What is a Community Health Worker and How Can They Support Evidence-Based Programming?

Aurora GrantWingate had the honor of joining the National Association of Community Health Workers (NACHW) in October 2020 as their Member and Partner Engagement Associate as one of NACHW first three staff members. Throughout her time at NACHW, Aurora has overseen the development and growth of NACHW’s COVID-19 portfolio including NACHW’s partnerships with the Vaccine Equity Cooperative, The National COVID-19 Resiliency Network, and The Community Based Workforce Alliance. In addition, Aurora has had the pleasure to connect with hundred of CHWs and CHW Networks throughout the country to connect them with trainings, grant opportunities, and help foster community building. 

Mikayla Trujillo, CPSW/CCHW has strong roots in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mikayla is a Peer with lived experience around overcoming adversity including mental health, substance use, and incarceration that ultimately lead to her becoming a CCHW in her community and the Capacity Building Coordinator at NACHW. Mikayla’s passion began as she re-entered her own community and tirelessly assisted those affected by mental health, precariously housed individuals, system impacted youth, and employment seeking returning citizens in achieving their personal goals, located at a small Non-Profit in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which she keeps close to her heart and visits regularly. She continued her success at the University of New Mexico under a Prison Hepatitis C elimination program as a Program Coordinator working with incarcerated Peer Educators at all 12 prisons across New Mexico as well as returning citizens in the community, providing resources for peers on Adult Probation & Parole supervision. Mikayla is proud to be advocating for the many previously incarcerated persons seeking a valuable role as a CCHW in their communities. Mikayla is currently leading the Johnson & Johnson CHW Leaders project and offers mentorship and support to the inspiring and groundbreaking individuals in the CHW Leadership community.

Lorna A. Osterback is a Community Health Representative Manager/ Community Health Worker for Eastern Aleutian Tribes for about 6 and a half years. Providing support services to community members for the purpose of improving quality of life. I am a Qagan Tayagungin Tribal member and am also American Indian. My philosophy is essentialism. I completed an apprenticeship as a Community Health Worker through the Alaska Primary Care Association. Emergency Trauma Technician Training with Southeast Regional EMS Council, Inc. and later EMT-1 with the State of Alaska. Further education was Community Health Representative Basic Training with Indian Health Services.  Pervious Human Service field delivery as an ICWA worker for 16 ½ years representing 12 Aleut tribes and as a Tribal Court Clerk, Family programs and as a Children’s Service Worker. I hold a Rural Human Services Associates in Applied Science, a Psychology/ Social work degree, Business management degree, Teacher’s Aid degree. As a Frontline worker bridging the gap between a community member and their health care system requires a range of activities and outreach modalities. The city of Sand Point is located on the northwestern Popof Island, one of the Shumigan Islands, off the Aleutian Peninsula extending down the chain from the state of Alaska. The actual global location is Latitude: 55 degrees 20’ 11.73’ N and Longitude: -160 degrees 29’ 35.64” W, very remote and about 900 airmiles from Anchorage, Alaska. Goods and people and mail arrive by plane, boat, or barge with infrequent service. Being a frontline worker has raised my expectations and desire for growth as an individual and the delivery needs as a public Health Worker/ liaison and Tribal Veteran’s Representative. In addition, I sit on the local Head Start Advisory Committee and local Woman’s Club.