented and is a perfect match for WWAHEC and this position.
Frank Kohel, Office Manager
Frank Kohel has more than 20 years experience working with non-profit agencies in the northwest. He has been with Western Washington Area Health Education Center since March 1997. Frank’s non-profit career began at Northwest AIDS Foundation, currently called Lifelong AIDS Alliance. Among his many duties there in the administrative and fund raising departments, he chaired the committee that created “Dining Out for Life” and was the marketing and logistics coordinator for Northwest AIDS Walk 1991 & 1992. The 1991 Walk was the first walk raising more than $1 million. He spent several years with Puget Sound Neighborhood Health Centers, now called Neighborcare Health. Projects included the development, design and production of the Heart Healthy Cookbook; coordination of design and production of a Managed Care Patient Handbook; the development, design and presentation of the Managed Care Patient Orientation; production of Dental Program marketing materials, coordination of design and production of immunization grant materials; and support to the Dental Director and three Clinic Managers for six clinics.
Patricia Egwuatu, Youth Health Service Corps Coordinator
Patricia Egwuatu is the new Youth Health Service Corps Coordinator at Western Washington Area Health Education Center. She is a recent University of Washington graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Medical Anthropology and Global Heath. She was also pre-med at UW and plans to attend medical school in the future and become a pediatrician.
Patricia works with high school students, providing them with service learning opportunities within the health field. Students in YHSC learn significant life skills for the professional world, such as cultural relativity. They also learn useful hands-on skills like CPR. Students implement these skills by completing 50 hours of community service in a local health facility. Students are given opportunities to connect with health professionals and learn about the wide range of possible health careers.
Board of Directors
Kennethia R. Ishman, MHA
Kent, WA
Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness Program
President
Ki Shinn, MD
Montesano, WA
General Internist
President-elect
Myrtle Mitchell, RN, PhD
Bellevue, WA
Dean Emeritus, Professional & Technical Education,
Seattle Central Community College
Immediate Past President
Nola Ormrod, RN
Centralia, WA
Nursing Director, Centralia College
Board Treasurer
Louise Parker, MS, PhD
Puyallup, WA
Director of Extension Family Programs
Washington State University
Board Secretary
Rosa Franklin, RN, BA, MA
Tacoma, WA
State Senator Emeritus
Margie Godfrey, ARNP
Warrenton, OR
Nurse Practitioner
Kathleen Kinsey, MSN, MPA, MPH, BSN, RN
Suquamish, WA
Community Health Nurse, Suquamish Tribe
Jim Lowery
Centralia, WA
Centralia College Board of Trustees
