Dean Schillinger, MD
Phone: (916) 552-9888
Fax: (916) 552-9988
E-Mail: dean.schillinger@cdph.ca.gov

Dean Schillinger is a practicing primary care physician at SFGH and a professor at UCSF who joined the California Diabetes Program as Program Chief in April 2008. He will continue in his clinical and academic work while leading the California Diabetes Program, retaining his position as a Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco. Additionally, Dean is the Chief of the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine and primary care physician at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH), an urban public hospital, where he sees patients, teaches in the primary care residency program, and conducts research. In his administrative capacities, he has directed the Medi-Cal managed care clinic at SFGH, the ambulatory care clinics at SFGH, and has been the Director of Clinical Operations for the Department of Medicine. He is currently the Director of the Health Communications Program at the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations.More.

Program Coordinator, Media & Marketing Specialist

Susan Lopez-Payan, BA
Phone: (916) 552-9942
Fax: (916) 552-9988
E-Mail: susan.lopez-payan@cdph.ca.gov

Susan joined the California Diabetes Program in the California Department of Public Health in 2000 and is the Program Manager. In 2012 she was elected Chair of the National Association of Chronic Disease Director’s Diabetes Council, which includes members from all U.S. states and territories.

 

Susan participated in the development of the Medicaid Diabetes Prevention and Management Initiative, which was part of the Governor’s 2007 Healthcare Reform Proposal. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Diabetes Coalition of California since 2003. She also served on the Evaluation Workgroup of the National Diabetes Education Program and was on the Executive Committee of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Diabetes Primary Prevention Initiative. In 2009 Susan received the Chancellor’s Award for Exceptional University Management from the University of California San Francisco.

 

Susan was a Creative Director and Vice President of an award-winning marketing communications and research firm in Washington, DC that specialized in marketing intangibles. Clients included the National Science Foundation, Indian Health Service, Federal Occupational Health, National Health Service Corps, Federal Highways Administration, Price Waterhouse Coopers and Houston Associates International. She earned awards from the International Association of Business Communicators, Sacramento Ad Club, and the National Association of Government Communicators. She was also a contributing writer for the book Notable Hispanic American Women, published by Gale Research.

Susan earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from California State University Fresno and completed a Business and Management certificate program from the University of California, Davis. She also studied art at UC Santa Cruz, the Corcoran, the Smithsonian Institute, Oakland College of Arts and Crafts, Sedona Arts Center and with private instructors including Ken Potter, Jan Sitts, Ernie Clausen, and Barbara Jackson.

Health Promotion Specialists:

Tami MacAller, MPH, MCHES
Phone: (530) 350-8120
Fax: (916) 552-9988
E-Mail: tami.macaller@cdph.ca.gov

As a Senior Health Promotion Specialist, Tami works to improve diabetes awareness and prevention efforts through links between health care organizations & providers, the California Department of Public Health, communities, grassroots collaborative efforts and organizational partners. Currently, Tami manages the Diabetes and Tobacco Collaboration project and is the lead for the Diabetes Self-Management Education objectives. She provides consultation and support toregional health care professionals and organizations on team care, clinic-community linkages and diabetes quality care improvement. More.

Karin Omark, MPH, EdM, MCHES 
Phone: (925) 476-5157
Fax: (925) 476-5157
E-Mail: karinomark@gmail.com

As a Senior Health Promotion Specialist, Karin helps health care professionals and community organizations to provide evidence-based diabetes management and prevention services. She leads the California Diabetes Program’s diabetes prevention efforts, including supporting health care and community organizations in their implementation of the CDC’s National Diabetes Prevention Program. Karin also serves as the program’s Evaluation Lead, assisting colleagues to develop and implement evaluation plans for their public health interventions. Since joining the California Diabetes Program in 2006, Karin has also delved into strategic planning and grant writing, facilitating discussions among program staff and partners about the priorities of the program and ways to achieve its goals.  Karin earned her Bachelor's degrees in Ethnic Studies and Spanish from UC Berkeley, a Master's degree in Education form Harvard University, and a Master's degree in Public Health from UCLA.  She also achieved the designation of Master Certified Health Education Specialist from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.  For the last sixteen years, she has worked in public health and social service organizations addressing diverse issues such as substance abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, and chronic disease.

Epidemiology/Surveillance Lead:

Gary He, PhD
Phone: (916) 552-9923
Fax: (916) 552-9988
E-Mail: gary.he@cdph.ca.gov

Gary has served as a biostatistician and the Diabetes Epidemiology and Surveillance Lead for the Diabetes Program since 2000. He assists in the conceptualization, planning, and implementation of comprehensive diabetes programs, selects appropriate methodologies in public health study designs, performs statistical data analysis in clinical research and epidemiological studies, and translates research findings for specific audiences. More.

