Meet Our Team!

Teri Anderson (she/her/hers) manages the Denver Prevention Training Center’s STI Clinical Regional grant. She supervises training courses delivered by the clinical team, as well as provides technical assistance and consultation to health care organizations and clinics in STI service delivery quality improvement. Her 10 years working in the Denver STD Clinic as a clinician and laboratorian and 30+ years of clinical training experience lay the foundation for her role as the coordinator of the regional center. Teri graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology from the University of Colorado and has never lost her passion for working in public and sexual health.

If you can’t locate Teri, it’s either because she forgot her phone, she’s under the ocean water with her husband, on a mountain trying to keep up with her offspring, curled up with a good book, or in the kitchen experimenting with a sprinkle of this and that. Don’t worry – she’ll always call you back.

Brooke Bender (she/her/hers) leads the Center for Addiction Medicine and its Academy in strategy, implementation, and sustainability. Brooke also leads the PRIDE Employee Resource Group at Denver Health to advocate for LGBTQ+ staff.  She strives for justice, innovation, and excellence by modeling transparency, collaboration, patience, reflection, and learning. Her favorite aspect of her job is hearing from community members how her efforts benefit people from marginalized communities. Volunteering in the Peace Corps in South Africa from 2003-2005 changed Brooke’s life and taught her many lessons and led her to do the community-based community-led programmatic work she loves doing today. In her free time, Brooke enjoys going to the mountains, snuggling her dogs, practicing yoga, connecting with people, and laughing – all of which feeds her soul.

Josh Blum (he) treats clients with substance use disorders at Denver Health.  He loves hearing each patient’s unique story and cheering them on towards triumph, and is driven by the belief that no individual is beyond hope or redemption.  He is grateful to work alongside such committed, devoted, and talented colleagues, and is devoted to provider education. Dr. Blum was drum major of his high school marching band. The clear organization and structure of the band left him woefully unprepared for leading a department of behavioral health clinicians.

Helen Burnside (she/her/hers) is honored to provide programmatic oversight of the Denver Prevention Training Center’s training and technical assistance programs and guidance to its program managers. Helen started her second career with a master’s degree in Community Health after reading Paul Farmer’s Mountains Beyond Mountains in Bolivia and has focused her work on HIV and STI prevention ever since. Helen is committed to advancing racial equity in health systems and believes that we can end the HIV epidemic by creating brave spaces for communities and healthcare providers to plan prevention strategies. She enjoys the people and the dynamic, changing nature of her work. Helen appreciates that she can solve complex problems by talking to her backyard bees, or hiking in the Flatirons, and still dreams of being a backup singer in a female jazz band.

Emily Elrick (she/her/hers) is honored to support CAM Academy through the development of comprehensive training programs, continuous learning, technical assistance, and professional growth opportunities. With a Master’s in Organizational Psychology from the University of Southern California, Emily is passionate about driving positive organizational change. She believes that innovative training solutions play a vital role in shaping organizational culture and elevating the quality of care for patients. The book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck sparked a transformative shift in her life, serving as a source of inspiration in her pursuit of personal growth. In her free time, Emily finds joy in living an active lifestyle and spending time with her partner and golden retriever.

Tai Edward Few (he/him/his) manages the daily activities of the Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) program at the Denver Prevention Training Center (PTC). Additionally, he oversees the development and implementation of tailored capacity building in-services for clinics implementing HIV testing and prevention programs for persons living with HIV. In addition to Tai’s work at the Denver PTC, he is a member of the Denver Health’s Health Equity Committee and has a passion for social justice and racial equity. Tai’s favorite aspect of his job is assisting agencies in developing culturally responsive and equitable programs. Outside of work, he enjoys watching TV and movies, especially British police procedurals and Agatha Christie murder mysteries. When not watching TV or a good movie, he records and listens to podcasts on politics, current events, TV, movies, and African American history. If Tai weren’t working for the Denver PTC, he would be a history professor.

John Fitch (he/him/his) assists with Denver PTC’s grants, grant opportunities, and websites. During his thirty (plus) years in the HIV and STD fields, he's had an interest in integrating technology into programs in creative ways. Aside from developing and managing a half dozen sexual health-related websites. John co-founded the National Sexual Health Conference and helped to facilitate the development of the STD Clinical Consultation Network (STDCCN). He’s done some other innovative things, but they’re a bit boring to read about.

Outside of work, John is currently a sports chauffeur, driving his kids to and from basketball and soccer practice.

Brea Ford (she/her/hers) leads the efforts to provide the network of prevention training centers with evaluation data to communicate the benefits of the programs provided. She is also committed to using evaluation techniques to enhance the effectiveness and equity among the courses provided by our centers. Brea graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health from Indiana University with a passion for sexual health education.

