LEADERSHIP & STAFF


The Oklahoma Public Health Association is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of five Officers, two Members-at-Large, two Section & Caucus Representatives, the APHA Affiliate Representative, and select Committee Chairs. Board Members serve terms ranging from one to three years and typically assume their positions at OPHA's annual conference held in September.

      • First elected as President-Elect, the President serves their first year as President-Elect, automatically becomes President their second year, and automatically becomes Immediate Past-President during their third and final year on the Board. 
      • The Secretary and Treasurer are elected and serve two-year terms.
      • The Affiliate Representative to the Governing Council (ARGC) is appointed by the President for a three-year term. 
      • Two Members-at-Large are elected for two-year terms, elected on alternate years.
      • Two Section and Caucus Representatives shall be elected for one-year terms by the membership at the annual conference. 
      • The Public Policy Committee Chair, Membership Committee Chair, and Resource Development Chair are appointed by the President for a one-year term.
      • The Student Caucus Chair is appointed for a one-year term by members of the Student Caucus. 

OPHA STAFF


ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Jan Howard | janhoward@opha.net

Jan Howard serves as Oklahoma Public Health Association Administrative Assistant. She has worked with the OPHA since September 2010. She is medically retired from Tinker AFB and since then has worked as an independent bookkeeper for a number of individuals and for two other non-profits over the years. You can reach her by emailing opha@opha.net or by calling 405-605-2099 from 8 - 11 a.m.



2023 - 2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS


OFFICER - PRESIDENT

Tracy Freudenthaler, PhD, MPH | president@opha.net

Tracy Freudenthaler has earned both her PhD and her MPH (OSU and OUHSC respectively). Her professional background includes conducting clinical research trials and over 10 years teaching in higher education. She coordinated a large-scale (5,000 subject) human papillomavirus (HPV) clinical trial in Northeastern Oklahoma and Arkansas and has partnered with various pharmaceutical companies leading to FDA approvals of both her vaccines and STA testing products. She loves to serve her community, connecting women with health services regardless of health insurance or ability to pay. When she is not in the classroom discussing community health, you’ll find her writing about historical patent medicines and late 1800’s medical treatments related to abnormal psychology. 


OFFICER - SECRETARY
Wendi Middleton, PhD, CHES | wendimiddleton@outlook.com

Dr. Wendi Middleton received her Ph.D. in Health Education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and her Masters of Science in Biology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Her areas of research interest include the impact of climate change on health, environmental health, and epidemiological issues, especially those pertaining to tick-borne diseases; chronic illnesses, such as obesity and asthma; and modifiable behaviors including lack of physical activity. Dr. Middleton has spent over 15 years teaching in higher education and enjoys teaching a variety of courses including Nutritional Sciences, Epidemiology, and Environmental and Occupational Health. Outside of the classroom, Dr. Middleton spends her time enjoying life with family and friends, attending rock concerts, and gardening.


OFFICER - TREASURER
Kamisha Busby, MBA | kdpernell@yahoo.com

Kamisha D. Busby has been working as the Maternal and Child Health Equity and Special Projects Manager for the Oklahoma State Department of Health since December 2019. In this role, she works closely with her colleagues in focusing on the reduction of infant mortality and premature births while empowering families and encouraging healthcare providers to provide quality and equitable care to their clients which she holds dear to her heart. She also serves as the Quality Improvement Coordinator in Maternal and Child Health services addressing maternal health and is active on other community-based committees that focus on Maternal/Child Health including serving as a past Health Care Chair of the Infant Mortality Alliance Health Care Workgroup of Oklahoma County, and current agency lead for the Health Disparities Workgroup of the Oklahoma Maternal Health Taskforce. Having the experience of working for non-profits and local government, Kamisha brings over 16 years of public health and nursing experience and knowledge to the field. In the community, Kamisha continues to serve her community in several capacities. She is a board member of March of Dimes Oklahoma Chapter, Family Builders, Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church, and the Stork’s Nest of Oklahoma City. She holds a Masters in Business Administration with a focus in Health Care Administration from Southern Nazarene University, and a Bachelors degree in Public Health and a Bachelors degree Nursing from the University of Central Oklahoma.


APHA AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE GOVERNING COUNCIL &

PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR

McKenzie Cowlbeck MPH, CPH | she/her | mckenziecowlbeck@gmail.com

Born and raised in Ardmore, Oklahoma, McKenzie Cowlbeck (she/her) is a lifelong Oklahoman. McKenzie is a proud two-time University of Oklahoma with a BS in Math and Sciences and an MPH in Health Policy. Post-grad, she finished her CDC & ChangeLab Solutions Public Health Law Fellowship on policy surveillance and now works and volunteers for OPHA full-time. She spearheads OPHA's policy and advocacy efforts as Policy Director and Policy Committee Co-Chair. McKenzie also serves as OPHA's Affiliate Representative to the APHA Governing Council (ARGC). She lives in Norman with her partner Westin and beloved dog Belle, the second of whom often makes appearances in the Policy Committee's virtual meetings, and enjoys walking, reading, and doing NYT games and punch needle art in her free time. She feels passionately about improving the quality of life in her state through evidence-informed policy and public health advocacy.


