Emily joined CFR as a Prevention Specialist in September 2023.
She attended the University of Iowa and received her B.A. in Health Science in 2020, followed by her Master of Public Health in Community and Behavioral Health in 2023. Emily worked in a cancer biology research lab during her undergraduate studies before developing an interest in public health. She has been involved in many research projects relating to young adult mental health, substance use prevention, HIV prevention, and health in the criminal justice system.
Emily is a proud alumna of the Hawkeye Marching Band and loves attending Iowa sports events with her fiancé. She also enjoys playing board games, boating, gardening, and spending time with her cat.
d auge joined CFR as a Prevention Specialist in December 2022. d is new to prevention work; however, they have experience as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) working with clients with substance abuse disorders, eating disorders, and mental health concerns. Before finding their passion in behavioral health, d earned their Masters in English from the University of Chicago in 2019 and worked for six years as Head of Communications for Senator Elizabeth Warren.
d will graduate with their MA in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Development in May 2023 and intends to go on to earn their PhD in Clinical Psychology. d believes strongly that the nonprofit world is the crux of mental health care and that the two need to meet and work together to successfully treat and help individuals.
Outside of work d spends time in their original passion of politics. They can always be found volunteering for a candidate or a cause. d loves to read, is a big fan of Taylor Swift, and is obsessed with cats, owning three.
Becky C. began working as a Prevention Specialist in Iowa City in January 2023. She brings skills and knowledge from all her past professional lives to the job; she has worked as a bilingual human services specialist at a women’s health clinic, a high school Spanish teacher, a copyeditor, and a bilingual customer service representative.
Becky graduated with her bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Spanish from the University of Iowa in 1996. She later returned to the University of Iowa and earned her teaching certification and a master’s degree in Spanish in 2001.
Outside of work, Becky enjoys spending time with her spouse and teenager, going on road trips, and buying more books than she has time to read.
Jenna has been with CFR since April of 2023 as a Prevention Specialist.
She graduated from the University of Iowa in the fall of 2022 with her degree in Health Promotion. During her time at U of I, she completed internships including corporate wellness as well as health coaching.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and Australian Shepherd (Boone) on their farm, as well as running and painting.
Kaleb Brooks joined CFR as a Prevention Specialist in November of 2022 and moved into his position as the Prevention Supervisor in Iowa City in May 2023. Kaleb is a proud graduate of the University of Iowa, where he received his B.S. in Public Health in 2021, and his Master of Public Health in Epidemiology in 2022. While at Iowa, Kaleb worked in chronic disease and injury prevention among older adult populations.
Outside of work, Kaleb enjoys playing games with his family and friends, baking, and running.
Maya joined the Prevention team in July 2023 after spending a decade in secondary education. Maya has a BA in English Education and Spanish from Bethel College (KS) and honed her Spanish skills while living in Quito, Ecuador for a time.
Maya believes that every human is worthy of dignity, respect, and deserves to have access to a healthy and whole life. She believes in the power of relationships and loves connecting people and creating meaningful spaces to gather.
When she’s not at work, she can be found in nature and with her husband and two kids. She enjoys playing sports and board games, reading fiction, and being creative.
Payton began working as a Prevention Specialist with CFR in June 2023. She is a graduate from the University of Iowa where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Health and a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Philanthropy in 2021 followed by her Master of Public Health in Community and Behavioral Health in 2023.
During her time at the University of Iowa, she was involved with a variety of research projects relating to vaccination, food access, HIV prevention, mental health, and substance use prevention primarily among on children, youth, and young adult populations.
Payton is passionate about community involvement and frequently volunteers regularly at local organizations in Iowa City. In her free time, she enjoys spending time her husband, taking care of her many house plants, hiking, weightlifting, crocheting, and traveling.