Biography
Vannessa Fuentes, MPH, CPH, CHES
Los Angeles, CA | 323.439.8410 | vanfuentes127@gmail.com | Fluent Spanish speaker
EDUCATION
Master of Public Health
(Option: Community Health Education)
California State University, Northridge
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
California State University, Northridge
ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS
· Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)- CHES ID: 31126
· Certified in Public Health (CPH)- NBPHE ID: 15764
· Dignity Health Northridge Hospital Medical Center Appreciation Award
· Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: Standing Ovation Award for Quality Service
EXPERIENCE
Health Educator- Wellbeing Center Program Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Aug. 2019-Present
- Prepare and participate in the launch of the Wellbeing Centers at Hamilton High School and University High School Charter, which provides resources regarding reproductive health, substance use, and mental health; assisted in the press release and grand opening of Hamilton High School’s Wellbeing Center in West Los Angeles
- Lead the initiative to support 41 Wellbeing Centers regarding overdose prevention and response with End Overdose through an LAUSD pilot test
- Develop and manage partnership between End Overdose (non-profit organization) with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
- Collaborated with Wellbeing Center Program Manager, LAUSD Director of Student Medical Services and Medi-Cal Programs, and the End Overdose CEO and Directors on creating pilot program to educate and train students at 41 Wellbeing Centers
- Implement screening tools to provide student referrals to appropriate health services from Los Angeles County and collaborating local community health organizations (focusing on reproductive health, mental health, and substance use disorders)
- Recruit, assist, and coordinate the development and implementation of school peer leadership programs (including the Peer Health Advocates and Public Health Task Force)- which prepares student leaders to work with fellow students on issues related to substance abuse, sexual health, mental health, and violence prevention
- Delegated with Planned Parenthood and school administration, as a representative of the Wellbeing Center, in discussing and negotiating the implementation of Planned Parenthood clinics on school campus (specifically, Hamilton High School, University High School Charter, and Narbonne High School)
- Conduct motivational interviewing with students to help them (with guidance, coaching and mentorship on health-related issues); approximately 20-50 students per day
- Enhance and facilitate partnerships with school personnel at various LAUSD schools including administrators and teachers, and with community leaders (including parents and stakeholders) around program implementation and program-related health concerns
- Facilitate health education lessons to groups (2-20 students), individual students, and classrooms
- Prepare, collect, analyze and report data on delivered services on a daily basis; make recommendations for adjustments on the design of program implementation
- Administer pre- and post-tests to analyze the effectiveness of educational methods and materials by evaluating the impact and outcome measures
COVID-19 Emergency Response: Incident Command System Reassignment
Liaison- COVID-19 School Technical Assistance Team (STAT) Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Sep. 2020-March 2022
- Manage Los Angeles County Department of Public Health school site visits for STAT team members by speaking with school administrators and health teams
- Arrange meetings between COVID-19 emergency response school personnel and STAT
- Train and provide technical assistance support to Los Angeles County school principals, families and school affiliates in reopening Los Angeles County schools safely for high needs TK-12th grade students
- Attend and document weekly COVID-19 update telebriefings and STAT meetings
- Create and design messages (following national, state, and local protocols) with technical terms to send out to Los Angeles County schools’ personnel
- Advise TK-12 school personnel and leaders how to properly implement COVID-19 safety protocols and procedures throughout their reopening
- Develop reports regarding the COVID-19 emergency response process and procedures followed by Los Angeles County schools
Health Educator- Public Health Task Force Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Nov. 2020-March 2022
- Facilitate group discussion events between LAUSD students, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and the general public about COVID-19 emergency related issues, public health concerns, and prevention strategies
- Assist and contribute to the development and structure of Public Health Task Force curriculum
- Co-Supervise and facilitate stakeholder engagement with Wellbeing Center Program Manager during virtual meetings and events
Public Health Specialist Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health March 2020-Sep. 2020
- Train and mentor new contact tracers in Spanish and English (on how to properly interview patients and close contacts; navigate CRM and RedCap; how to begin and end contact with patients and close contacts)
- Proofread, edit, and translate contact tracing script from English to Spanish to provide Spanish speakers with accurate information on a bi-weekly basis
- Interview and assist COVID-19 positive patients and close contacts on how to properly isolate/quarantine and provide resources and referrals (including housing/rent assistance, food, mental health, substance abuse, and healthcare)
Service Planning Area 5 Supervisor Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Feb. 2021- Feb. 2022
- Mobilize and conduct interviews with prospective Youth Advisors; debrief and provide final decisions to program managers regarding applications/interviews
- Develop and manage stakeholder engagement between departments and organizations that serve Los Angeles youth (including LADPH, LAUSD, and non-profit entities)
- Design and implement a public health-based curriculum (with a focus on the Positive Youth Development framework) for distance learning students and program managers