Outside of work, Brea is a fan of Don Miguel Luiz and has a deep appreciation for his book The 4 Agreements. She enjoys iced chai lattes, listening to financial and self-love podcast, connecting with people, and traveling to enjoy new experiences. One strongly held belief she has is to always live in gratitude. Gratitude in the smallest ways can carry you through anything! Stay beautiful people!

Lisa Frederick (she/her/hers) provides trainings for the PTC’s Disease Investigation Training Center and contributes to the PTC’s HIV prevention Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) services. Lisa states the best part of the job is working with such a creative, dedicated, and loving team. Lisa’s life changed in 1998 when she lost her brother to an AIDS-related illness. She has devoted 20 years to HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, and sexual health. Her expertise extends to strategic planning and capacity building in organizational sustainability. Her passion and commitment are enhancing Black women’s health focusing on reproductive health, intersectionality, and resilience. Lisa channeled that passion by creating and leading a 3-part virtual roundtable discussion focusing on Black women’s health across the lifespan with over 2,500 participants.

She's not all work and no play and believes everyone must have laughter in their life. Lisa loves shopping, traveling, and spending time with her family including her little doggie Pia.

Ed Gardner (he/him/his) is the Director of, and a physician in, the Infectious Disease Clinic and Center for Positive Health at the Public Health Institute at Denver Health. He also oversees HIV and infectious diseases-related clinical research. Ed is committed to the mission of improving health equity and care for the diverse and underserved patients at Denver Health. Through his time providing medical and HIV care in jails, Ed has developed a particular interest in the care of incarcerated individuals as well as their care after transition back into the community. The accomplishment Ed is most proud of is his original work on the HIV Treatment and Prevention Cascade, which has come to be known as the HIV Care and Prevention Continuum, which demonstrates the attention needed to help individuals move towards viral suppression. The best part of Ed’s day- is working with patients and clients to improve their care and health outcomes. Ed firmly believes that everyone should have access to free or affordable wrap-around healthcare and services.

Misty Gutierrez (she/her/hers) provides administrative support to the Denver Prevention Training Center’s Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) program and the Disease Intervention Training Center (DITC). Misty assists with preparing and developing products, providing logistics support for training events, and managing program registration data. She is the jack of all trades around the office and enjoys every minute supporting and collaborating with her colleagues. Her previous position was in the Denver Sexual Health Clinic, where she found herself intrigued by all things STI/HIV related. She is passionate about making a difference in the community.

If you get an auto-reply from Misty, she is probably enjoying the outdoors, being a dog mom, learning a new recipe, or spending time with family and friends.

Hermione Hurley (she/her/hers) provides outpatient clinical care for people living with HIV and substance use disorders. She hopes to increase low threshold care for treatable conditions and to improve transitions for those who are justice-involved. Since emigrating from New Zealand in 2009, Hermione has enjoyed integrating into American culture and health care. She enjoys helping people gain control of their health decisions to  move towards their future goals. Hermione loves skiing, hiking, and knitting. Her life was changed by travel to far-flung parts of the globe, including Antarctica and the Arctic. She believes strongly in improving access to healthcare and feels grateful to be working in her dream job.

Zami Tinashe Hyemingway (Zami/he/him) is the Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) Manager, at the Denver Prevention Training Center (PTC). Zami leads an amazing team of subject matter experts, to provide technical assistance and capacity building work to clinics, health departments and community-based organizations (CBO’s). Zami has over 14 years’ experience in developing and implementing health behavior and health promotion programs, including being a founding staff member for Gender Health SF formerly known as Transgender Health Services. Zami’s favorite pieces of this work, is being able to assist agencies in building their skills to provide heart centered, culturally responsive and person first care and programs.

When not working at the Denver PTC, you will find Zami going on hiking adventures with his dogs Whitney and Houston, volunteering with local Black owned farms, and hosting wellness retreats and workshops that teach community members and organizations how to thrive and maximize their potential.

Destiny Kelley (she/her/hers) provides organization, coordination, and communication dissemination between the National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers (NNPTC) and the CDC. She also represents Denver Health (the Denver Prevention Training Center’s parent organization) in numerous community organizations and events to promote health equity and the importance of STD screening and treatment. Her favorite part of the job is traveling and meeting all the people she works with around the country.

If not working, you can find Destiny gardening, sewing, hosting, or hiking the Rocky Mountains with her rescue pup, Koda.

Katie Langland (she/her/hers) conducts HIV/STI training, develops new curricula, and provides capacity building assistance services. She has been in HIV prevention for over 15 years as a bilingual master trainer, and hworked with the Southern African Prevention Initiative to bring comprehensive and evidence-based training to over 500 participants in sub-Saharan Africa. Katie is very passionate about immigrant health and rights and has worked in this arena domestically and internationally. Katie is the first person in her family to obtain a master’s degree and worked full-time while doing so. She tries to visit a new country each year and enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and trying yummy foods. She believes little, kind acts make a big difference. Serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and Panama changed her life and has been her proudest accomplishment to date!

