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 a Family Planning & STI Hotline for the local 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 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 Rono leads NCSD’s State Policy initiatives, including the Policy Academy, engagement with state policymakers, and support for partner organizations in grant administration. In this role, she advances state policy strategies and fosters collaboration to strengthen public health programs and outcomes nationwide. Prior to joining NCSD, Diana led Idaho’s STI Prevention Program within the Idaho Department of Health, where she specialized in expanding prevention services through partnerships with local public health departments and community-based organizations. She also developed and implemented a statewide STI self-testing program, increasing access to essential health services for Idahoans living in rural communities. Diana’s commitment to community health began during her service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Okahandja, Namibia. Diana holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Science from Boise State University and a Master of Science in Global Relations, with an emphasis in Health Education, from Oklahoma State University. She is based in Newport, OR.
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 (he/him/his) analyzes policy trends across state legislatures, provides policy technical assistance, and empowers public health professionals to develop, implement, and evaluate STI-related policy goals. He lives in Denver, Colorado where he volunteers on the LGBTQ Commission, the city’s committee for public transit, and as governor-appointed member of the Colorado Option Advisory Board. Before coming to NCSD, Christopher worked for the Colorado Health Network and helped spearhead PrEP financial assistance infrastructure with community partners. In his free time, he likes reading nonfiction, dancing in Zumba class, or overanalyzing RuPaul’s Drag Race. Christopher holds a BA in Journalism from Ithaca College and an MA in Gender Studies from 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.
Nicola Lich (they/them/theirs) is a Human Resources professional at NCSD with 7+ years of experience supporting nonprofit organizations focused on STI & sexual health, education, and advocacy. Nicola uses their professional experience to build strong relationships with the teams 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.