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Division of Health & Exercise Science

Home » WOU Community Health + Polk County COVID-19 Project

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WOU Community Health + Polk County COVID-19 Project

  • WOU Community Health + Polk County COVID-19 Project
    • Data
    • Contact Tracing
    • Outreach and Engagement
    • Media Resources

Contact Us

WOU Community Health + Polk County COVID-19 Project

Dan Dowhower

PhD, MPH, MS, Project Director

Email: dowhowerd@mail.wou.edu

The WOU Community Health + Polk County COVID-19 Project is a collaborative effort among community health faculty and students, Polk County Public Health, and other community partners to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

History 

The WOU Community Health and Polk County COVID-19 Project was initiated in June 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by two amazing, dedicated, and hard-working professors, Dr. Emily Vala-Haynes and Megan Patton-Lopez.

Our Goals

Our primary goal is to provide coordinated communication outreach and engagement efforts that ensure vulnerable members of Polk County have access to accurate and timely information to protect their health and safety.

Prepare and coordinate community health student contact tracing team to support Polk County Public Health.

Design and implement health communication and community outreach and engagement strategies for vulnerable populations.

Provide real-time data to support contact tracing and COVID-19 case prevention efforts in Polk County and across Oregon.

Project Milestones

2022

  • June The Covid-19 Project reaches it’s 2 year anniversary.
  • March Our team partnered with the WOU Library and Art Department to utilize the Communities for Immunity Grant to promote Covid-19 vaccine information through local libraries.
  • January – March  Our team co-hosted vaccine events throughout Polk County with community partners.

2021

  • December 10 Our team hosted the second commuity health fair event, with more information and resources and distributed 503 vaccine doses.

  • November 19 Our team hosted a community health fair event and distributed 285 vaccines.

  • October 11OPHA invited panel presentation & poster presentations: Data Brief and Family Thrive Kit poster.

  • May 27 Our team presents at the WOU Academic Excellence Showcase Presidential Plenary Session. 

  • January 1 Oregon Health Authority Community Outreach and Engagament funding extended to December 31st.

2020

  • October 12Received Outstanding Student Poster Award at the annual Oregon Public Health Association conference.

  • July 10Team begins contact tracing for Polk County.

  • July 1Received Oregon Health Authority Community Outreach and Engagement funding.

  • June 15 Hired project coordinators and first group of contact tracers.

  • June 1Signed contract with Polk County to begin contact tracing.

Our Team

Dan Dowhower, PhD, MPH, MS

Dan Dowhower, PhD, MPH, MS

Project Director

Jenny Leon-Perez, B.S., WOU Alumna

Jenny Leon-Perez, B.S., WOU Alumna

Project Coordinator

Kailey Knospe

Kailey Knospe

Hometown: Salem

Fabi Palma Vasquez

Fabi Palma Vasquez

Hometown: Eugene

Former Interns 

Sarah Carter

Sarah Carter

Sonia Castaneda Felix

Sonia Castaneda Felix

Adam Chynoweth

Adam Chynoweth

Kelli Conopa

Kelli Conopa

Esmirna Tencos Mendoza

Esmirna Tencos Mendoza

Hometown: Hillsboro

Ezra Esch

Ezra Esch

Gaby Esquivel

Gaby Esquivel

Cody Gray

Cody Gray

Mariana Guerrero

Mariana Guerrero

Leah Maraia

Leah Maraia

Hometown: Beaverton

Sherwine Guillaume

Sherwine Guillaume

Samantha Harris

Samantha Harris

Allison Kirk

Allison Kirk

Rachel Koljesky

Rachel Koljesky

Hannah McCallister

Hannah McCallister

Hometown: Grand Ronde

Queenie Love Agbayani

Queenie Love Agbayani

Jesus Maciel Abarca

Jesus Maciel Abarca

Rosa Magana Solano

Rosa Magana Solano

Karissa McClanahan

Karissa McClanahan

McKenzie Fisher

McKenzie Fisher

Hometown: Dallas

Sarah Meyer

Sarah Meyer

Laura Moran

Laura Moran

Krysten Perez

Krysten Perez

Jackie Rodriguez

Jackie Rodriguez

Pricila Tinajero

Pricila Tinajero

Hometown: Salem

Val Garibay

Val Garibay

Hometown: Salem

Rin Schwanke

Rin Schwanke

Jessica Garibay Ochoa

Jessica Garibay Ochoa

Hometown: Salem

Kennedy Suhr

Kennedy Suhr

Blanca Jimenez

Blanca Jimenez

Hometown: Portland

Morgan Stueve

Morgan Stueve

Hometown: Turner

Emily Synegal

Emily Synegal

Hometown: Salem

Rebecca Zharkoff

Rebecca Zharkoff

Hometown: Gervais

Partners

Community Partners

  • Polk County Public Health
  • Family and Community Outreach
  • Farmworker Housing Development Corporation
  • Dallas Retirement Village
  • Mano a Mano
  • Central School District
  • CAPACES Leadership Institute
  • Oregon Health Authority

WOU Partners

  • Academic Advising
  • Teacher Licensure Program
  • Gerontology
  • Student Enrichment Program
  • Athletics 

College of Education

Richard Woodcock Education Center

Phone: (503) 838-8471

Email: education@wou.edu

ACADEMIC DIVISIONS

  • Deaf Studies & Professional Studies
  • Education & Leadership
  • Health & Exercise Science

OFFICES AND CENTERS

  • Dean’s Office
  • Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
  • Office of Clinical Practice & Licensure
  • Office of Assessment & Data Management
  • Center for the Advancement of Paraprofessionals
  • Research and Resource Center with Deaf* Communities

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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