John Mills (he/him/his) leads project planning and implementation with CAM Academy. He considers himself somewhat of a weaver, piecing together different ideas, partners, and systems into one unique deliverable to achieve a specific goal. His commitment to Racial Equity has always been a part of his life, now he simply has the tools to name and promote it. His ability to connect with people from all disciplines within the healthcare workforce drives his work. Outside of CAM Academy, he enjoys spending time playing uncle to his nieces and nephews, hanging out with friends, and concert going around town. If he could be anything in the world it would be a Zookeeper, minus picking up the poo!

Yomi Obafemi (she/her/hers) provides medical guidance for the Denver Sexual Health Clinic, in addition to delivering STI/HIV prevention, management, and care to individuals. She enjoys finding new ways to make electronic health records more provider friendly, traveling to new places, and getting lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods. A behavioral economic term called the sunk-cost fallacy changed her life; it refers to when people continue a behavior or task because they’ve invested many resources into it rather than because the activity is productive or profitable. It’s changed her approach to work and life by helping her clarify which activities in life/work to continue versus those that do not require additional effort. Yomi strongly believes that all human beings deserve access to affordable housing, healthcare, and reliable sources of food/water.

If Yomi could be anything in the world, she would choose to join the Marvel Universe as a member of Wakanda’s elite female Special Forces Team, the Dora Milaje – great outfits, no bad hair days and general fierceness - what else needs to be said?

Mariska Osborne-Wells provides guidance and training support within the Denver Prevention Training Center. She comes to the program with 15 years of lived experience in HIV/STI prevention that started as a Disease Intervention Specialist, Trainer, and Surveillance Coordinator. She brings a passion for equitable health access, culturally appropriate client engagement especially for women and youth of color. Some of her favorite things are exploring while traveling, delectable food, photography, dancing and concerts in the car on a road trip or just an impromptu joy ride. She also loves fast cars, roaring engines, and adrenaline boosters. She strongly believes in truth telling, sometimes the truth hurts, it should be received with grace and knowing the messenger means no harm. If she could be anything in the world, she envisions herself as a Criminologist (CSI), because there is something to be solved and critical thinking is one of her skills.

Sarah Rowan (she/her/hers) has a mission to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV and HCV, and to end HIV and HCV transmission. To that end, she divides her time between clinical care, research, teaching, and public health programming. She attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma, spent her residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and completed an infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Colorado. When not seeing patients or working to make the world healthier, Sarah likes to play board games, paint and draw, go for morning runs with friends, travel with family, or overcommit to volunteer projects at her kids’ school.

Judy Shlay (she/her/hers) is the Associate Director of the Public Health Institute at Denver Health and the Medical Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine (CAM). Her passion is to ensure that the work of CAM is operationalized at Denver Health and the learnings from the organization are shared with others locally, regionally, and nationally. Becoming a physician has been a tremendous accomplishment. Additionally, Judy is very proud of leading the HIV prenatal program at Denver Health where no baby has been perinatally infected with HIV. Judy likes to work collectively with others to solve problems and improve processes. She has a strong believe that we must always give each person the benefit of the doubt and that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. If she wasn’t doing her current job, she would be a park ranger because she loves the outdoors and wants to share that feeling with others.

Quiana Stallsworth (she/her/hers) conducts training assessments, coordinates and delivers courses and provides technical assistance to partners and clinics that provide sexual health services in the Denver Prevention Training Center (PTC) clinical region.

With a foundation in Human Resources, Quiana has honed her expertise in career advancement through coaching and training initiatives. Her academic pursuits culminated in advanced degrees in psychology and sociology, endowing her with a nuanced understanding and a diverse skill set essential for navigating triumphs and complexities of STI prevention and training.
She actively works towards dismantling the shame and stigma surrounding sexual identity, orientation, preference, and alternative lifestyles. Her advocacy reflects a deep-seated commitment to advocacy and inclusivity, seeking to create spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.

When she’s not working, you will find Quiana dancing in her living room to songs that she hears in her head while her dog stares at her in bewilderment.

Terry W. Stewart (he/him/his) has been providing training, consultation, and management services in the STD/HIV prevention field for over 32 years, with experience spanning across academic, community-based non-profit and public health settings. Terry’s expertise includes program management, staff and leadership development, curriculum design, and training and facilitation, as well as the design, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral interventions. He joined the Denver PTC in 1998, coordinating behavioral intervention training, and later leading the PTC. He now provides consulting services (TWStewart Consulting, LLC). During Terry’s time with the PTC, he oversaw the regional, national, and international work of a dynamically talented team responding to the evolving needs of health professionals working in STD/HIV.