Program and DIRC Administrative Specialist:

Sarah Enloe
Phone: (916) 552-9872
Fax: (916) 552-9988
E-Mail: sarah.enloe@cdph.ca.gov

Sarah joined the California Diabetes Program in September 2002. As the Diabetes Information Resource Center (DIRC) Administrator, Sarah oversees all aspects of the website, including training and technical assistance; and she also serves as the liaison between the California Diabetes Program and the site webmaster. Sarah provides contract administrative support for a 5-year project called Medicaid Incentives for prevention of Chronic Diseases. In additiion, Sarah assists in implementing key projects as needed such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program, San Joaquin County Diabetes Self-Management project, and surveillance reports. Sarah also provides administrative support for a wide range of State and Federal Government assignments. She also assists in the hiring process. More.

MIQS Outreach Coordinator:

Deana Lidgett
Phone: (916) 552-9956
Fax: (916) 552-9988
E-Mail: deana.lidgett@cdph.ca.gov

Deana Lidgett joined the California Diabetes Program (CDP) in April 2012 as the Outreach Coordinator for California’s Medi-Cal Incentive to Quit Smoking (MIQS) Project.  California’s Department of Health Care Services was one of only 10 states to receive funding for this program. The CDP was invited to participate in this five-year federal demonstration project designed to create incentives for the prevention of chronic diseases by implementing and evaluating the effect of incentives to Medi-Cal beneficiaries for their smoking cessation efforts. As the Outreach Coordinator, Deana will lead statewide efforts to test outreach approaches to increase provider referrals of Medicaid patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, to the California Smokers’ Helpline for free tobacco cessation counseling. more

MIQS Specialists:

Cindy Vela
Phone: (916) 552-9904
Fax: (916) 552-9988
Email: cynthia.vela@cdph.ca.gov

Cynthia (Cindy) Vela joins the California Diabetes Program as an Outreach Specialist for California’s Medi-Cal Incentive to Quit Smoking Program. Before joining the CDP, Cindy worked for Sutter Health as a Nutritionist and brings with her more than twenty years of health education experience, working with all age groups and diverse demographics as part of the Interdisciplinary Team of Care for patients. Cindy also conducted classes and presentations on chronic disease management, having been certified in the Stanford Model of Chronic Disease Self-Management. Most recently, Cindy worked as a Certified Wellness Coach providing personalized coaching and counseling on topics such as healthy eating, weight management, heart health, diabetes prevention and smoking cessation for Sutter Health’s employee wellness program. Cindy feels preventive health is essential to enjoying a high quality life and she embraces promoting healthy lifestyles. Cynthia obtained her B.S. in Gerontology with a concentration in Health Education from California State University, Sacramento.

Sue Kratochvil-Smith, MPH
Phone: (916) 445-8502
Fax: (916) 552-9988
Email: susan.kratochvil@cdph.ca.gov

Susan (Sue) Kratochvil-Smith also joins the California Diabetes Program as an Outreach Specialist for California’s Medi-Cal Incentive to Quit Smoking Program. With more than 15 years of experience in the health care field specializing in outreach and promotion, marketing and communications, writing and publications, and strategic planning, Sue will be an asset to the program. After receiving her B.A. in Journalism and Public Relations from San Jose State University, Sue acquired her Master’s degree in Public Health from Walden University. She completed her MPH practicum in the Communications and Outreach Program for the CDPH California Reportable Disease Information Exchange. Most recently, Sue worked as a volunteer in Health Education and Communications for the California Department of Public Health, Center for Infectious Diseases, Veterinary Health and Vector Control division.

Sue is currently a member of the American Public Health Association, California Public Health Association-North and National Public Health Information Coalition.

Associate Government Program Analyst:

Melissa Mallory, MPPA
Phone: (916) 552-9975
Fax: (916) 552-9988
Email: melissa.mallory@cdph.ca.gov

Melissa Mallory supports both the diabetes and arthritis programs as an Associate Governmental Program Analyst. She performs analytical and fiscal tasks necessary to carry out the functions of both programs. Melissa has a wide range of skills and provides programmatic support for various projects. After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Spanish, Melissa obtained her teaching credential from CSU, San Marcos. Melissa has taught both elementary and adult education as a structured English immersion teacher in southern California. In 2009, she moved to Sacramento where she worked as an Education Consultant providing trainings on researched-based teaching methods in various school districts across California. Melissa received her Master’s in Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Collaborative Governance from CSU, Sacramento where she studied collaborative methods used by community-based women’s organizations in Mali.