Our Team

Staff

Sandy Lennon, Executive Director

Sandy has served as Executive Director of the Washington School-Based Health Alliance (WA SBHA) since 2018. Prior to this, her professional experience included more than 20 years in the private, government and nonprofit sectors, serving in project and program management roles in community economic development and global health.  As a parent, she became actively engaged in local public schools, launching new initiatives around food security, healthy eating, outdoor education, and global awareness.  Sandy is grateful to be able to bring her collective experience and passions to bear in advancing health and educational equity for children and youth in Washington.  Sandy holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. 

Michelle Mitchell, Program Manager

Michelle has more than 10 years of experience providing direct service to diverse and vulnerable populations in residential, community mental health, and school settings. After graduating with her master’s degree in May 2020, she served as Clinic Administrator for the Wellness Center at Nova High School in Seattle, sponsored by Country Doctor Community Health Centers. Michelle considers herself a spiritual-social work activist who aims to empower marginalized communities, especially women and youth of color. She is also a strong proponent for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work within the educational and non-profit sectors. Joining WA SBHA as Program Manager in 2022, she envisions utilizing her knowledge and skills to help build understanding, empathy, compassion, and common ground within communities, and to be an effective advocate and DEI change agent at the local and state level.  Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from University of California, Davis, and a Master of Social Work from California State University, Long Beach.  

Catherine Crawford, Program Assistant

Catherine has a diverse professional background including in the nonprofit sector, healthcare administration, small business communications, and eco-friendly tourism. Joining WA SBHA as Program Assistant in 2023, she is excited to add her skills and energy to creating the healthy, safe world all children deserve to live in. 

Board of Directors

Sara Rigel, Board President

Sara is currently a program manager at Public Health-Seattle & King County where she oversees the Child Care Health team and School-Based Partnerships unit.  These groups provide support and direct care to children of all ages in their early care and education settings.  Sara has worked with school-based health centers (SBHCs) as a health educator and clinic manager in past positions.  Her current professional passions lie in utilizing data to support quality outcomes for students and fostering partnerships for long term SBHC sustainability.  She earned her Master of Public Health in Health Education & Communication and Maternal and Child Health from Tulane University.

Peter Asante, Board Vice President

Peter is a General Pediatric Physician and Medical Director of the Teen Health Clinic at Yakima Pediatrics, as well as Chair of Pediatrics and Hospitalist at Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital in Yakima, Washington. He approaches his clinical practice from the backgrounds of community health and implementation science. He is passionate about his work as a child health advocate, particularly as it pertains to expanding access to comprehensive health care for underserved youth and adolescents. Finally, he is committed to creating clinical spaces where providers can form impactful relationships with families that improve health and well-being, both inside and outside of the doctor’s office. Most recently, his efforts led him to be instrumental in the establishment of the Davis Health Clinic, the first school-based health center in Yakima located at Davis High School, for which he currently serves as chair of the Community Advisory Board.

Terri Johnston, Board Treasurer-Secretary

Terri currently serves as principal at Johnston Partnerships. She is passionate about public education and has a vast amount of experience in building, maintaining and strengthening public-private partnerships that improve public schools and obtain better outcomes for students. In collaboration with education leaders, practitioners, philanthropists, policymakers, youth, organizations and communities, Terri works to advance all aspects of student learning and well being. Most recently, Terri was instrumental in building partnerships to establish a school-based health center at Seattle World School, serving middle and high school immigrant and refugee students.

Tammy Campbell

Dr. Tammy Campbell, an award-winning and nationally recognized former superintendent and educational leader, launched The Scholar First Inc. to help district and school leaders strengthen systemic practices that close opportunity and learning gaps. During her 27 years in public education, Tammy has held many roles including educator, classroom teacher, math staff developer, principal, area principal supervisor, assistant superintendent, superintendent, and mentor superintendent. Using her successes in each of these roles, through The Scholar First Tammy is currently partnering with dozens of school districts across the country on visioning, theory of action and goal alignment, and strategic planning with a mission to inspire and empower leaders to create systems and structures that position every scholar to achieve their limitless potential.

Jay Fathi

Jay, a family physician and recognized community and health care leader across Washington state, currently serves as the Plan President and CEO of Molina Healthcare of Washington. After serving for 12 years as a family doctor at the 45th Street Community Health Center, he founded and served as the Senior Medical Director of Community Health at Swedish Health Services. He then helped lead the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Washington as President and CEO of a managed care health plan. Jay holds an appointment as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, serves on the Boards of the Washington Health Alliance and the Washington Healthcare Forum, and is a member of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange Advisory Committee. He has been recognized locally and nationally for teaching, leadership, and dedication to the health and well-being of the underserved and has also served as a consultant and advisor to numerous efforts working towards system improvements and health equity. 

Norma Hernandez

Norma is currently Executive Director of The Health Center in Walla Walla, an independent 501(c)(3) school-based health clinic providing students in Walla Walla Public Schools with medical and mental health care, regardless of their ability to pay.  Additionally, since 2019 Norma is also the mayor of the City of College Place.  Prior to coming to The Health Center, Norma worked in community development in the Walla Walla Valley and Seattle area for twenty years, focusing on creating services and programs that are inclusive to all in a community, with a special focus on low-income and vulnerable communities. In 2008, as CEO of a credit union in Seattle, Norma was instrumental in its conversion into the area’s first CDFI/Low-Income Credit Union, serving communities that were unbanked and victims of predatory lending practices. She has been a CEO, Executive Vice President, President, COO, Director, and Department Manager throughout her career.  Norma volunteers and serves on numerous boards, committees, and community groups that seek to provide families with opportunities for stability, personal resiliency, and growth. 

Taraneh Shafii

Taraneh is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine at the University of Washington School Of Medicine. She is also Director of Adolescent Medicine Inpatient Services at Seattle Children’s Hospital and serves as the Director of Quality Improvement for the Division of Adolescent Medicine. Her research focus is the development of primary and secondary interventions to prevent HIV/STIs and unintended pregnancy in adolescents and young adults. She has worked clinically in school-based health clinics. Dr. Shafii is nationally active in adolescent health and serves in leadership positions for the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.

Colin Walker

Colin currently serves as Director of the Lynnwood Medical Center for Virginia Mason. He previously worked as the Director of the University Village Medical Center for Virginia Mason. Colin has also worked as the School-Based Program Manager at Neighborcare Health, a community based health center in Seattle and the largest provider of school-based health care services in Washington. Colin has a Masters in Health Administration from the School of Public Health at the University of Washington. He has served as Board Member and Vice President for a non-profit organization operating health centers in rural areas of Kenya. Colin has also volunteered or worked in a variety of health-related settings at Harborview Medical Center, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of California, Berkeley.

Erin Wick

Erin currently serves as the Program Director of Behavioral Health and Student Support for Capital Region Educational Service District #113 providing support for 44 school districts in Thurston, Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor, and Pacific Counties. Erin has worked in the behavioral health care field since 1996. Erin holds a Chemical Dependency Professional license as well as a Masters in Business Administration.

Samantha Yeun

Samantha is currently working as a program manager for Public Health—Seattle & King County, where her role is to support school-based health centers in 33 sites across King County to improve the quality of care for students. Samantha is driven by a passion for equity, social justice and healthy communities. She spent over 20 years at the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department working on a variety of public health topics such as healthy eating, active living, disease prevention, community engagement, and youth leadership. She earned a B.A. from Evergreen State College with an emphasis in Community Health. Samantha is co-chair of the Khmer Health Board of King County and a parent volunteer for Stadium High School Baseball Boosters.