Community Advisory Board
Huntsman Cancer Institute鈥檚 Community Advisory Board comprises members from across the Mountain West, a geographical area that includes Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Membership includes cancer survivors and representatives from government organizations, health care systems, community organizations, and American Indian tribes. The Community Advisory Board works with leaders and staff across Huntsman Cancer Institute to engage the community in cancer research, clinical services, education, and prevention efforts and prioritize opportunities to improve community health.
Board Members
Ahmer Afroz, DrPH, MPH
Director, Gore Giovale Center for Innovative Leadership
Westminster 香蕉视频
Sara Carbajal-Salisbury
Director of Health Programs
Alliance Community Services
Byron Clarke, JD, MBA
Chief Operation Officer
Utah Navajo Health System, Inc.
Becky Creighton, MPH
Health Program Manager of Comprehensive Cancer Control Programs
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Sonia Dale, RN, CN-BN
Bureau Director, Community Wellness Clinic
Utah County Health Department
Chris Darnell, DHA
Chief Executive Officer
Cancer Support Community Montana
Cari Herington, MBA
Executive Director
Nevada Cancer Coalition
Star Jones, CPM
Unit Manager of Cancer and Chronic Disease Prevention
Wyoming Department of Health
Michael Kourianos
Mayor
Price City, Utah
Morgan Marietti, MHP
Associate Director of Cancer Center Partnerships
American Cancer Society
Ofa Vista Matagi, MPA
Executive Director
Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition
Jos茅 Melendrez, MSW
Chair
Nevada Minority Health and Equity Coalition
Chief Diversity Officer
香蕉视频 of Nevada, Las Vegas
Marie Nagata
Program Manager of Health Promotion and Prevention
Utah Department of Health and Human Services
Mark Wamsley, MBA
Section Supervisor of Cancer Control Programs
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
Diana Wiig
Cancer Advocate
Members Bios
Ahmer Afroz, DrPH, MPH
Ahmer Afroz currently serves as director of the Gore Giovale Center for Innovative Leadership at Westminster 香蕉视频. Prior to his role at Westminster, he served as chief executive officer for UAF Legacy Health (formerly Utah AIDS Foundation) and worked for the Utah Department of Health as the HIV health program coordinator implementing statewide HIV prevention initiatives. He also previously worked as a project manager for the Fenway Institute of Fenway Health in Boston, Massachusetts, where he oversaw biomedical and behavioral HIV prevention research studies. Afroz holds a doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a Master of Public Health from Boston 香蕉视频 School of Public Health, with a concentration in social and behavioral sciences. His research focuses on the importance of community health organizations in the delivery of culturally competent care and the impact of COVID-19 on HIV prevention efforts. Afroz has dedicated his career to addressing systemic issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV. As part of this passion, Afroz has focused on making leadership more accessible and approachable by breaking down stereotypical ideas surrounding leadership principles. He prioritizes a holistic leadership approach that integrates inclusion, confidence, self-awareness, boundaries, and work-life balance.
Sara Carbajal-Salisbury
Sara is originally from Mexico City where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business Relations from the Politecnico Nacional 香蕉视频 in Mexico. She also studied Humanities at Westminster College and 香蕉视频 of Utah 2013-2015. In 2016 she graduated from Goldman Sachs Small Business Program. In 2002 she joined a team of professionals to start a Non-Profit organization, Alliance Community Services, with the mission of 鈥淚mproving the quality of life for the Hispanic community by making health & social services accessible to them.鈥 Alliance has been committed to serve the most vulnerable individuals in the community, those uninsured, underserved, and low income. She is the co-founder of the first Hispanic Breast Cancer Support Group 鈥淭riunfadoras鈥 in Utah and currently the Director of Health Programs, among other responsibilities. She collaborates actively with the 香蕉视频 of Utah College of Nursing, the School of Medicine, and College of Social and Behavioral Science Department of Psychology in the research department. Currently Sara serves as a member of Utah Cancer Coalition (previously Utah Cancer Action Network); a member of the 香蕉视频 of Utah Institutional Review Board; co-chair of the Community Engagement Committee at the 香蕉视频 of Utah School of Medicine; and member of the Board of Trustees of Utah Health Policy Project. Sara is a strong advocate for education and health rights to be delivered with equity and inclusion to all individuals.
