Project REACH: Health Policy and Leadership Training for Rural Minnesotans.
Breakfast Club Webinars
Overview
Project REACH: Health Policy and Leadership Training for Rural Minnesotans.
Wednesday, January 18th at 8:30 am CST
We heard from speakers Katie Rydberg, Ann Bussey and Leah Lehtola as they talked about Project REACH. Project REACH (Rural Experts Advancing Community Health) is a year-long health policy training for community leaders in rural Minnesota. In the program, participants learn how to frame health policy challenges and communicate effectively with state legislators and other local policymakers. This webinar will describe the program model and curriculum, as well as provide information on the application process. Two past Project REACH participants will also share about their policy work and experience in the program.
SPEAKERS
Katie Rydberg
Program Manager for the University of Minnesota Rural Health Program.
Katie Rydberg is a Program Manager for the University of Minnesota Rural Health Program. She manages the operations and development of the Rural Health Program, which provides training and support for public health and health policy challenges in rural Minnesota, including the Project REACH (Rural Experts Advancing Community Health) program. In addition, she has contributed to research projects at the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center related to rural housing, the direct care workforce in rural communities, ransomware attacks on rural hospitals, and evaluations of two planning HRSA grant. Prior to joining the University of Minnesota, she coordinated a local substance abuse prevention and mental health coalition in Rice County, Minnesota. Katie holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology/Anthropology from St. Olaf College and an MPH in Community Health Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Leah Lehtola
Community Health Leader
Leah Lehtola is a Community Health Leader from Montevideo, MN and member of the inaugural cohort of the University of Minnesota Project REACH (Rural Experts Advancing Community Health) program. Her work in Project REACH focused on addressing the high rates of suicidal ideation among 11th grade girls in Chippewa County. For the past 7 years, Leah has shown a dedication to the organization she works for and the community through various organizational health-focused initiatives. Most recently, as the CCM Wellness Center & Community Health Director. She uses her role to proactively reach members in the community to address physical health as well as social health through coordinated programs and events. Leah holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health Education from Minnesota State University Mankato. In her spare time, Leah enjoys spending time at the lake, trying new recipes, and chasing after her two young children with her husband, Jordan.
Ann Bussey
Thriving in Longevity Advocate
Ann Bussey serves as a Thriving in Longevity Advocate for Minnesota’s rural older adult population. Ann is currently the Chair of the Governor appointed Minnesota Rural Health Advisory Committee, a member of the Fairview Range Central Mesabi Medical Foundation Board, and a Fellow in the first cohort of Project REACH, a University of Minnesota policy collaborative to improve rural health outcomes. Her work in the program focused on addressing social isolation in older adults living in the Iron Range. Ann completed a Master of Arts in Management at the College of St. Scholastic and her undergraduate degree at St. Catherine’s University in St. Paul. She lives in Side Lake MN.