FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 15, 2008
Contact:
Janice Freedman
(919) 828-1819
North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation Welcomes New Members to its Staff
The Foundation continues to grow with the addition of seven new staff members
(Raleigh, NC) – In an effort to increase awareness of infant mortality and health-related issues for women and young children across the state, the North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation has expanded its Communications, Program and Latino services with seven new hires.
Christine Rogers is the Healthy Start Foundation's new Communications Manager. Christine, an award winning journalist, spent several years as an investigative reporter in her native New York. Prior to accepting her present position she worked at United Healthcare and UNC-TV, North Carolina's statewide public television network, where she produced and hosted the Healthwise series. She was also a correspondent for the nightly news magazine North Carolina Now. Christine received a B.S. from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She also received a Master of Arts and Liberal Studies degree from Duke University.
Aldesha Gore joins the Foundation as the new Communications Assistant. Her educational background includes a B.A. in both English and Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before coming to the Foundation, Aldesha was a staff writer for
The Daily Tar Heel and interned for The Chapel Hill Herald. She also worked as a freelance writer for The Carolina Times, The Triangle Land Conservancy and most recently MyNC.com. In addition to her freelance work, she also worked at College Foundation of North Carolina as a correspondence specialist. Aldesha resides in Durham.
Ava Crawford, a native of Goldsboro, North Carolina is the Foundation's new Program Manager. Ava is a graduate of North Carolina Central University where she received a B.S. from the Department of Health Education. Ava began her career in the public health sector as a Health Education Consultant at the Wayne County Health Department in Goldsboro. She later worked as a Coordinator at Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and as a Director of Education for the American Lung Association of Maryland. Before joining the Foundation, Ava worked as a Research Associate for the N.C. Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities in Raleigh. She served as a Technical Advisor for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Eliminating Health Disparities Steering Committee and provided leadership on development of the 2006 N.C. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Report Card and Hispanic Health Fact Sheet.
Tenayia Simpson joins the Foundation as the new Program Assistant. Tenayia, a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, has a B.S. in Business Administration from
St. Augustine's College. Before coming to the Foundation, Tenayia served as a Program Consultant for the Department of Public Health's Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program. She also worked for Therapeutic Connections Inc., a human service agency in Raleigh. Tenayia resides in Morrisville.
Leonor Clavijo is the Foundation's new Latino Outreach Coordinator. Leonor worked as a television news reporter and communications specialist before joining the Foundation's staff. Leonor, a native of Colombia, South America, covered sports as a news reporter in her hometown before landing a position at Univision Spanish Network in Fresno, California. Most recently, Leonor worked as a Communications Specialist for El Centro Hispano in Durham, the largest Latino grassroots organization in the Southeast. Leonor holds a B.A. in Journalism and Communication from the University Autonoma in Colombia, South America.
Charles Hunt IV, a native of Shelby, North Carolina is the Foundation's new Shipping Assistant. Prior to joining the staff, Charles worked in the restaurant industry for both Ruby Tuesday and Chick-fil-A. He is currently in route to receive a B.S. in Agricultural Business Management in May 2009 from North Carolina State University. Charles currently resides in Raleigh.
Beth Morgan, joins the Foundation as the new
Accounts Payable representative. Beth received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before coming to the Foundation, Beth worked at Kitty Casey, a kids clothing company, in Raleigh. Originally from Tarboro, North Carolina, Beth now resides in Raleigh.
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The N.C. Healthy Start Foundation, a
nonprofit organization established in 1990, conducts
ongoing public education campaigns, advises state and
local policy makers, and provides technical assistance
and professional training focused on reducing infant
death and illness and improving the health of women
and young children in N.C.
