2026 Health Equity Conference: Breakout Sessions & Speaker Bios
The data collected through Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) directly shapes the actions communities take to address health inequities. What we choose to measure, whose voices are included, and how data is interpreted can influence which needs are prioritized, which strategies are funded, and who ultimately benefits from data-driven decisions. This breakout session focuses on data as a critical pathway to health equity. Participants will explore equity-centered approaches to data collection, analysis, and reporting and how these practices can help drive systems change and improve health outcomes for all communities.
Speaker Bios
Maris Brummel, MPH (She/Her) | Public Health Epidemiologist, Kent County Health Department
Maris leads the county’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process and provides data support to KCHD teams and community partners. Maris graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social science from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in public health from GVSU. Maris specializes in mixed-methods research, and she is passionate about making data more accessible and useful for the community.
Janine O’Donnell, MPH (She/Her) | Public Health Program Supervisor, Kent County Health Department
After completing her Master in Public Health from Brown University, Janine spent several years overseeing substance use disorder programming at the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Development Disabilities, and Hospitals (BHDDH). Beginning in 2018, Janine accepted her current position in the Center for Community Health Strategy (CCHS) at KCHD, working to advance health equity, develop better community engagement practices, and strengthen the linkages between academic and public health stakeholders.
This breakout session will highlight Health Equity Council mini-grant recipients and grassroot projects to demonstrate how individuals and organizations closest to the issues create impactful community-driven solutions when trusted with resources and support. Participants will explore how elevating lived experience and local knowledge helps bridge the gap between executive-level decision-making and on-the-ground realities, and why investing in community leadership leads to more effective and equitable outcomes.
Speaker Bios- Coming Soon
This session explores how organizations and community partners can move beyond siloed work by aligning funding, priorities, and strategies across sectors. We will examine innovative, collaborative approaches that reduce barriers for communities and strengthen coordination across systems. Participants will gain practical insights into common challenges, along with proven strategies for building and sustaining partnerships that reduce duplication within the public health system and enhance our collective ability to meet community needs effectively.
Speaker Bios
Dr. Nirali Bora, MD, MPH (She/Her) | Medical Director & Health Equity Liaison, Trinity Health Grand Rapids
Dr. Nirali Bora served as the Medical Director of Kent County Health Department for 6 years where she led public health efforts and partnered closely with community organizations. In her current role with Trinity Health Grand Rapids, serving as the Medical Director and Health Equity Liaison, she also serves as faculty with the Trinity Health Grand Rapids Family Medicine Residency Program. She is committed to advancing health equity, listening to people’s stories, and working together to improve the wellbeing of our community.
Wende Randall (She/Her) | Executive Director, Essential Needs Task Force (ENTF)
For over 9 years, Wende has been leading and supporting systems engagement efforts, convening non-profit service agencies, representatives from local government, and community advocates around the areas of Workforce Development, Transportation, Energy Efficiency, Food & Nutrition, the Kent County Food Policy Council, and Digital Access. Wende is committed to building awareness of the interconnectedness of systems and policies, and influencing systems change through intentional dialogue that focuses equity and uplifts people with lived experiences of poverty and discrimination.
Megan Erskine, MPH (She/Her) | CEO, Catherine’s Health Center
Megan earned her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Illinois Chicago. Megan has served in various community health roles and most recently held the position of Chief Operating Officer at Heartland Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Chicago, Illinois. Megan also worked in the Office of Student Health and Wellness at Chicago Public Schools managing healthcare partners who provided direct services to over 700 schools. In her current role, she serves as the CEO of Catherine’s Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides high quality, affordable, and compassionate care to disenfranchised communities in Kent County. Megan is deeply committed to a future without health inequities and believes that all people have the rights to quality and affordable healthcare.