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Our Focus

The Center for Achieving Equity's (CAE) focus is to ensure health implications and equity considerations are in the forefront as policy makers and others make decisions that substantially impact the residents of Cuyahoga County and the neighborhoods in which County residents live. To that end, the CAE team exists to:

  • Help leaders focus on a broader definition of health. We believe that health is not simply the absence of disease. Health begins where we live, work, learn, and play. Health includes the social conditions one lives in (the jobs we do, the money we’re paid, the schools we attend, the neighborhoods we live in). These determinants are as important as our genes, our behaviors, and our medical care.

  • Ensure “health and equity in all policies” is embedded in work throughout every sector, by building the capacity of policy-makers, organizational leaders and community members to use an overarching health equity lens when developing policies.

 

  • Support equitable decision-making, planning and practices by facilitating a community of practice, which builds the capacity of leaders and influencers and documents effective strategies and practices of the entire community.

 

  • Utilize “place-based” interventions to engage and empower residents working to revitalize under- resourced communities.

Sandra Chappelle
 
President of the Board
Sandra Byrd Chappelle is a dynamic, award-winning health and human services executive and the founder of Strategic Solutions Partners, a consulting firm that partners with nonprofit, private, and governmental entities in addressing complex issues facing urban communities. Her firm specializes in capacity building for leaders and organizations integrating values-based leadership, health equity, the social determinants of health, and authentic community voice and leadership into community development, public health, and systems change efforts. 
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Vedette Gavin
 
Board Member
Vedette is a seasoned public health practitioner, applied researcher and consultant. She has committed her career to creating equitable communities and opportunities for people of color and other marginalized populations. For the Conservation Law Foundation, she designed and leads the Healthy Neighborhoods Study, the largest community-based research study in the U.S. focused on understanding the impact of neighborhood development and gentrification on the health and well-being of the residents. (Read more)
Gregory L. Brown
 
Vice-President of the Board

Gregory L. Brown is the executive director of PolicyBridge a nonprofit, non-partisan public policy research and advocacy think tank located in Northeast Ohio. Mr. Brown has 40 years of public, non-profit and private sector experience. His expertise includes: strategic thinking and planning; project and program development; organizational development and leadership; community building and organizing, meeting facilitation; public policy and governmental Affairs; and survey research and data analysis. (Read more) 

Kim Foreman
 
Board Member
 
Executive Director Environmental Health Watch
Kim Foreman Graduated from Case Western Reserve University   in 2001 with a degree in Sociology (honors), and a minor in chemistry. As the Executive Director for Environmental Health Watch in Cleveland, Kim has focused on Environmental Justice issues and adverse outcomes of environmental exposures both indoors and outdoors, that disproportionately impact poor and minority communities. During her 20+ years with EHW, she has developed, implemented and managed various local, direct service on the ground grassroots projects, worked on national projects, spoken at local and national conventions, and has appeared on several radio and television shows. 

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Daniel Calloway
 
Board Secretary 

Daniel works for the National Park Service (NPS). While working with NPS, I work on organizational development, administrative processes and system structure to have a single process to streamline work. I also serve as the Budget Analyst for four NPS units. Daniel attended Kent State University where he received his degree in Business Management. Daniel also attended John Carroll University where he received his Master’s in Non- Profit Organizational Management.
Daniel continually try's to foster change and be that change agent in his life and work.

Marka Fields
 
Board Treasurer

Marka Fields is the Chief City Planner for the City of Cleveland. She has 20 years of experience in land use planning, zoning, architectural design review, and community development. Ms. Fields approaches her work with the belief that all neighborhoods should have access to quality housing, jobs and resources that allow the residents to live a healthy and vibrant life. The principles of health, equity and sustainability are at the core of everything she does as a planner. (Read more)

Shakyra Diaz 
 
Board Member
Alliance for Safety and Justice Regional Director, Midwest

Shakyra is a strategist with extensive public policy and organizing experience grounded in authentic coalition building. In her role as Regional Director for the Midwest region, Shakyra provides leadership support to in-state advocacy campaigns in the Midwest region. Prior to joining ASJ in April of 2016, Shakyra worked with the policy team of the ACLU of Ohio, and as an educator with Case Western Reserve University’s Upward Bound Program and Youth Opportunities Unlimited.  (Read more)

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