Health Council of South Florida Welcomes New Team Members
We are pleased to announce the addition of
two new Community Health Specialists!
Marisel Losa, President and CEO said “I am so very proud to welcome these two outstanding public health experts to the HCSF family. I am confident they will fit in with our team ethos of innovation and exceptional service as we further develop our growing portfolio of regional work.”
Anjana Morris, PhD, MPH
Community Health Specialist, joins us as a key addition to our research, data and evaluation team with a focus in thePartnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) grant. In addition, as a sign of our commitment to Monroe County, Anjana will facilitate the Monroe Local Coordinating Board for the transportation disadvantaged, as well as work with the community to develop high quality solutions for their health challenges.
“I am so excited to work with HCSF in its goal to build a stronger link between data and community health practice. By providing reliable, up-to-date data to hospitals, non-profits, and other health-related entities, HCSF enables local organizations to more effectively tailor their programs and practices to the unique needs of the community.”
Anjana received both a Masters in Public Health in Health Behavior and PhD in Developmental Psychology, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Prior to joining the Council, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Miami, focused on the relationships between adolescent mental health and chronic illness, community violence, and family violence.
Andrea Sparano, MPH
Community Health Specialist, brings a wealth of experience and industry knowledge which makes her a vital addition the HCSF evaluation team. Her primary focus will be the Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH)initiative which focuses policy, system and environmental change through improvements in Smoke/Tobacco-free Protection Strategies, Physical Activity in Childcare Settings and Community & Clinical Linkages/Healthy Hubs. In addition, as a sign of our commitment to Monroe County, Andrea will facilitate the Southeast Florida Cancer Control Collaborative (SFCCC).
“I’m very happy to join the HCSF team and am excited to support the Council in its mission to drive integration, collaboration and engagement for improved health and wellness in our local communities through the facilitation of partnerships, and quality program planning and evaluation.”
Andrea received her Masters in Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences and her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology both from the University of Florida (UF). Prior to joining the Health Council, she planned funded health programs at United Way of Miami-Dade and worked as a health educator at the Florida Department of Health in Collier County. During her graduate studies she worked on health communication tools designed to increase tuberculosis awareness in the Hispanic community as well as traveled to El Salvador to assess the health needs of disadvantaged populations.
The Health Council of South Florida, Inc. is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization serving as the state designated local health planning agency for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. For over 46 years, HCSF has been engaged in forecasting health care needs and access to health care delivery systems, providing data analysis and insight, increasing public awareness, and providing consultation and assistance to Miami-Dade County officials in the development and implementation of health care policy. The Council also provides esential services such as GIS mapping, community health needs assessments, meeting facilitation and event coordination.
It is the HCSF’s mission to be the source of unbiased health and quality of life data and analysis; the preferred partner for quality program planning, management, evaluation, and community services; the facilitator of collaboration and partnerships in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties; and the trusted champion for ethical and targeted healthcare policy at the local, state, and national levels. For more information, please visit: www.healthcouncil.org.