CCFoPH Public Health Superstars

Superstars 2025

The Salvation Army—Majors David and Erin Kauffman

The Salvation Army has done remarkable work in the community and has become a valued partner to our local public health department.

Because their facility has been designated as an emergency shelter in the City of Coos Bay, Coos Health & Wellness obtained grant funds to provide them with generators, cots, and other supplies needed to set up an emergency shelter. This is an excellent example of organizations working together to address community needs.

In addition, The Salvation Army has been serving as a community warming center for the unhoused, which helps protect the less fortunate from the elements.

Through their Hope Market open pantry they offer fresh food to community members. David and Erin were instrumental in making that happen shortly after they took over.

They also provide after-school meals for children. In addition to providing nourishment, this program creates a safe space for children to wait while their parents’ work.

They host events like the recent community fentanyl exposure event that helped provide the public with information and resources related to exposure to fentanyl.

Taking care of the many public health needs in the community is much too much for any single organization to accomplish alone. Because of their help in addressing those needs, The Salvation Army is a great partner, and truly a superstar in our community.

Coos Health & Wellness, Kara Long

Kara Long serves as the Prevention Services Outreach Specialist at Coos Health & Wellness, where she continues to make a lasting impact on public health in Coos County.

During the COVID-19 response, Kara played a critical role in organizing resources for individuals and families in need, including utility assistance and grocery support. From the start, she has been kind, determined, energetic, and incredibly hardworking.

As she transitioned into her current outreach role, Kara has continued to support public health in many ways. Her graphic design skills and ability to craft effective public health messages have been invaluable in spreading awareness through flyers and outreach materials. We should note that Kara used her design skills to design the new Friends of Public Health Logo, which you’ll see on the new membership brochure.

Additionally, her work in prevention efforts—most notably her leadership in tobacco retail inspections—has ensured that retailers comply with Oregon laws, preventing sales to youth and promoting healthier communities.

Kara’s dedication and contributions have significantly strengthened public health efforts in Coos County, making a meaningful difference in the community. We are proud to recognize her as a true public health superstar.

Food and Faith– Marissa Nuez

Food and Faith, in Bandon is an excellent example of how an individual, along with city government, the faith based community, businesses, and private individuals can team up to address a problem.

It all started in a local grocery store where Marissa approached someone who appeared to be unhoused or at least food insecure. She asked this person how she could help. The answer that came to her was that she could provide food.

As a first step she prepared home cooked meals in her own kitchen and took them to where the unhoused people of Bandon were staying. This was her own initiative and her own effort.

Her initiative broadened in February, 2024. That was when the Bandon City Council met with members of the Bandon Ministerial community (and other city officials) about the needs of the unhoused. Marissa attended that meeting.

At that meeting Marissa told stories about the unhoused people she had gotten to know. Her stories helped to humanize the people she had been supporting, which made it easier for those gathered to visualize how to support them.

The seeds of a collaborative effort were planted at that meeting and a 501 c3 was formed with a primary mission of helping the less fortunate individuals who were either unhoused or food insecure.

Local merchants, the faith community, and community individuals have contributed food and their volunteer hours to help distribute the donated food. At first people came to a trailer on her property to pick up the food, but early this month the distribution center moved to the gym at the Seventh Day Adventist church in Bandon. In addition to food, the organization distributes clothing, and even books.

Marissa continues to cook meals for the unhoused while at the same time caring for her family, which includes three sons, ages 10, 8, and 4.

Marissa is the inspiration that attracts people to support Food and Faith, and is a true public health superstar.

Coos Elderly Services–Erlette Upshaw

Coos Elderly Services promotes the dignity and security of vulnerable people on the south coast who need assistance in managing their financial affairs.

As Executive Director of Coos Elderly Services, Erlette takes this role very seriously. She has led Coos Elderly Services through a period of tremendous growth over the last five years. She has grown services to individuals including bill-pay assistance, guardianships, conservatorships, and serving as trustee when asked.

She has also broadened the reach of the organization through community-facing grant programs to increase access to vaccines during COVID, and now to increase awareness about preparedness for emergencies which disproportionately affect our vulnerable south coast residents.

Erlette has built an amazing Coos Elderly Services team of staff and volunteers through her leadership, compassion, thoughtfulness, teambuilding… and her amazing homemade dishes for company potlucks!

She has also built a fantastic reputation across the state and with state officials, where she is routinely called upon for consultation, and she has worked hard to engage locally with community partners.

This role requires constant learning and Erlette is always willing to jump in feet first. Her commitment to the organization and to the community that they serve is commendable.

Erlette’s leadership at Coos Elderly Services has made her a great asset to the community and a true Public Health Superstar.

