Institute Team

“I became a model for learning about leadership for our organization, which previously had relied on people having ‘natural’ leadership talent and had not invested in leadership training.”

—participant, 2007

Core faculty and staff for the NWPHLI include:

• Susan Allan, MD, JD, MPH is the Director of the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice at the University of Washington School of Public Health, and is an Associate Professor in the  Department of Health Services. She is Co-Principal Investigator for the Public Health Training Center, supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration. Dr. Allan has been on faculty in the School of Public Health since July 2008. She has extensive experience in public health practice, including positions as the Director of Health for the State of Oregon and Arlington County, Virginia.
• Jack Thompson, MSW is a former Director of the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice at the University of Washington and is a Senior Lecturer with the  Department of Health Services. He has served as director of the Seattle Health Services Division, executive director of Neighborhood Health Centers of Seattle, and consultant to the Robert Wood Johnson Turning Point Initiative.

• Jeremy Sappington, MSPH is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health Services. Mr. Sappington teaches organizational management in the Master of Health Administration Program. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of Public Health and has 40 years of experience in public health education and organizational development.
• Ray M. (Bud) Nicola, MD, MHSA, FACPM is a senior consultant and CDC assignee to the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice and an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Health Services, where he is Director of the Community-Oriented Public Health Practice MPH Program. Dr. Nicola is a former director of Public Health – Seattle & King County and the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department.
  
• Luann D’Ambrosio, MEd is Assistant Director of the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. She has more than 16 years of experience as a public health professional focusing on health promotion and disease prevention education and training programs. Ms. D'Ambrosio received her Master's in Education from Seattle University. Prior to coming to the Center, she was manager of professional education programs at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, where she designed, coordinated, and evaluated a number of community-based programs.

• Candace Tkachuck is a Research and Training Specialist at the Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. Before joining NWCPHP, Ms. Tkachuck worked for the Department of Health Services as the assistant to the departmental chair. She has also worked in the public school system. Contact: cyt@u.washington.edu 206-685-2947