Users who work for MCN

Since joining MCN in 2014, Claire Hutkins Seda (she/her) has been writing and editing for MCN’s numerous communications and publications from the California office. Seda's work has been published in academic and medical journals, in leading newspapers, and (of course) online. She heads up MCN's active blog and acts as managing editor and lead writer for MCN's in-print clinical journal, Streamline. Her writing has focused on climate change at the intersection of global health and health equity; environmental and social justice; nature conservation and preservation; and local food production and gardening. She has previously worked for nonprofits focused on: land conservation, nature education, and research; fair trade certification and labeling; and the prevention and cleanup of groundwater contamination. She graduated with college honors with a Bachelor's degree in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Outside of MCN, Seda is a prolific writer and is an active community organizer around issues of climate change, pollution, conservation, and environmental justice. She spends her spare time hiking the wild lands of Northern California with her partner and daughter. She also has a productive veggie garden despite the best efforts of a phalanx of gophers and the chilly fingers of the San Francisco fog.

Sonia Alvarado (she/her) is a recent graduate from CSU Chico, receiving her Bachelors of Science in Biology with an option in Ecological, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology (yes, it’s quite a mouthful) in May of 2019. While attending university, Alvarado worked as an assistant in the Banet Lab, providing care to juvenile salmon as part of a project detailing the effects water temperature has on their development. She also had the opportunity to take a marine biology course in Costa Rica, where she swam with bioluminescent plankton and trekked through the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Alvarado is an essential part of MCN, helping to keep the data systems in working order. Coming from migrant grandparents, she appreciates the opportunity to be a part of an organization that does such important work in health justice.

Outside of MCN, Alvarado hopes to go into conservation with the goal of preserving some of the earth’s most vulnerable and misunderstood animals, and the environments they call home. Like any good field biologist, she prefers to spend her free time hunting for insects to add to her growing collection and enjoying some of Chico’s more splendid views.

Martha Alvarado was born and raised in Northern California to migrant parents. She attended junior college at Mendocino College, after which transferred to California State University, Chico. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology in 2009. Alvarado is an admitted Star Trek aficionado. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis and softball.

Cloé Destinoble (she/her) is MCN’s Program Manager for Migrant and Immigrant Health. She graduated from the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Stempel College at Florida International University with a Master’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. Destinoble is a strong advocate for achieving health equity, eliminating disparities, and improving population health. In 2019, her research gave her the opportunity to present at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo conference in Philadelphia. She has worked as an HIV peer educator for the department of health in Florida. Destinoble has also worked with a few health departments and contributed as a Biological Scientist in their epidemiology departments by investigating COVID-19 cases and assisting in the control of infections. As a biological scientist, Destinoble aimed to promote health and prevent the spread of COVID-19 by identifying, assessing, and managing people who had been exposed to the virus, and assisting with prevention of additional transmission by communicating audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing (health messaging using technology) and through oral presentation, while applying awareness of cultural values. Her research interests include maternal and child health, maternal mortality, infant mortality, capacities that affect physical and mental health, population health, health disparities, and health equity.

Destinoble is passionate about serving the underserved immigrant population and advocating for them. She is multicultural and multilingual. She was born in Haiti, then moved to Florida where she spent the majority of her life. She now resides in Maryland and is looking to serve the migrant and immigrant population there.

Cloé Destinoble, MPH
Gerente de Programa para la Salud de Migrantes e Inmigrantes,
Maryland
Cloé Destinoble, MPH, es la gerente de Programa para la Salud de Migrantes e Inmigrantes de MCN. Se graduó del Departamento de Promoción de la Salud y Prevención de Enfermedades de la Universidad Internacional de Stempel College de Florida, con una maestría en Salud Pública con especialización en Salud Materna e Infantil. Obtuvo una licenciatura en psicología en Florida Atlantic University. Cloé defiende firmemente la equidad en salud, la eliminación de disparidades y la mejora de la salud de la comunidad. En 2019, su investigación le permitió presentarse en la Conferencia Anual y Exposición de la Asociación Estadounidense de Salud Pública en Filadelfia. Ha trabajado como educadora sobre el VIH para el Departamento de Salud de Florida. Cloé también ha trabajado con algunos departamentos de salud y ha contribuido como científica biológica en los departamentos de epidemiología investigando casos de COVID-19 y ayudando en el control de infecciones. Como científica biológica, Cloé buscaba promover la salud y prevenir la propagación del COVID-19 mediante la identificación, evaluación y manejo de personas o contactos que han estado expuestos al virus y ayudando a prevenir la transmisión adicional educando apropiadamente en salud pública a la audiencia -adecuando el contenido, mensajes de salud usando tecnología- como a través de presentaciones orales hablando de los valores culturales. Sus intereses en investigación incluyen salud materna-infantil, mortalidad materna, mortalidad infantil, capacidades que afectan la salud física y mental, la salud de la población, las disparidades de salud y la equidad en salud. A Cloé le apasiona servir y defender a la población inmigrante desatendida. Ella es multicultural y multilingüe. Nació en Haití y se mudó a Florida, donde pasó la mayor parte de su vida. Actualmente vive y busca servir a la población migrante e inmigrante en Maryland.