Coos County Public Health Superstars 2008-2024

Super Star	Organization	Activity
2024
Statia Ryder	Health and Wellness Coach	Statia is a local Health and Wellness Coach who supports the health of older adults through walking programs and classes on chronic disease and diabetes. She has provided multiple Arthritis Foundation Walk with Ease programs in both Coos and Curry counties and helped obtain new walking shoes and other supports for seniors. She also launched a free walking program called Walk for Health at the Bandon Senior Center for elders to walk with buddies twice a week.
Renee Hacker	Coos Health and Wellness	Renee Hacker is an outreach worker at the Coos Health and Wellness Public Health Division. For many years she has helped women connect with prenatal care providers and enroll in the breast and cervical cancer screening program. Renee is well known and highly valued in the community for helping many individuals and families apply for the Oregon Health Plan and the Healthy Kids program. Many rely on Renee for her knowledge about OHP and other resources. She makes the extra effort so that families get their needs met.
Mark Mattecheck	North Bend Lanes	Mark Mattecheck, the owner of North Bend Lanes, has provided recreational opportunities to all residents of Coos County. He has made a positive difference to families with young children, school age kids, adolescents, adults, and seniors, many who would otherwise be isolated and lonely. North Bend Lanes has provided free bowling, shoe rental, and pizzas for families who attend the Group Connections parent-child activities, and has been generous with the Public Health Home Visiting program with free bowling coupons to share with families.
Rick Hallmark	Coos Health and Wellness	Rick Hallmark, the Environmental Health Department Manager at Coos Health and Wellness has been protecting the health of Coos County residents and tourists for over 20 years. Rick oversees the safety and sanitation in food service, public pools, RV parks, lodging for tourists, child care facilities and public water systems, and ensures that over 1,000 formal inspections are done each year. Rick helps families in additional ways, such as consulting in the home to alleviate lead exposure after a child has been identified with high lead levels. Currently, Rick is collecting important information and making recommendations to reduce the mosquito population in the Coquille area.
Lualhati Anderson	Coos Health and Wellness	Lualhati Anderson, an advocate for older adults, is the Older Adult Behavioral Health Specialist for Coos & Curry Counties, at Coos Health & Wellness. Lualhati has gone beyond her work expectations to bring presentations and trainings to local community members to support older adults. Classes, such as QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) to reduce suicide, and Living Well with Chronic Illness, address critical issues regarding older adults and help improve the health and wellness of this population.
2023
Sam Baugh	Advanced Health	Sam is a strong supporter and advocate for public health in our community and brings this perspective to his role at Advanced Health as he works with the community members and service providers.
Ralph Mohr	Master Swimmers of Coos County	Ralph has maintained a massive email list of local swimmers who he keeps informed with information critical for swimmers.
Laura Philips	Coos Health & Wellness Home Visiting Program	She is a key player in the success of the Babies First! and Care Coordination home visiting programs.
Jeremy Pittz	Bay Area Hospital	Jeremy has been the ultimate community liaison for BAH throughout the pandemic. He organized and worked multiple events to meet the needs of the community.
Jen Shafer	United Way of Southwestern Oregon	As the Executive Director of the United Way of Coos and Curry Counties, Jen Shafer has shown outstanding leadership and ability to mobilize the community.
Matt Vorderstrasse	North Bend City/Coos-Curry Housing Authorities	Matt looks beyond the moment to really bring information and focus to housing issues in our community.
2022
Ko-Quell Wellness Center	Coquille tribe	The Ko-Kwell Wellness Center is dedicated to the whole person and is open to the public focused on blending health, wellness, and culture to improve access to health care and increase dental services for the community at large.
Bay Cities Ambulance	Bay Cities Ambulance	Provided community repid testing inv arious locations in Coos County and handling vaccinations in long term care facilities for seniors at their residences.
Chief Mark Anderson	Coos Bay Fire Department	Supported Covid vaccine clinics for Coos Health & Wellness and volunteers during the pandemic for vaccinations for the community at large.
Kat Burgess, Renee’ Menkens, RN	Coos County Medical Reserve Corps	Kat helped make sure volunteers were ready for the covid vaccine PODs (Points of Distribution) by making them efficient and effective. Renee’ Menkens, RN, provided Covid vaccines for community members at the PODs and Farmers Market as well as aboard ships for foreign sailors.
