Increasing Understanding of US Systems

Birgit Lemke is a Program Manager for KDHE Community Health Worker Section. She earned her degree in English and French at the Nuremberg Foreign Language Institute in Nuremberg, Germany. Birgit started her career as an English instructor at the Garden City Community College. After recognizing the many needs of the immigrant community, she began working for LiveWell Finney County as a Program Coordinator for Community Health Workers. As well as with Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas, where she helped refugees and immigrants access health resources and other social services. She is passionate about the health, well-being, and safety of all community members and is a strong advocate for health equity.

Alissa is a Program Specialist for the Center for Public Health Initiatives at the Wichita State University’s Community Engagement Institute. She works on the statewide Community Health Worker workforce initiatives and system development. Previously, Alissa worked at the Sedgwick County Health Department, managing several programs, including the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and the Oral Health Education Program. Over her 18 years in public health, Alissa has been employed by the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. She’s also spent a significant amount of time volunteering for the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Due to her time spent studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador, in 2003, she developed a deep passion for disparate populations and addressing health inequities. Alissa earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2004 from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, and a Master of Public Health from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO, in 2006.