FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Seven new members have been appointed to serve on the Advisory Committee on Minority Health,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, Garth Graham, M.D., has announced.
The committee will advise the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on improving the health of racial and ethnic minority groups and on the development of goals and specific program activities for the department’s Office of Minority Health.
“Our goal is to eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes for all Americans,” Dr. Graham said. “The expertise this group brings will go a long way toward helping us meet that goal.”
HHS and OMH officials selected committee members based on nominations received from across the Nation.
Rubens J. Pamies, M.D. FACP, vice chancellor for academic affairs,
Dr. Pamies is dean for graduate studies, professor of internal medicine. Dr. Pamies served as chief of services at
Other new committee members are:
Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D. M.P.H. assistant professor of medicine and health policy, Columbia University
Dr. Carrasquillo is a Puerto Rican-born physician who was raised in the Bronx in
Gale Dine-Chacon, M.D., associate professor, family and community medicine and director, Center for Native American Health and associate vice president for Native American health, University of New Mexico, Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque.
Dr. Dine-Chacon, originally from
Edward L. Martinez, M.S., senior consultant, National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, Viroqua, Wis.
Mr. Martinez has almost 30 years experience as an executive and administrative leader in the public health sector. He consults in the areas of health care executive management and operations with a focus on organizations serving diverse populations. In addition, Mr. Martinez served for more than 27 years with the
Kelly Moore, M.D., visiting associate professor, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado,
Dr. Moore, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, has spent the last five years with the Indian Health Service (IHS) as a clinical consultant with the IHS Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention in
Marguerite J. Ro, Dr. P.H., deputy director, policy and programs, Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum,
Dr. Ro overseas the health programming and the policy advocacy work of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum. Formerly an assistant professor at
Oreta Mapu Togafau, Dr. P.A., senior policy advisor to the Governor,
Dr. Togafau has extensive fieldwork and experience in the areas of substance abuse, family counseling, justice-involved youth, and counseling first generation Pacific Islander college-bound students and their parents. Dr. Togafau has more than 20 years of community volunteer work that includes leadership roles in the Board of Higher Education, the Alcoholism Cottage Program, women’s groups, and children/parent groups.
Contact: Isabel Estrada Portales
Director of Communications
OMHRC
Phone: (240)453-8833
Email: iestrada@omhrc.gov