Oct. 24, 2012 - The management team at the Oregon Primary Care Association (OPCA) has added three members - Howard Balshem as director of data and measurement, John Hummel as policy director and Zoe O'Neill as community health center operations manager. Balshem's and O'Neill's positions are new to OPCA.
"I'm delighted to welcome three experienced professionals to OPCA," said Craig Hostetler, the association's executive director. "Their skills will strengthen our role as a leader in transforming primary care to achieve health equity for all Oregonians."
Howard Balshem - Director of Data & Measurement
Howard Balshem will help develop and coordinate a data measurement strategy for Oregon's community health centers. He'll work with health centers on using data to improve operations and demonstrate value. Balshem joins OPCA from his position as senior research associate at the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center. He's also served as chief information officer for the Oregon Health Community Information Network and as director of information services with CareOregon. Balshem has a bachelor's degree in physics from Temple University and a master's in psychology from Portland State University.
John Hummel -Policy Director
John Hummel will direct OPCA's state and federal policy work. He joins OPCA from his position as director of the Oregon Consensus Institute, the public policy conflict resolution and collaborative governance program housed at the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. He recently facilitated the deliberations of the Columbia Gorge Health Council Planning Group regarding the endorsement of a Coordinated Care Organization for their region. Hummel has a J.D. from the University of Arkansas and a master's in public policy from Johns Hopkins University.
Zoe O'Neill - Community Health Center Operations Manager
Zoe O'Neill will develop and manage the clinical technical assistance program for Oregon's 31 community health centers, focusing on quality improvement. She worked most recently as senior community health specialist with Partnership Health Center in Missoula, Montana. She has a master's in public administration from the University of Montana and a bachelor's degree in community health and public policy from Western Washington University.
About OPCA:
The Oregon Primary Care Association is a nonprofit membership organization of 31 community health centers operating through 200 sites across the state. OPCA educates key decision-makers at the state and federal levels about the value of health centers and provides technical assistance and training to its members. Our mission is to lead the transformation of primary care to achieve health equity for all. For more information, see http://www.orpca.org.
