Nashira Baril, MPH, Director REACH US New England Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities

As a member of several community advisory boards and the National REACH Coalition to Eliminate Disparities, Nashira has focused her career on moving local and national efforts towards health equity.  Nashira earned her Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies and Legal Studies from the of in 2001 and her Master of Public Health from in 2006.  In 2006 she was selected as one of 20 emerging leaders in community health to participate in the Massachusetts Institute for Community Health Leadership of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Foundation. In early 2008, Nashira was honored by the Boston Celtics as “A Hero Among Us” for her leadership and strides to improve community health. She is the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Hyde Square Task Force, a community-based youth empowerment organization in Jamaica Plain, and volunteers as a mentor to college-bound high school students.

Meghan Patterson, MPH, Director of the Office of Health Equity

In this role, she focuses on developing strategies to close the gap on racial and ethnic disparities through a range of activities aimed at ending racial and ethnic health inequities caused by various environmental and social factors.  Ms. Patterson is also the Quality Improvement Advisor for the Massachusetts Health Disparities Collaborative.  In this capacity, she provides technical support and guidance to health centers as they begin to redesign, restructure and evaluate their health delivery systems.  Meghan Patterson received her Bachelor of Arts degree from with a double major of Pre-Med and Spanish and a minor in Italian Renaissance Art History.  She also holds a Masters in Public Health concentrating in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Boston University School of Public Health. 

Courtney Boen, MPH, Policy Analyst

Courtney is a Policy Analyst for the Center for Health Equity and Social Justice at the Boston Public Health Commission.  As a policy analyst, she works with institutions, coalitions, community residents, and Boston Public Health Commission staff to develop policy-based strategies that address the social determinants of health and promote health equity.  Courtney is particularly interested in examining how social policies shape communities’ opportunities for health and well-being.  Prior to her work at the Boston Public Health Commission, Ms. Boen worked in the Health Policy Department of the Massachusetts Medical Society and as a Quality Improvement Specialist at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.  Courtney Boen received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Tufts University with a double major of Community Health and Sociology.  She received her Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Health Services Management and Policy from Tufts University.  Courtney is also a community-based mentor with the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston.

Maura Allard, MPH, Program Coordinator

Maura is a Project Coordinator for the Center for Health Equity and Social Justice at the Boston Public Health Commission.  Her role involves managing and maintaining communication across special projects.  Maura completed her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Rhode Island with double major in Biology and Animal Science and received her Masters Degree in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy, Management and Services from Tufts University. Ms. Allard initially became involved with public health through veterinary medicine and has previously worked as a health policy research assistant at Tufts University, as a research assistant for both a public health consulting organization and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and has managed an oral rabies vaccination project on Cape Cod.

Rebekah Gowler, MSW, MPH, Policy Analyst