Alvaro Medel-Herrero, PhD, MBA, is a social scientist and epidemiologist, with specific training in public policy, health services assessment, and social determinants of health. His career as an epidemiologist began in Spain at the Department of Public Health due to a competitive national scholarship that funded his entire PhD program. His research has focused on the social determinants of health in the most vulnerable populations, including the homeless, young immigrant prostitute women, undocumented immigrants and minorities, and those with mental health conditions and substance abuse problems. His research interests include public policy analysis, mental health, health disparities and health services assessment. The impact of economic recessions on health is a major research topic throughout his research tenure. Upon arriving to California with his wife few years ago, his goal was to primarily focus on the Latino population and undocumented immigrants, where he successfully led some studies on domestic violence, mental health and agricultural health and safety, including the California Agricultural Workers Stress Project (CAWSP). Dr. Medel-Herrero aims to infuse all of his projects with strong community engagement outcomes and patient-centered care strategies. He is passionate about hiking and nature and very much enjoys social life and live music in the Sacramento and San Francisco areas.

Jessica Calderón (she/her/ella) currently lives in Austin, TX. As an undergraduate student, Calderón distinguished herself with outstanding technical and interpersonal skills. Coursework for her degree in psychology included work on cultural competence, mental illness, and human relations. Calderón joined MCN as an intern while attending Texas State University. During her internship, she worked with Roxana Pineda at Ventanilla de Salud at the Mexican Consulate, providing local Mexican citizens and other Latinos with health resources, and attending networking meetings with other local organizations interested in educating and informing about disease prevention. In 2019, Calderón graduated from Texas State University with a double major in Psychology and Spanish Literature. After graduation, Calderón was invited to return as a staff member to support MCN’s International Projects and Emerging Issues department.

Calderón is pursuing her Alternate Entry Master of Science in Nursing (AE-MSN) program prerequisites and planning to apply to this program. Through the Psych/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program (PMHNP), she plans to provide primary psychiatric-mental health care at an advanced level to individuals of all ages and their families. Calderón seeks to specialize in working with client populations who have a history of trauma, abuse, attachment interruption, and family problems of origin. She believes that through meaningful work alongside patients, they can overcome or manage trauma and gain significant improvements in health, self-esteem, relationships, and general quality of life.

Calderón was born in Tamaulipas, Mexico, where she resided until 12 when she moved to Austin, Texas, with her family. Besides work and school, Calderón is passionate about any activity that allows her to connect with nature: from kayaking to mountain hiking. She also likes to travel, art, music, books, and spending quality time with friends & family. As demonstrated by her consecutive participation in the Austin Half Marathon, Calderón loves challenges and is always ready to get out of her comfort zone.

Norma Gonzalez, LMT is a Health Network Associate. Born in Sonora, Mexico, Gonzalez migrated to the US in 2001 with her family to San Luis, Arizona. Her father had worked in the fields most of his life. As a migrant farmworker in the US, he spent November through March in Arizona, and the rest of the year working in fields of California. Gonzalez graduated from Arizona Western College in 2013 with an Associate's degree in Applied Science as a massage therapist. She worked as a licensed massage therapist from 2011 to 2014. She then worked as a physical therapy technician for four years. In 2018, after getting married, she decided to move to Austin, Texas with her family. Her hobbies include painting and shopping.

Norma González
asociada de Health Network
Norma González, LMT es una asociada de la red de salud. Nació en Sonora, México. En 2001 emigró a los Estados Unidos con su familia a San Luis, Arizona. Su padre trabajó en la agricultura la mayor parte de su vida. Como trabajador agrícola migrante en Estados Unidos, pasó de noviembre a marzo en Arizona y el resto del año trabajando en el campo en California. Norma González se graduó de Arizona Western College en 2013 con un título de Asociado en Ciencias Aplicadas como terapeuta de masaje.Trabajó como terapeuta de masaje con licencia de 2011 a 2014 y posteriormente como técnico de fisioterapia durante cuatro años, En 2018, después de casarse, decidió mudarse a Austin, Texas con su familia. Sus pasatiempos incluyen pintar e ir de compras.