Lena Hawtin, RN	Coos Health & Wellness	Lena coordinated vaccine and supplies for the PODs during Covid vaccinations throughout the county. She managed oversight of vaccine safety issues for storage and distribution.
Kelsey Orr, RN and Becky Fairhurst, RN	Coos Health & Wellness	Kelsey and Becky provided hours of service in contact tracing one of the key elements in the Covid response in Coos County. They served as team leads for all investigators for Public Health.
John Lemos	Kids Hope Center	John has volunteered at the KHC for the past five years to support children and adults who have experienced trauma in their lives. He also volunteers as a co-facilitator of the Darkness to Light curriculum educating the community about child sexual abuse.
Stephanie Polizzi	OSU Extension Family and Community	Stephanie works tirelessly to educate the community about nutrition and conducted research about nutrition and cancer reduction in the WECAN (Wellness Education for Cancer Nutrition) study.
Alyssa Pruess	Zonta Club for Southwest Oregon	Alyssa researched and designed The Sex Talk website to make reliable and accurate sex education available to the community. This website is a resource to help prevent unplanned pregnancies, promote sexual health, reduce sexually transmitted infections, and educate young people about services and resources available to them.
Barbara Van Slyke	Bay Area Hospital Cancer Center	In 2003 Barbara saw a need and began seeing patients who had no access to medical care. In 2003 she and others secured federal funding and Waterfall Health Clinic was established as a Federally Qualified Health Center in 2003. She was on the board of directors for 10 years. She recently retired from Bay Area Hospital Cancer Center as an oncology nurse.
2020
Patrick Wright	Operation Rebuild Hope	Created programs to support veterans in Coos County.
Kim Singh, President	Coos County Emergency Response Team (CERT)	Supported education about disaster preparedness and training in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations
Phillip Nel, Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager & Michael Burton, VISTA	Coos Health & Wellness, Coos County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)	They develop trainings for MRC members, seek funding to develop supply resources needed for emergency situations, and work with county and state government to assure Coos County is well versed in disaster management and that our MRC is ready to serve, when and if, needed.
Bernarda Liggett	Coos Elderly Services	Directly helping those in need, and comfort in the continuation of Coos Elderly Services mission to promote the dignity and security of vulnerable people who need assistance in managing their financial affairs.
Dale Hodge	South Coast Together	A community member who supports the work of SCT in educating the public about adverse childhood experiences with the goal to support a healthy Coos county.
2019
Kate Frame	Local Alcohol Drug Planning Committee	Supported regional prescription drug overdose prevention project.
Ann Marineau	Madison Elementary School	Manager of the Madison Community Garden as an option for healthy foods for school age children and their families
Becky and Grant Crim	American Cancer Society	Volunteer to educate us about cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, and also to raise funds to fight cancer
Rick Wetherell, Mayor	North Bend City Council	Recognized for helping to support health for families through creating healthier environments with no smoking signs in city parks.
2018
Char Luther, Director	New Community Coalition	Provided leadership about housing and vulnerable people in Coos County
Patty Sanden, Jeanette Sinclair, Robin Reed and Chelsea Schoeppner and their dogs Auggie, Leah, Vixey, Utah and Molly	The Coos County Search & Rescue Dog Team Unit	The team leads searches that can occur at night, under darkness, and in all types of weather.
Linda Furman Grile, Director	South Coast hospice & Palliative Care Services, Inc.	Created of the area’s first community-based non-profit hospice program
Linda Maxon, Director	Coast Community Health Center	A leader in bringing quality, low-cost, accessible health care to the people of Bandon and south to Langlois and Port Orford
2017
Elizabeth Spona	Connect the Boardwalks	Created awareness and support for the Coos Waterfront Park and Walkway
Jennifer Groth & Stephanie Kramer	Coos Bay City Council 2016 & Mayor Crystal Shoji	Supported ordinances expanding smoking bans at all city owned developed parks.
Joanne Shorb, Director	Kid’s Hope Center	Supported education to help the public understand what child abuse is and how this impacts our community.
Gail McClave, MD	Bandon Community Health Center	Volunteer and support for lab grade vaccine refrigerator for Coos Health & Wellness
Carla McKelvey, MD	FEARsome Clinic	Provided physical, dental and mental health screenings for Coos County foster parents and the children they serve
Tara Johnson, Director	Nancy Devereux Center	Provided support for the homeless population of Coos County
2016
Charlie Possee	The Power’s Lion’s Club	Acknowledged for their efforts to encourage active living through the Tour de Fronds cycling event.
