Speakers
Sam Barrons, MA, MS, LAMFT-AZ, MFTC-CO, ALMFT-IL
Clinical Therapist , Smallwood Behavioral
Sam Barrons (He/Him/His) is a trans and queer-identified Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist serving communities in Arizona, Colorado, and Illinois with Smallwood Behavioral. He holds a Master of Arts in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Cincinnati and a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy with distinction from Capella University. Sam is a member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and their Queer and Trans Advocacy Network. He specializes in working with LGBTQI+ individuals, couples, and families.
Bianca Chadez
Lead Behavioral Health Clinician, Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS
Bianca (She/Her/Ella) is a Lead Behavioral Health Clinical who works with all populations, with a focus centered on Trauma, LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC communities, depression and anxiety, neurodivergence, children/adolescents, and couples counseling. She attended Arizona State University for her undergrad and worked as a case manager for children in foster care for four years, with a majority of her caseload being LGBTQIA2S+ youth who had little access to mental health resources or LGBTQIA2+ knowledge. She decided to continue her education by receiving a Master of Counseling with an Emphasis on Trauma, Abuse, and Deprivation from Ottawa University
Beckie Child, Ph.D. MSW
Professor of Practice Utica University
Beckie Child is a lived experience researcher. She uses her lived experience of having a psychiatric disability and more than 25 years of advocacy to inform her research practice. Beckie's research interests include the lived experience of receiving mental health services and increasing equity in health outcomes for people diagnosed with mental health conditions. She loves waterfalls, music, and cats.
Sarah Christensen, MA
Co-chair Patient Education Guidelines for Health Care Professionals, Health Care Education Association (HCEA)
Sarah Christensen is the director of Patient Education at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She leads a dynamic team in creating health literate content and providing reliable resources at 2 patient libraries. Sarah is the co-chair of HCEA’s patent education guidelines work group and incoming chair for the national Cancer Patient Education Network (CPEN).
Carolyn Cutillii, PhD RN
Co-chair Patient Education Guidelines for Health Care Professional Health Care Education Association (HCEA)
Dr. Carolyn Cutilli is a patient education specialist at Penn Medicine and past president of the Health Care Education Association (HCEA) and co-chair of the HCEA's patient education guidelines work group. Her scholarly work focuses on geriatric health literacy and she has obtained grants in health literacy and communication. Carolyn has published extensively and speaks nationally/internationally.
Sharla Glass, M.A.
Public Policy and Community Outreach Liaison - En-Vision America
Sharla has 17 years of experience advocating for accessible prescription labeling for the visually impaired and print impaired in a variety of positions with En-Vision America. In 2021 En-Vision America expanded it’s outreach to those with limited English proficiency. When not working she and her six children enjoy gardening, baking, books, hiking and tea parties.
Dr. Amy Jelliffe
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Amy Jelliffe is a Board-Certified Psychiatrist and a Certified Yoga Teacher.
Amy graduated from Stanford University, Case Western Reserve and University of New Mexico. She’s been working as a Psychiatrist and Medical Director in Arizona since 1997. Through Yoga for Growth and Healing Inc., she teaches health promotion and self-care skills from Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Noelle Veilleux Markham, RDN
Population Health Dietitian Arizona Department of Health Services
Noelle Veilleux Markham, RDN serves as the Population Health Dietitian at the Arizona Department of Health Services. Noelle has 9 years of experience as an RDN and has spent the entirety of her career in public health nutrition with a focus on nutrition messaging and policy, systems, and environmental change strategies.
Nate Rhoton
Chief Executive Officer one*n*ten
Joining the team in the fall of 2015, Nate (he/him/his) first served as the Director of Development, followed by Director of Finance & Operations, before assuming his current role (with the title of Executive Director) in January of 2018. Following a career of 15 years in corporate management and finance, he decided to serve the community with his nonprofit fundraising and development expertise. Born and raised in Arizona, he graduated from Flagstaff High School. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Arizona State University's WP Carey School of Business, graduating magna cum laude in 2000. Over the last decade, he has committed himself to nonprofit service, serving on the Arizona steering committee of the Human Rights Campaign for four years, the board of the Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, The Melonhead Foundation, and as co-chair of the board of directors for Equality Arizona from 2012 to 2015.
Keynote: Dr. Oscar F. Rojas Perez
Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health
Dr. Rojas Perez is an associate research scientist at Yale University School of Medicine. He received his doctorate from the counseling psychology program at the University of Missouri and completed his pre-doctoral internship at La Clínica Hispana at Yale. Broadly, his professional contributions focus on the development and cultural/linguistic adaptation of measures and interventions, Latinx immigrant well-being and trauma, and multicultural responsive training.
Kado Stewart
one*n*ten
Kado (He/They) has worked for one*n*ten for more than 14 years in various roles and served for the last three years in their current role. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in social justice/gender and sexuality studies. He is also an American Camp Association Certified Camp Director. Over the last three years, they have demonstrated significant leadership abilities by supporting our team through the pandemic, developing virtual programs, and furthering our efforts to address organizational goals around race, equity, and inclusion. For many nonprofits, these opportunity areas can significantly derail progress, but through his support and guidance, one*n*ten continues to thrive. Over 15 years ago, he developed and launched Camp OUTdoors, now the largest LGBTQ+ summer camp program of its kind.
Aaron L. Taliaferro, M.Ed.
one*n*ten
Aaron (He/Him/His) joined one*n*ten at the start of 2022 and serves as the Director of Youth Center and Wellness. Prior to one*n*ten Aaron worked in higher education for over 12 years, the last five years serving in Academic and Career Advisement at Scottsdale Community College. Aaron has a master's in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Texas Tech University and a bachelor's in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Aaron is currently finishing up a master's in educational psychology and becoming a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. Being a transplant to Phoenix, Aaron believes strongly in community enrichment. In 2018 he created and organized a collective of gay men of color, which has grown to a network of 500+ individuals, ensuring connection to both community and resources.
Michael Villaire, MSLM
Institute for Healthcare Advancement
Michael Villaire is President/CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Advancement, where he’s worked since 2000. He has previously worked as managing editor for several peer reviewed medical and nursing journals. He is a co-author of two books in health literacy, as well as several book chapters and dozens of articles.
Col. (R) Wanda Wright
Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services Director
Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services Director, Col. Wanda Wright is the third generation of her family to serve in the U.S. military. She has three decades of military experience. As a 1985 United States Air Force Academy graduate, Col. Wright began her military career as Deputy Budget Officer with the Tactical Air Command at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina with a follow-on assignment to Davis-Monthan AFB as the Budget Officer. Leaving active duty in 1990, Col. Wright joined the Arizona National Guard. During the next 21 years, she served in various positions including accounting and finance officer, communications officer, executive officer and, finally, as the Director of Staff for the Adjutant General in Phoenix. Among her proudest achievements was to serve as Air Commander of Operation Jump Start from June 2006 to December 2008 during which she commanded more than 4,000 airmen from 52 states and territories on our Southwest border. Col. Wright holds a B.S. in Management from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a M.B.A from Webster University in South Carolina, a M.P.A. from the University of Arizona, and a M.A. in Educational Leadership from Arizona State University. Col. Wright’s decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. In 2018, Col. Wright was appointed to the VA’s Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, an expert national panel that advises the secretary on issues and programs impacting women veterans.
