Guests:
Ryan Lindsay
Dr. Ryan Lindsay is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community and Public Health at ISU, and co-lead for the ISU Community Health Worker Training Academy. He also serves as Director for Research for the ISU College of Health. His academic interests include community partnerships for health programs and research on substance use and communicable diseases. He has led research in how substance use, including smoking, influences communicable disease infection and progression.
His research has highlighted the plight of people living with HIV/AIDS and/or addiction, people experiencing homelessness or disability, immigrants, and sex worker populations. He has been involved in Community Health Worker workforce development programming in Idaho since 2016.
Kristen Van de Griend
Dr. Kristin Van De Griend serves as the Department Chair for Community and Public Health at ISU, and as the co-lead with Dr. Ryan Lindsay for the HRSA-funded Community Health Worker Academy. She enjoys collaborating with community-based colleagues on global and rural health research and community development programs. She engages in public health research and practice with the intent to promote health equity. She employs community-based, mixed methods in her research, which she grounds within social justice and intersectionality frameworks. She has trained globally through fellowships at the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit-2 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia conducting infectious disease research, and in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Kristin is passionate about strengthening transdisciplinary teamwork and inter-professional education.
Sarah Hibbert Johnson
Sarah Hibbert Johnson earned her Masters in Public Health from Idaho State University, and for the past 3 years has worked as the Program Manager of the ISU Community Health Worker Training Academy. In her current role, Sarah facilitates partnerships, advances Community Health Worker curriculum development, collects and reports grant data, and administers the program across the state. She is passionate about bolstering the CHW workforce across Idaho.
Anna Estrella
Anna Estrella is a woman of faith! Mother to a beautiful daughter. Sister to 5 siblings. Born and raised in Stockton California. Her father Raul, an amazing provider with a tireless work ethic, was a migrant worker where he met Anna’s mother Florence. Anna’s parents are a big influence on why she does what she does. In addition to life experience, her education has come from working with several nonprofits in California: The Encounter Global, Takin’ to the Streets, Blue Fire - Kingdom Keys, Women’s Gospel Rescue Mission, Estrella’s NachAverage and KindLoving Gestures. She moved to Idaho two years ago to be closer to my family and began working at Desert Sage Health Centers as referral coordinator. Her goal is to help as many people as possible and to help build the CHW program in Idaho so that CHW is recognized as a certified career path.
