Meet the Team
Micheline White has lived and worked in the Mendonoma service area for almost 15 years. She is very well connected and has a deep understanding of the needs of the community, which serves a great purpose when implementing programs. Micheline has over 10 years of executive-level experience in managing staff, budget development and analysis, strategic planning, program operations and development, implementation and sustainability. Other key skills include cultivating lasting partnerships, facilitation strategies with small and large groups, successful grant writing and grant management, team and consensus building, and critical thinking. Micheline has worked with MHA for five years and has played a key role in building organizational capacity, growing from two original funding sources to thirteen and more than doubling the size of the staff. She is skilled at workforce retention, professionally developing her team, and building a company culture of open communication, collaboration, dedication to the work being done, and modeling professionalism in the community. Prior to MHA, Micheline served as the Executive Director for Coastal Seniors (CS), another local non-profit, for more than five years. During her time with CS she established sustainability by generating over $1 million in grant funding, increased donor giving by over 40%, expanded existing programs, developed and introduced new programs based on needs, and facilitated the development and implementation of long-term and short-term strategic plans. Micheline grew up in a chaotic environment, with her family experiencing homelessness and entering the child protective services system, losing her biological father to substance use disorder and watching her step father overcome a heroin addiction, along with other experienced traumas. It is those experiences that drive Micheline’s passion for creating a healthier, happier, and safer environment for every person in the community, especially those with severe disparities in health equity. These experiences give Micheline an advantage in understanding the experiences and needs of the most vulnerable residents in the service area. Micheline earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Sonoma State University and is currently enrolled at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine for the Master of Public Health program. Micheline is a certified Master Trainer for the “A Matter Of Balance” evidence-based fall prevention program from MainHealth; a certified Pre-Diabetes Lifestyle Coach through the Rollins School of Public Health; a certified HIV/ HCV Basic Counselor through the UCSF Regents program at the University of California San Francisco; is trained in QPR and ASIST suicide interventions; has successfully completed a variety of short-courses for addiction and mental health-related health topics from Stanford University, University of Cincinnati, and Health Management Associates; and has trained alongside her staff to complete testing competency for the delivery of health screening.
Micheline White
Executive Director
Heather Regelbrugge
Community Health Worker
Heather Regelbrugge has been with MHA since the launch of the first program (Care Transitions) in 2017. Prior to her time with MHA, Heather worked as a CHW for one of MHA’s founding partners, RCMS. Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with an emphasis in Psychology and post-graduate work in special education. Having lived in the area for more than 25 years and her previous history as an educator in Point Arena Schools District, Heather has established deep roots and has a strong understanding of the complexities of our small, isolated community. Due to her familiarity with the community, Heather is our lead CHW in Care Transitions and Care Coordination. Heather is a certified in a number of evidence-based programs including as a Master Trainer for the “A Matter of Balance” fall-prevention program through MainHealth; a Master Trainer for the Stanford Self-Management Resource Center’s “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions”; QPR Suicide Prevention; the Eric Coleman Model of Care Transitions; Level I and Level II Motivational Interviewing; Triple P positive parenting strategies; a certified Pre-Diabetes Lifestyle Coach through the Rollins School of Public Health; a certified HIV/ HCV Basic Counselor through the UCSF Regents program at the University of California San Francisco; has successfully completed a variety of short-courses for addiction and mental health-related health topics; and has passed competency testing to deliver health screening services for blood pressure, A1C, cholesterol, HIV, hepatitis C, and COVID-19.