Byron Clarke, JD, MBA
Byron works as an administrator with the Utah Navajo Health System and has been there for 13 years. He grew up in Blanding, UT near the Navajo Nation and is a proud member of his community in Southeastern Utah. His wife and kids enjoy living in rural Utah and the great outdoors.
Becky Creighton, MPH
Becky, an Idaho native, has overseen the Idaho Comprehensive Cancer Control Program for the past five years. In this role, she leads a concerted effort to reduce cancer risk, help to find cancers earlier, improve and increase access to quality cancer care, and improve the health and well-being of cancer survivors throughout Idaho. Becky serves on the Board for the Idaho Comprehensive Cancer Alliance for Idaho and the Idaho Harm Reduction Project鈥檚 nonprofit, as well as Huntsman Cancer Institute鈥檚 Community Advisory Board. Prior to this, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the West African country of Benin.
Sonia Dale, RN, CN-BN
Sonia Dale is a registered nurse with a specialization in breast cancer navigation, holding the certification as a Certified Nurse Breast Cancer Navigator (CN-BN). With over 20 years of clinical experience, Sonia has been a support for countless patients and families as an oncology nurse and breast and cervical cancer screener. She has navigated patients through the complexities of breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, navigating them to the right services in the community. Currently serving as the Community Wellness Bureau Director at the Utah County Health Department, Sonia oversees the Utah Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program at the local health department by guiding patients through their healthcare journey and ensuring they receive timely and personalized care.
Chris Darnell, DHA
Chris Darnell is the CEO of Cancer Support Community Montana, a leader with over 25 years鈥 experience in health care administration as well as nonprofit fundraising. A native of Virginia, Darnell began his career in Charleston at the Medical 香蕉视频 of South Carolina, where he completed a post-graduate administrative fellowship and subsequently held several progressive positions. He then moved to East Cooper Medical Center, leading strategic planning and growth and business development. Darnell recently served as the administrator for Big Sky Medical Center. He holds a master鈥檚 and a doctoral degree in health administration and lives in Bozeman with his family.
Cari Herington, MBA
As Executive Director for the Nevada Cancer Coalition, I oversee an amazing coalition team and engage partners across the state from public health to corporate stakeholders passionate about working together on cancer control and access to quality healthcare. Some of my most favorite parts of this job include building unique programs to address cancer prevention and early detection and drafting and advocating for policies to increase access to care. Having lost my father to metastatic melanoma, and other dear family and friends to cancer, I am extremely grateful every day to have this opportunity to make a difference. My 20-year-old daughters are skilled skin cancer prevention advocates at their respective universities, always with sunscreen on hand. I love living in the Reno/Tahoe area and enjoy all the beautiful outdoor activities it offers from hiking and trail running to snow sports in the winter months. Truly grateful for this life!
Star Jones, CPM
Star has a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational leadership from the 香蕉视频 of Wyoming, and recently completed a Community of Public Health Certificate Program. She has been with the Wyoming Department of Health鈥檚 Cancer Program for the last eight years. In her role as Unit Manager, she is responsible for providing the Cancer and Chronic Disease Prevention Program鈥檚 with a strategic vision and leadership to decrease the burden of cancer and chronic diseases for Wyoming residents. Star also serves on the Wyoming Cancer Coalition Steering Committee.