Truly believing everything happens for a reason, Terry transformed the grief and loss from the early years of the HIV epidemic into inspiration and passion, moving from business management to public health management. While Terry has no regrets, he might have been an architect in a different lifetime.

River Trevino (they/them) designs a variety of curricula for both Denver Prevention Training Center (PTC) and the Center for Addiction Medicine (CAM). Whether it is a class of 1 or a class of 100+, their instructional design process focuses on building a variety of curricula that meaningfully engages each learner with the content in an actionable way. Their guiding principle in collaborative leadership challenges them and those they work with to develop sustainable training solutions that match the desires and needs of both leadership and staff. As an avid advocate for cultural responsiveness, River recognizes that organizational and individual change requires both accountability and compassion. Therefore, they always strive to meet others where they are and help them to a place of self-awareness and action.

When they’re not at work, you can find River snuggling their pitty-mix Scout, empowering LGBTQ+ youth to be their authentic selves, honing their skills as an amateur nature photographer, communing with nature through meditation & nature walks, and being fabulously independent together with their amazing partner, Miss Jai.

Stewart Thomas (he/him/his) supports implementation of the PTC’s Disease Investigation Training Center providing COVID-19 training and regional disease investigation training. Stewart also co-leads the PTC’s Communities of Practice (CoP) for our region’s Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS). Stewart enjoys working with diverse and disparate cultures to invite, engage, and enable communities to thrive in all aspects of well-being.

Stewart adores hiking in beautiful Colorado with rich coffee in hand and his four-legged dog, Henry. If Stewart can offer one piece of advice, that would be to balance responsibility with passion and bring your whole self to the table!

Nexi Sanchez-Villalobos (she/her/hers) provides administrative support to the Denver Prevention Training Center programs. After obtaining her degree in Healthcare Management from Metropolitan State University, Nexi achieved her goal of working for Denver Health when she was hired at the Denver Health Women’s Care Clinic. Recognizing the need for disease prevention was important, she later joined Public Health and the Denver Prevention Training Center.

Nexi enjoys being outdoors with her family. When she is not outdoors, you will most likely find her at HomeGoods. She also loves interior decorating and enjoys making her house feel like a home.

Blaine Wajdowicz (he/him/his) is a certified Nurse Practitioner with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. His passion for public health and infection prevention started over ten years ago as a volunteer with the Boulder County AIDS Project and as an intern/mentor for their SHAPE (Sexual Health and AIDS Awareness Peer Education) program which guided high school youth to provide identity affirming, medically accurate peer education. His background includes experience in public health, harm reduction, management and prevention of STIs and HIV, as well as experience in substance use and medication assisted treatment (MAT). He is excited to join  the Denver Prevention Training Center team to continue its impactful work of supporting and empowering clinicians and healthcare workers throughout the country. When not working, you can find him enjoying the outdoors be it running, hiking, or snowshoeing.

Bev Wasserman (she/her/hers) provides capacity-building assistance and training for clinical and non-clinical organizations offering HIV services. Beverly has four decades of experience as a practicing registered nurse, most of which has been in HIV clinical services, more recently providing capacity building and technical assistance for the HIV workforce. Beverly has a key focus on uplifting health and racial equity in clinical care, along with supporting Health Systems change. Bev holds the belief that we must always create space to include the communities we serve as partners to inform programming and that we must care for the healthcare workforce while promoting equitable care and services to communities.

When not in the office, Bev enjoys time with her family, friends (non-human too), yoga, travel, and spending time in nature.

Karen Wendel (she/her/hers) is the Director of HIV/STD Prevention and Control Division at the Public Health Institute at Denver Health. In this capacity, she works with the Denver Health STD Clinic and Denver Prevention Training Center to promote STD education and care in our region and improve access to HIV testing and HIV prevention services locally and nationally. Karen has been involved in HIV and STD clinical care and research while on faculty at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Oklahoma Health Science Center, and University of Colorado Health Science Center. She has participated in CDC STD Treatment Guidelines meetings and has conducted research into the causes of vaginitis and urethritis. Karen received her medical degree at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine training and infectious disease fellowship at John Hopkins Hospital.

If Karen weren’t leading the team in new directions, she would be a lounge singer because she enjoys singing... whether it’s considered good or not is another story.

Myra Young (she/her/hers) is a nurse practitioner providing consultation, training, and technical assistance to help regional sexual health clinics improve their STI/HIV-related services.  Myra has a master’s degree in Human Sexuality and Health Education from New York University, and Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.  She has over 20 years of clinical experience in sexual and reproductive health, with a focus on HIV, STIs, and the management of HPV-related diseases.  She is passionate about facilitating conversations around sexual health with providers, thought leaders and patients (and anyone else who will listen), and eliminating stigma related to HIV and STIs.

When she’s not working, you can probably find Myra out listening to live music, most likely a Grateful Dead cover band.