Audrey Duke, FNP	North Bend Medical Center (NBMC)	Served at the first walk in clinic at NBMC and board member for Crossroads Community Cafe
Pat Dudas, FNP	Coos Health & Wellness & Coquille Tribal Health Clinic	Advocate for breast and cervical cancer screening
Phil Greenhill, CEO	Western Oregon Advanced Health	Vision and collaboration with Coos Health & Wellness in development of new campus
Anna Marie Slate	Western Oregon Advanced Health	President of Community Advisory Committee and raised awareness of health issues affecting vulnerable populations
Florence Pourtal-Stevens, Administrator	Coos Health & Wellness	Supported for work to revitalize the Community health Improvement Plan
2015
Karen Brown, RN	Coos Bay School District	Started Shoes that Fit program and coordination of Ready to Smile Program
Susan Fox & Ethel German, co-founders & Kathy Walsh, RN & Susan Walker, RN, Director	Crossroads Café & Southwester Oregon Community College Nursing program	Collaboration to support inexpensive hot meals for anyone and nursing student run health clinics
Jardin Kazaar, RN & Kristen Hoefer	Black Market Gourmet	Educating the community about healthy eating
Betty Albertson	Western Oregon Advanced Health	The Community Advisory Council was acknowledged for their work to improve the health of WOAH members
2014
Stephen Groth, MD	Coos County Health Department	Provided reproductive services for low income women in family planning clinic
Donna Rabin, MD & Jon Yost, MD	Community Connections Network	Coordinated care for children with special needs
Tom Holt, DDS	Ready to Smile Program/Neighborhood Dentist Program	Contributions to children dental health
Brent Pahls, DDS, Heidi Pahls, DDS, & Herman Pahls, DDS	Ready to Smile Program/Neighborhood Dentist Program	Donated dental care services to school age children
2013
Maud Capps, MA	Bandon Community Health Center	Started clinic Prescription Assistance Program
Kathy Laird, RN	Waterfall Community Health Center	Advocate for medical care for the uninsured
Michael Lanza, MD		Provided greenhouse to Myrtle Crest School to support healthy eating and reduce obesity
Judy Moody, Director	Woman’s Safety & Resource Center	Support for services to prevent intimate partner violence in our community
Debbie Webb	Coos County Friends of Public Health	Provided services through the Living Well Program for people with chronic conditions
2012
Susan Chaney, CNM	Bay Area Hospital	Advocat4e for pregnant and parenting families
Don Luce	South Coast Striders	Connected individuals to hiking on the south coast
Stephanie Polizzi, RD	Oregon State Extension Office	Collaboration with Health Department Tobacco Prevention program about tobacco use policy at Coos County Fair
John Sweet & Elizabeth Day	Ford Family Foundation & The Mudd family Foundation	Support for Ready to Smile Program
2011
Judy McMakin, Director	Coos County Commission on Children and Families	Early childhood education programs at health department
Barbara Eakley	Bandon Community Health Center	Developed cook book to raise funds for health care
Astrid Diepenbroeck	Coos County Health Department	Provided services in the Ready to Smile program for school age children
Pat Ciccarelli & Carla Fellows	South Coast Head Start	Brought Early Head Start to Coos County, serving pregnant women, infants and young children
Jenifer Stephens & Jeff McKeown, Mayor	City of Coos Bay	Smoke free parks in Coos bay
Julia Willis, Administrator	Coquille Tribal Community Fund trustees	Support for Coos County Public Health programs
2010
Mary Schamehorn, Mayor	City of Bandon	First city in Coos County with smoke free parks
Lindi Quinn	Bay Area Zonta Club	Organizing Mother’s Day walk
Dan Bissell	Coos County Health Department	Emergency Preparedness
Crystal Shojii	Coos Bay North Bend Rotary	Support for CaCoon Program for medically fragile children
Mindy Dean	Bree’s Upscale Resale	Provided mammograms and information on breast health
H1N1 Response Team: Angie Webster, RN and Karen Brown, RN, Coos Bay; Tim Amato, RN and Carrie Bohanan, RN, North Bend; Donna Martz, RN, Myrtle Point; Peggy Jennings, RN, Coquille; also Ellen Baldwin, Powers and Diane Buche, Bandon.	Coos County Health Department & School Nurses	Flu immunizations for community and schools
2009
Rita Hoover, RN	Bay Area Hospital	Diabetes Education with South Coast Diabete4s Association
Jim Wathen, CEO	Southern Coos Hospital	Fist hospital with smoke free campus
Angie Webster, RN Melissa Grimes, RN	Coos Bay School District	Improving dental health in grade school children
Kelley Rowe, Director	North Bend Medical Center	Provided health education and outreach with health coalitions
Kathy Cooley, RN	Coos County Health Department	Healthy Start parenting education program
2008
Carolyn Jacobson, RN	Coos County Healthy Start Program	Birth family screening
Renee’ Menkens, RN	Southwestern Oregon Community College	Coos County Public Health Family Planning Advisory Board
Lonnie Scarborough, Director	Southern Coos Hospital	Community flu shots
Ingrid Tyson, RN Shannon Weybright, RN		School Based Health Center at Marshfield High School
Joanne Verger, Senator	Oregon State Legislature	Legislation to expand Oregon bottle bill and healthy snacks in schools