Luisa Roxana Pineda (she/her) was born in Veracruz, Mexico. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition and has a Master´s Degree of Public Health with a specialty in Community Nutrition from Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Pineda is passionate about promoting preventative health actions, making alliances, community health, and teamwork. In her free time, she enjoys shopping, restoring wood furniture, painting ceramics, and going to the cinema or to concerts.

(English)
Giorgio Alberto Franyuti Kelly, MD, is the Executive Director of Medical IMPACT, a nonprofit organization based in Mexico that provides humanitarian medical assistance to communities living under extreme marginalization, political instability, difficult access, or natural disasters. He has led and developed interventions that has provided humanitarian medical assistance and supplies or prevention education to over 20,000 people in Kenya, Sierra Leone, Cuba, Guatemala, and Mexico. He has published widely on health concerns, including on Ebola and apoptosis. Dr. Franyuti is a medical doctor with a specialty degree in occupational health and a Master’s degree in Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Direction and Administration from Anahuac University, Mexico City.

(Español)
Giorgio Alberto Franyuti Kelly, MD es el Director Ejecutivo de Medical IMPACT, una organización sin fines de lucro con sede en México que proporciona asistencia médica y humanitaria a comunidades que viven en condiciones de marginación extrema, inestabilidad política, dificultades de acceso o desastres naturales. Ha liderado y desarrollado operaciones que han brindado asistencia médica humanitaria y suministros o educación preventiva a más de 200 000 personas en Kenia, Sierra Leona, Cuba, Guatemala y México. El Dr. Franyuti es un médico especialista en salud ocupacional y tiene una maestría en Dirección y Gestión de Hospitales e Instituciones de Salud de la Universidad Anáhuac, en la Ciudad de México.

(English)
Robert Shelly, MD, FAAP is a doctor in pediatrics and internal medicine at Finger Lakes Community Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center that serves a large number of immigrant agricultural workers in New York. Raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) to two American doctors, Dr. Shelly spent much of his early career serving small rural communities internationally, including in El Salvador and Nicaragua, where he served as a clinician and also trained local health workers using popular education methods. Upon returning to the US in 2002, Dr. Shelly joined Quincy Community Health in Washington, serving migrant and immigrant agricultural workers, before moving to New York for his present position in 2010.

(Español)
Robert Shelly, MD, FAAP, es médico en pediatría y medicina interna en el Centro Comunitario Finger Lakes, un centro de salud federalmente calificado que atiende a una gran cantidad de trabajadores agrícolas inmigrantes en Nueva York. Hijo de dos médicos estadounidenses, el doctor Shelly creció en la República Democrática del Congo (en ese entoces Zaire) y pasó la mayor parte de su carrera al servicio de pequeñas comunidades rurales en otros países, incluyendo El Salvador y Nicaragua, donde trabajó como médico y también capacitó a trabajadores de centros de salud locales usando métodos de educación popular. A su regreso a Estados Unidos, en 2002, Dr. Shelly empezó a atender a trabajadores migrantes y agrícolas en Quincy Community Health, en Washington, antes de regresar a su cargo actual en Nueva York en 2010.

Candra Wolcott is a native Texan, born in San Benito and raised in Austin. After five years working for the Travis County Auditor’s office, Wolcott enrolled at the Texas State University, where she now studies toward a degree in Microbiology. In 2017, Wolcott joined MCN as a Financial Associate. In 2018, she was promoted to Office Manager for the Austin office. Upon graduation, Wolcott plans to focus on homeopathic medicine for life-threatening illnesses with a strong emphasis on cancer. When she is not at work or school, Wolcott enjoys traveling, playing with her baby twin nieces, and spending time outdoors adding to her ever-growing rock collection.

Robert Corona graduated from University of Texas, Austin in 2010 with a degree in Linguistics and came to MCN in 2016 after having traveled the world and gaining invaluable insight into the plights of underserved populations in several other countries. He works with Health Network to ensure that patients have a continuity of health services wherever they go. Corona speaks Spanish, French, and Portuguese, and is currently learning Nahuatl. He uses his linguistic background to contact patients all over the world, and specializes in managing cases as far away as the Philippines. In his free time, he works as a freelance photographer and is involved with the Latino/Indigenous community in various ways.

Andrea Custode joined MCN in August 2017, shortly after moving to Austin from Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the executive assistant to Elaine Penn, Chief Financial Officer, and also provides executive support to both Karen Mountain, MBA, MSN, RN, Chief Executive Office, and Deliana Garcia, MA, Director, International Projects and Emerging Issues. Ms. Custode also works with program managers to ensure budget requirements for each grant are met. When she's not working she likes to attend sporting events and concerts, watch movies, travel, spend time with her dog, Kaizer, and family, or spend time finding new fun things to do around Austin.