MEMBER-AT-LARGE

Katie Qualls Fay, MS, MCHES | katieqfay@gmail.com

Katie Qualls Fay is a proud seventh-generation Oklahoman. She knew she was destined for a career in health education when she was elected to deliver the “Why I Live Tobacco Free” speech at her D.A.R.E program assembly in 6th grade. She's now working for the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline with the TSET Health Promotion Research Center on the OUHSC campus. She's still telling people why she lives tobacco free (and you should too!). Katie is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in health. She also holds a Master Certified Health Education Specialist certification. Outside of work, Katie volunteers with her sorority as a critical conversation facilitator where she travels to college campuses in the U.S. to lead conversations on sexual assault, alcohol skills, and mental health. She serves on the Board of Directors for UShine – a local nonprofit that provides curriculum to improve mental and emotional well-being for youth and young adults. She lives in Oklahoma City with her husband Evan and dog Duke and attends every home OU football game.


SECTION & CAUCUS REPRESENTATIVE

Jessica Imotichey, MPH, MLS | jessica.imotichey@chickasaw.net

Jessica Imotichey received her Masters in Public Health, with a focus in Health Administration & Policy, from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and her Masters in Legal Studies in Indigenous People’s Law from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. She has spent much of her career working on American Indian health policy issues and currently serves as the Health Policy & Legislative Analyst for the Chickasaw Nation. In her free time, Jessica enjoys camping throughout the various National Parks.  

 

SECTION & CAUCUS REPRESENTATIVE

Wendy Frankenburger MPH, CHES | wendy.frankenburger@ascension.org

Wendy chose public health because she believes in equitable access to health care for all individuals. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist and Certified in Public Health after receiving a BS from Oklahoma State University and an MPH from the OU Health Sciences Center-Hudson College of Public Health. Her focus is on reducing barriers to care, addressing social determinants of health, advocacy, education and making connections to improve health outcomes. In her current role as the community benefit manager at Ascension St. John, she is involved with community engagement opportunities and oversees a small grant program. She tracks initiatives, programs, services and activities provided by the organization’s six hospitals that address the health-related needs of the community, including those identified through the Hospital's Community Health Needs Assessments as she leads the CHNA and implementation process. Prior to that, she worked for the Oklahoma State Department of Health for over 6 years as a county health educator. She is the current Chair of the PHEHP section of OPHA, involved in many community coalitions,  the THD CHIP and the Chronic Disease and Risk Factors and Management group and serves on the board of Caring Community Friends in Sapulpa. She lives in Tulsa with her husband and two daughters and enjoys cycling, traveling, and cooking.


MEMBERSHIP CHAIR

Sara Low, MPH, CPH | saral@tset.ok.gov 

Sara Low is originally from Lawton, OK. She earned her Master of Public Health from the Hudson College of Public Health (HCOPH) at the University of Oklahoma. Sara is currently a Senior Program Manager for community programs at the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET). Prior to joining TSET, she worked on community health improvement projects at state and local levels through her work with the Oklahoma City Planning Department, the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Stephenson Cancer Center, and The Mine OKC (a program of the Ronnie K. Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth at the University of Oklahoma). She has participated in various public health committees and partnerships and is currently a member of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Active Transportation Committee. In 2022, the HCOPH honored Sara with the Young Alumni Professional Award for Interdisciplinary Public Health. Passionate about health equity and access, particularly in rural areas, Sara is committed to shaping healthier futures for all Oklahomans. Sara lives in Oklahoma City with her husband, Will, their daughter, and their cat. In her free time, she enjoys singing karaoke (poorly and only at home), traveling, and spending time with her family.


RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT CHAIR

Daniel Sledge, PhD | daniel-sledge@ouhsc.edu

Daniel Sledge is a scholar of public health and health policy. He received his PhD from Cornell University and is an Associate Professor in the Hudson College of Public Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences. His work deals with issues including the opioid epidemic, public policy and communicable disease, disaster response and recovery, and the development of public health institutions. His research has appeared in publications including the American Journal of Public Health, JAMA, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), and Policy History. His article “Linking Public Health and Individual Medicine” won the best paper award from AJPH. He is passionate about improving public health and about understanding the ways in which public policies impact the day-to-day lives of individuals and communities.


STUDENT CAUCUS CHAIR

Florah Aluoch, MPH, BDS | florah.aluoch@okstate.edu

Florah was born and raised in Kenya and recently moved to Oklahoma. She is a full-time master’s student in Public Health at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater Campus. Her research interests focus on nutrition, mental health, addiction, and healthcare. She previously worked with several non-profit, and community-based organizations in Kenya. During that time, she was implementing several projects in rural communities, working closely with Community Health Workers and several Health facilities to improve the health and well-being of marginalized rural communities and households ensuring they get proper nutrition and health care. She holds a bachelor’s degree in development studies with a focus on Community Health. She is passionate about health and hopes to continue contributing to public health here in Oklahoma. In her free time, she enjoys learning new skills, creating beautiful spaces, and spending time with her new close friends who have become family.


2023 - 2024 SECTION, CAUCUS, & COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP

Community Health Worker Section Chair & Co-Chair - Kerstin Reinschmidt & La'Keira Watson

Conference Planning Committee Co-Chairs - Wendi Middleton & Kamisha Busby

Continuing Education Committee Chair - Tracy Freudenthaler

Emergency Response & Preparedness Chair & Co-Chair - Michael DeRemer II & Stacy White

Epidemiology & Laboratory Chair - Lauren Kidwell

Finance Committee Chair - Kamisha Busby

Health Equity Caucus Chair & Co-Chair - Amy McGehee & Elliot Parker

Oral Health Section Chair - Nicole Reynolds

Public Health Education & Health Promotion Section Chair & Vice-Chair - Wendy Frankenburger & Melissa Simms

Public Policy Committee Co-Chairs - McKenzie Cowlbeck & Stephanie Mansour



Oklahoma Public Health Association
121 NE 52nd Street, Ste. 260
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
405-605-2099
opha@opha.net