Elizabeth currently serves as NCSD’s Interim Executive Director, helping to lead the organization with a Senior Leadership Team that includes Stephanie Arnold Pang and Marlene Kincaid. In addition to serving in the interim role, she is NCSD’s Senior Director of Communications and Programs. She works with media to shape productive conversations about the nation’s STI epidemics and oversees STI Engage. She has more than two decades of extensive experience in strategic communications, branding, media relations, and policy analysis, almost exclusively focused on sexual and reproductive health. Prior to joining NCSD, Elizabeth was the Chief External Affairs Officer at SHIFT NC (Sexual Health Initiatives For Teens), where she oversaw communications and public policy engagement to improve young people’s sexual health in North Carolina. Immediately after joining NCSD, she co-led the organization’s response to the 2022 Mpox Outbreak and coordinated groundbreaking AI-based message testing to promote mpox vaccines. Elizabeth is based in Durham, NC.
Stephanie oversees all policy and advocacy matters with a specific focus on policymaker education efforts at the federal level with the legislative and executive branches of government. Prior to joining NCSD, she was a senior Legislative Aide for U.S. Senator Patty Murray (WA), working on issues of sexual and reproductive health and health care reform and also worked at the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA). Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Beloit College.
Forest oversees the digital communications for NCSD, including our STI Weekly newsletter, email communications, digital toolkits, marketing materials, website, and social media channels. Prior to joining NCSD, they managed and worked on the MN Family Planning & STI Hotline for the Minnesota Department of Health. Forest also worked in an FQHC as a Patient Resources Manager, where they created and led trainings about sexual health, STIs, all options pregnancy counseling, and transgender healthcare. While there, they worked to connect patients to local resources, created a free chest binder distribution program, and implemented a system to mail free condoms, lube, and STI testing information across the country.
Forest holds a B.A. in English Literature and is an End of Life Doula. They also serve as Secretary on the Board of Directors at Hold Your Horses, a local equine therapy nonprofit, where they support the organization’s Advancement, Marketing, and Executive committees.
Marlene supports curriculum development for NCSD. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of learning and development where she has spear-headed leadership development and enterprise-wide learning initiatives. Marlene holds a Master’s of Education from Penn State University as well as numerous professional certifications such as facilitation, instructional design, performance consulting, test design and delivery, change management, DISC, and project management.
Jeremy earned his BA in Literary and Cultural Studies from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He has over 15 years of instructional design and development experience, generating eLearning, instructor-led trainings, and the like for various organizations across many industries: energy, healthcare, and academia to identify a few. He is currently the Senior Manager of Instructional Design for the National Coalition of STD Directors and talks a lot about getting a dog, but no one believes him anymore.
Leo Parker is a highly motivated healthcare advocate with over 20 years of experience in the education and prevention of sexually transmitted infections and HIV. He currently serves as Director of Prevention Programs with NCSD where he provides technical assistance and capacity building to its members. His vast experience includes serving as the CDS Project Manager at the Georgia Department of Public Health, Health Administrator at the Fulton County Board of Health, and State STD Director at the Tennessee Department of Health. His career path has been spent in STD/HIV Prevention where he started out as a program coordinator for one of the largest AIDS Services Organizations in the southeast and transitioning later as a Disease Investigator for the Georgia Department of Health. His experience and wealth of knowledge has afforded him the opportunity to present at numerous national conferences as well as serve as an expert panelist on various topics. Leo’s love of healthcare began at Georgia Southern University located in Statesboro, GA where he received his Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences.
As Manager of Training Coordination, Kathleen Pfohl oversees the coordination of the National Network of Disease Intervention Training Center (NNDITC) to deliver online and instructor-led DIS training courses. Previously, Kathleen served as NCSD’s Project Coordinator, Programs providing administrative support to the NCSD Programs Team, in addition to the NCSD Program Committee and DIS Advisory Committee. Prior to joining NCSD, Kathleen worked with The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Kathleen obtained a BA in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University and a Master of Public Health at George Washington University.
