Health Equity Council
NRHA's Health Equity Council, formerly the Rural Multiracial and Multicultural Health Council, highlights issues affecting rural, underserved, and often underrepresented populations, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, and people experiencing homelessness, as well as multiracial and multicultural members of rural communities.
Health Equity Council Member Application
Thank you for your interest in the National Rural Health Association’s (NRHA) Health Equity Council. At this time, NRHA is not accepting applications for council membership. The next council member terms will begin January 1, 2026.
NRHA is deeply committed to advancing equity in rural health and encourages interest from individuals of all races, religions, national origins, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, ages, as well as veterans and individuals with disabilities.
About the Health Equity Council
The Health Equity Council plays a critical role in advancing NRHA’s mission by elevating equity-focused perspectives and supporting efforts to improve health outcomes for people living in rural America.
Council members meet monthly via teleconference, and once annually in person in conjunction with NRHA's Rural Health Access Conference
Council members are responsible for their own travel and lodging expenses related to the annual in-person meeting. Active participation in meetings and council activities is expected throughout the duration of the term.
Eligibility and Requirements
Applicants to the Health Equity Council must be current NRHA members or willing to join prior to the start of their term. Applicants should demonstrate significant experience in rural health and an established record of professional, advocacy, or community-based work. A strong commitment to improving health equity for people living in rural America must be clearly reflected in the applicant’s personal statement and curriculum vitae or résumé. Applicants must also be willing and able to participate in monthly conference calls and attend the in-person meeting held in conjunction with NRHA’s Rural Health Access Conference.
Mary-Katherine McNatt, DrPH (chair) | Victor Armstrong, MSW American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Vice President for Health Equity and Engagement | Becky Bayley, MBA Nevada Rural Hospital Partners Vice President |
Leah Cross, MPH Hood Memorial Hospital Community & Population Health Specialist | Matt Enquist Colorado Rural Health Center Associate Director for Outreach | Isela Garcia, MPH New Mexico Rural Health Association Executive Director |
Brandy Harrell, LCSW Journeys to Success INC. Executive Director | Qian Huang, PhD East Tennessee State University Research Assistant Professor | Nicholas Ide, MPH American Heart Association Region Senior Rural Health Director |
Eisha Khan, ALM MaineHealth Program Manager | April Kushin Aleut Community of St. Paul Island Healing and Wellness Director | Summer Mochida-Meek Hawaii State Rural Health Association Executive Director |
Joni Nelson, Ph.D. Medical University of South Carolina Associate Professor & Division Chief | Shena Popat, MHA NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Senior Research Scientist | Alanti Price University of South Carolina Program Manager |
Bryan Price Virginia Rural Health Association Program Coordinator | Chris Salyers, DHSc National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health Director of Programs and Evaluation | Christi Sherrill, MPH OSU Center for Rural Health Program Manager |
Stacy Stellflug, PhD Montana State University Mark & Robyn Jones College of Nursing Associate Professor of Nursing | Laura Stoddard, MHA Michigan Center for Rural Health Social Drivers of Health Manager | Andrew Strickland, JD American Psychological Association, Senior Legislative and Regulatory Officer |
Cody Utz Holton Community Hospital Director of Quality and Informatics | Erika Ziller, PhD Northeast Rural Health Research Center Program Manager |
The Health Equity Council’s mission is to promote and enhance physical and mental well-being for rural and frontier underserved populations through national leadership, representation and advocacy for accessible, affordable, high-quality health services that result in an improved quality of life. The council will bring these issues to the forefront of discussion at NRHA's annual Rural Health Access Conference. NRHA encourages all who are interested to attend this conference to learn and engage with experts in health equity, view research posters and network with peers.
With the Health Equity Council and Rural Health Access Conference, NRHA remains committed to issues impacting underserved populations in rural and frontier communities. With tens of thousands of members, NRHA continues to provide leadership on rural health issues through communications, advocacy, research and education. Your participation in presentations and contributions to the dialogue of best practices would be of great value for this national audience.