Morgan Marietti, MHP
Leading the fight for a world without cancer has always been a bold and audacious goal that Morgan has pursued. As the Associate Director of Cancer Center Partnerships, Morgan is committed to end cancer as we know it by working across the entire cancer care continuum to engage cancer center partners through convening, implementing evidence-based strategies, sharing resources, cultivating health care champions and driving system policies and practices to improve the lives of patients with cancer and their families. Additionally, she is a stage 2b survivor of synovial sarcoma cancer and a caregiver/friend to many others who have been impacted by this disease. While the cancer community is not something you choose to join willingly, Morgan鈥檚 personal journey has shifted her perspective on both life and her career in every way. She is an extremely passionate advocate for all humans impacted by this disease, but her strongest interests include holistic human-centered care and research, increasing supportive services for the adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer community and supporting all efforts to increase awareness and opportunities for fertility to be preserved within one鈥檚 cancer journey. Morgan resides in Salt Lake City with her life partner, Beau, and they are the proud parents to their treat-loving, fur companion Whitney. Thankfully Morgan and her family were able to preserve their fertility options prior to beginning cancer treatment. Thanks to a successful onco-fertility frozen embryo transfer, Morgan is proud to share with you that they are expecting their first child, due summer 2024.
Ofa Vista Matagi, MPA
Ofa was appointed to UPIHC (Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition) Fall of 2023 as the Executive Director. Her esteemed record of ongoing advocacy to promote equity, empowerment, and community-building are great assets to UPIHC鈥檚 mission-driven programs. Prior to UPIHC, Ofa served as Utah Clean Energy鈥檚 Access & Equity Associate and has 10+ years working in SSA law, Estate Planning and higher education. She brings a wealth of experience and practical expertise to the role, as demonstrated through over a decade of servant leadership with organizations like the YWCA of Utah, Salt Lake County Planning Commission, Tracy Aviary, and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander State Caucus. She is a strong proponent of civic engagement and actively supports efforts that empower women to run for elected office. As such, she is also a former candidate of the Utah House of Representatives HD33 in West Valley City and in the future will seek office again. At this time Ofa currently serves on the Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Commission, NeighborWorks of Salt Lake Community Engagement Steering Committee and a Westside Leadership Institute Fundamentals Course Instructor. Lastly, newly appointed to serve as a member on Huntsman Cancer Institute鈥檚 Community Advisory Board.
Jos茅 Melendrez, MSW
Jos茅 Melendrez, interim vice president of diversity initiatives and chief diversity officer at the 香蕉视频 of Nevada, Las Vegas, has in-depth experience in diversity, equity, and multicultural programming, community organizing, and use of community-based participatory research. He is also experienced in social justice education and advocacy as it pertains to equity initiatives for diverse populations. Melendrez is the former executive director for the Office of Community Partnerships in the School of Public Health and was responsible for coordinating and building partnerships that support student and faculty initiatives. He worked with community-based organizations and public health agencies to support internships, research, and educational programming. Melendrez coordinated recruitment strategies to increase the diversity of students in the School of Public Health. Melendrez is a founding member and chair for the Nevada Minority Health and Equity Coalition.
Marie Nagata
Marie has worked in public health for over 30 years. She currently is the Program Manager at Utah Department of Health and Human Services, overseeing the Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening Program, the Comprehensive Cancer Program, and the Health Resource Center. Her focus has always been ensuring everyone has equal access to care. In her spare time, she hangs out with her family or has her nose in a book.
Mark Wamsley, MBA
Mark Wamsley is the Montana Cancer Control Programs section supervisor. Wamsley brings 17+ years of experience in Cancer and the Chronic Disease Bureau, with the last 15 years as the Montana Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program manager. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with Montana鈥檚 local health departments and community partners. Prior to joining the State of Montana, he spent 20 years serving in the United States Navy in the intelligence field, partnering with the National Intelligence Agency as well as other intelligence-related entities. He is excited for this opportunity to help grow partnerships with Huntsman Cancer Institute and the regional partners they serve.
Diana Wiig
My professional background is in education. I taught 20 years at the elementary level, then spent 15 years at the 香蕉视频 of Wyoming teaching science/math methods for prospective teachers. I developed the SBOCES Resident Astronomy program and guided students in exploring the cosmos for 20 years. I have served on various committees at the national level (National Science Teachers of America) for the Outstanding Science Trade Books committee. I鈥檝e reviewed testing materials and textbooks for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In collaboration with ETS (Educational Testing Service) I was part of a team of science and math teachers that evaluated the validity and reliability of test items. In my spare time, I鈥檓 an avid reader, knitter, crocheter, weaver, and musician. I also do a little boxing on the side.