Diana leads the State Policy initiatives for NCSD including the Policy Academy, engagement with state policymakers, and assisting our partners with grant administration. Prior to joining NCSD, Diana helped to oversee the STD Prevention program for the Idaho Department of Health and specialized in expanding STI prevention efforts among local public health departments, CBOs, free clinics, and community health centers. Diana also developed and implemented a statewide at-home STI testing program to benefit Idahoans living rural communities. Diana was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Okahandja, Namibia from 2010-2012 where she started an afterschool program for high school children and taught health education classes. Diana holds a MS in International Development with an emphasis in Health Education from Oklahoma State University and a BS in Social Sciences from Boise State University.
Michela manages the Learning Management System for NCSD and its partners. This allows us to meet the learning and development needs of the field effectively and efficiently, while gathering data to continuously improve our content and processes. Previously with NCSD, she coordinated training conducted by NCSD in partnership with regional, state, and local health departments and the CDC. Prior to joining NCSD, she was a learning coordinator, a fifth-grade teacher, and a university teaching assistant for various anthropology courses. Michela earned her BA in education from the University of Maryland, College Park. Michela is passionate about community growth, health, and equity, especially through accessible and actionable learning.
Brandon Heinbaugh is NCSD’s Senior Manager for Program Operations and Training. His professional experience is rooted in public health programs specifically focusing on training development and facilitation, technical assistance, capacity building and project management for state and local public health departments. Brandon’s prior experience encompasses sexual and reproductive health, HIV/STI prevention, outreach, and advocacy within the LGBTQIA+ communities. Brandon received his Master of Public Health and Bachelor of Science in Public Health degrees from Indiana University.
Christopher supports state sexual health policy initiatives at NCSD, including trend analysis, trainings, and replication opportunities with NCSD members. He identifies as a queer sexual health advocate with a passion for improving large-scale health systems through coalition-building. Prior to joining NCSD, Christopher worked at the Colorado Health Network, where he helped develop and expand programs for populations uniquely impacted by health disparities, including older adults living with HIV and people experiencing intersecting inequities seeking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). He currently serves on several local bodies in his hometown of Denver, including the LGBTQ Commission and Governor’s Advisory Board on the Colorado Option. Christopher holds a BA in Journalism from Ithaca College and an MA in Gender Studies from The Central European University in Budapest, Hungary.
Katrina serves as NCSD’s Manager of Finance, supporting the organization’s back-of-house operations with her strong analytical and technical expertise. She is committed to NCSD’s mission of ensuring fair access to health services for all communities. With more than 20 years of accounting experience spanning small business, corporate, legal, and nonprofit sectors, Katrina has built a diverse and well-rounded career. She discovered her passion for nonprofit work while at the National Abortion Federation, where she oversaw the day-to-day operations of the finance department. During her tenure, she guided the team through the challenges that arose following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Katrina earned her bachelor’s degree in finance from Morgan State University. She lives in Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C., with her daughter, Farrah.
Max (they/them/theirs) serves as a project coordinator, bringing over 7 years of experience in activism and advocacy to NCSD. Prior to joining NCSD, Max had recently graduated with a BA in Gender Studies from American University. They are passionate about and have worked on a wide variety of issues including (but certainly not limited to!) LGBTQ+ rights, disability justice, health issues (specifically sexual health, reproductive health/justice, harm reduction, and social determinants of health), environmental justice, and the rights of people experiencing homelessness. Outside of work, they enjoy crafting (particularly crocheting) and spending time outdoors.
Nicola Lich (they/them/theirs) is a Human Resources professional at NCSD with 5+ years of experience supporting nonprofit organizations focused on STI & sexual health, education, and advocacy. Specializing in DEI, Nicola uses that experience to build strong relationships with the folx directly impacting communities that they are a part of and are passionate to serve. It is Nicola’s goal to cultivate champions of this work. By focusing on culture and engagement, Nicola has been able to put their bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in Human Resources earned at Metropolitan University of Denver to good use. Nicola may spend their days at NCSD, but it’s the passionate employees who they get to support that gets them up in the morning.