果冻影院

header-logo
Students Classroom

About the Office of Community Engagement

About us

The Office of Community Engagement (OCE) is dedicated to improving the health of communities of Wisconsin and beyond by advancing the art and science of community engagement. Community engagement, one of the four missions at the 果冻影院, is richly embedded in office programs and throughout 果冻影院 centers, institutes, and departments. The office is also dedicated to leadership and excellence through community engagement, and partners with community organizations to enhance learning, research, patient care, and the health of the community. With strong support from Staci Young, PhD, senior associate dean for community engagement, the Office of Community Engagement provides a variety of resources to both academic and community partners to advance community engagement at 果冻影院.

learn more about our work (PDF)

all
Mission
Improve the health of communities of Wisconsin and beyond by advancing art and science of community engagement and make the 果冻影院 a national leader in improving the health of the public.
Guiding Principles
  • Develop reciprocal and mutually beneficial partnerships with communities of Wisconsin
  • Use bi-directional dialogue to define and understand community and community engagement and identify program scope based on relevant community issues
  • Recognize the importance of relationships in developing strong community-academic partnerships with equitable power and agreed-upon responsibilities that acknowledge the historical imbalance of power
  • Build capacity within 果冻影院 and the community
  • Effectively disseminate outcomes via diverse methods

Meet Our Faculty & Staff

headshot

Staci A. Young, PhD

Senior Associate Dean for Community Engagement, School of Medicine; Director, Office of Community Engagement; Professor of Family and Community Medicine; Director, Center for Healthy Communities and Research; Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, Cancer Center

headshot

Laila Azam, PhD

Research Scientist

lsazam@mcw.edu

headshot

Rebecca Bernstein, MD

Urban & Community Health Pathway Instructor; M3 Family Medicine Clerkship: Community Health Instructor

headshot

Kristine Burke, MPH, MSW

Program Coordinator III

kburke@mcw.edu

headshot

Yesica Desarden

Program Coordinator II

ydesarden@mcw.edu

headshot

Zeno Franco, PhD

Associate Professor; Director, Research Training and Education

headshot

Kelsey M. Heindel

Program Coordinator III

kheindel@mcw.edu

headshot

Ayo Idowu, MBA

Business Operations Coordinator

aidowu@mcw.edu

headshot

Jai Lor, BS

Administrative Associate

jlor@mcw.edu

headshot

David Nelson, PhD

Professor

headshot

Sarah P. O'Connor, MS

Program Director I

spoconnor@mcw.edu

headshot

Leslie Ruffalo, PhD

Advisor, Family Medicine Learning Community & Family Medicine Student Association; Course Director, Promoting Health in Underserved Communities & Continuous Professional Development; M3 Family Medicine Clerkship: Community Health Instructor

headshot

Christopher Simenz, PhD, MS

Associate Professor, Associate Director- Master鈥檚 and Doctor of Public Health Programs

csimenz@mcw.edu

Connect with Us

There's more than one way to connect with us - join our email list for program news and event updates, or keep up with us on our socials!

General Inquiries

Community Engagement Requests