Janis Sites joined MHA as the Network Coordinator in 2017. She brings decades of experience in communications, networking, collaboration, and problem-solving with patients, providers, and organizations as a medical biller and office manager. Her role requires assisting with administrative duties for MHA and MHA’s Rural Health Network, including implementation of the Network-wide communications plan, scheduling, the promotion of MHA and community health programs and outreach events, coordination of schedules between partners, tasks that support daily operations, and general support for MHA staff. Her collaborative spirit and dedication to MHA’s mission and values are what drives her passion for her position. Janis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare with a minor in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. She was raised in the Mendonoma Area, graduated from Point Arena High School, and returned to Gualala, the place she always calls “home” in 2013. Janis is certified in a number of evidence-based programs including Pre-Diabetes Lifestyle Coach through the Rollins School of Public Health; a certified HIV/ HCV Basic Counselor through the UCSF Regents program at the University of California San Francisco; has successfully completed a variety of short-courses for addiction and mental health-related health topics; and has passed competency testing to deliver health screening services for blood pressure, A1C, cholesterol, HIV, hepatitis C, and COVID-19.
Janis Sites
Network Coordinator
Stephanie Chapman
Community Health Worker, Bi-lingual Services
Stephanie Chapman joined MHA’s team in 2018 and has a lead role in MHA as the liaison for the Hispanic/Latino population since she is fluent in speaking and writing in Spanish. She has a BA in Psychology from University of San Francisco with an emphasis in biology. Before coming to MHA, Stephanie worked at a non-profit organization in the Bay Area named East Bay Agency for Children. There, in her role as Support Specialist, she provided administrative support and was responsible for compiling service data, event coordinating, and putting in place several systems that facilitated the grief and loss program for young children. She provided a direct service for bereavement and illness effected individuals for prospective clients and co-facilitated grief support groups for children ages 3-17 years old. Stephanie also provided systemic support for the Practicum Program within EBAC alongside the Field Placement Coordinator. Stephanie is certified in a number of evidence-based programs including as a Master Trainer for the “A Matter of Balance” fall-prevention program through MainHealth; a Master Trainer for the Stanford Self-Management Resource Center’s “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions”; QPR Suicide Prevention; ASIST suicide intervention; the Eric Coleman Model of Care Transitions; Level I and Level II Motivational Interviewing; Triple P positive parenting strategies; a certified Pre-Diabetes Lifestyle Coach through the Rollins School of Public Health; a certified HIV/ HCV Basic Counselor through the UCSF Regents program at the University of California San Francisco; has successfully completed a variety of short-courses for addiction and mental health-related health topics; and has passed competency testing to deliver health screening services for blood pressure, A1C, cholesterol, HIV, hepatitis C, and COVID-19. Due to her keen abilities for critical thinking, analysis and efficiency, Stephanie also assists with administrative projects.
Jake Petrykowski
Community Health Worker/Peer Recovery Support Coordinator
Chris Besey
Director of Operations/Data Coordinator
Chris Besey has served as MHA’s Data Coordinator for three years. He joined the team to create better systems for data entry, aggregation, analysis, and interpretation, and to strengthen the coordination of data sharing between partner agencies. Chris’s role was developed under the Rural Communities Opioid Response Implementation Program as a part-time position and his role later expanded to fill include the title of Director of Operations to help meet organizational capacity needs as MHA has expanded its programs and staff. Chris holds a Bachelor’s degree in Technical Writing from San Francisco State University and has lived in the Mendonoma community for five years after being a visitor for 15 years. After further deepening his knowledge of the community while serving as a consultant to another non-profit locally, Chris brought to MHA 20 years of data-driven, senior level non-profit operational management experience that includes program design, finance, and a strong emphasis on data retrieval methodology and analysis. Along with the organizational insights and process focus his operational role lends to evaluation and quality improvement, the technical expertise he gained in the software industry prior to his non-profit career enhances his ability to implement streamlined data communication solutions and collaborate clearly and easily with network partner data teams and technical staff.
This website and Mendonoma Health Alliance’s programs are supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award through the Rural Health Network Development Program totaling $898,645 and through the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program totaling $1 million, over a 3-year period, with 80% funded by HRSA/HHS and 20% percentage funded by non-government source(s), such as the Arlene & Michael Rosen Foundation, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, the Community Foundation of Mendocino County and tax-deductible contributions from community members. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA/HHS or the U.S. Government.
