Our Team

Staff

Hermes Baez

After immigrating to the US from the Dominican Republic, Hermes faced linguistic and social barriers to accessing healthcare that shaped him as an informal compassionate healthcare giver. He received community health worker training at Holyoke Community College, and his professional experience includes cultural anthropology research assistance and healthcare data analysis. At The Family Van, Hermes welcomes clients warmly, seeing reflections of his loved ones and himself in each person he helps. He also serves patients in a local psychiatric unit as a patient safety assistant. Outside work, he is a devoted father. Hermes is currently learning Haitian Creole and enjoys reading and dancing merengue.

Kait Guild

Kait is a passionate public health professional dedicated to advancing health equity and addressing systemic barriers to accessing care. Kait attended Haverford College where she studied Anthropology and Gender and Sexuality studies. Her work as a researcher and evaluator is deeply rooted in community and influenced by her experiences as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, her role as a direct service worker and educator for neurodivergent adults, and her time spent working in a medical-legal-community-partnership in FQHCs throughout Philadelphia. In her free time she enjoys cooking, exploring her city through food and restaurants, hiking with her partner and two dogs, Stella and Arthur, and spending time with her cat Alvin.

Piper Derenoncourt

Piper is a passionate advocate for health equity and community empowerment. With a deep commitment to creating opportunities for people to thrive, she works to address the historic and systemic barriers to care that have disproportionately affected marginalized communities. Piper has spent much of her career partnering with communities to find culturally responsive solutions that promote health and well-being. She has experience in international nonprofit management, program development, and evaluation, working in countries such as South Africa, Haiti, Ethiopia, and Senegal. Her local and global lenses have enabled her to approach health equity challenges from multiple perspectives. As a licensed independent clinical social worker, Piper is deeply attuned to the social determinants of health and understands how they impact individuals and communities. Her approach is anchored in following the leadership and expertise of the people most harmed by health disparities, and centering community strengths, culture, history, and resilience. In her free time, Piper enjoys exploring new places, whether it's a local hiking trail or a far-off destination. She also loves cooking with friends and spending quality time with her 4-year-old, who constantly reminds her of the importance of joy and playfulness in life.

Michelle Jimenez is passionate about developing communications to educate and empower people to lead healthier lives. With a robust background in public health marketing, Michelle brings experience creating impactful campaigns on various health issues, including High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Cancer, Women's Health, and more. As a proud native of Mexico, Michelle excels in developing culturally sensitive and multi-lingual communications to reach diverse communities. Outside of work, Michelle cherishes family time, cooking, gardening, and exploring art exhibits!

Michelle Jimenez

Mary Kathryn Fallon

Mary Kathryn Fallon, CPA, has extensive experience working with companies in both the medical and non-profit sector, and has worked with The Family Van & Mobile Health Map since 2013. In this role, Mary Kathryn oversees the finances and operations of the programs. In addition to our work in Boston, Mary Kathryn has engaged with mobile clinics around the country, supporting them and promoting the sector which brings access, equity, and trust to communities. She also served as the Financial Manager of HMS MEDscience for 6 years, and prior to that was employed by KPMG, LLC as a senior auditor where she focused on both for profit and non-profit organizations in Healthcare and Lifesciences. Mary Kathryn holds a Master’s Degree in Accountancy from Bentley University and a BA in Liberal Arts from The University of Connecticut. Mary Kathryn has held her CPA license since 1995, and enjoys baking, reading and spending time with her family.

Michael Lawler

Michael grew up on the North Shore of Massachusetts and attended the University of New England where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Public Health. Since then, his journey has included roles at CIC Health, where he facilitated COVID-19 testing for Massachusetts public schools, and as Office Manager for the City of Newburyport Department of Public Health and Sustainability Office, overseeing community programs and pandemic response.
Before joining The Family Van, Michael served as Manager of Operations & Administration for Project 351, a youth service and leadership nonprofit, since 2012. Beyond his professional pursuits, he enjoys golfing, giving back to the community, and spending time with his family, friends, and dogs.

Ghislaine Firmin

Ghislaine Firmin is a native of Haiti who drives our mobile unit and also provides health screening and counseling. Prior to coming to The Family Van she worked for many years as a medical assistant providing care to individuals in their homes and helping them make lasting lifestyle changes. She speaks Haitian Creole to the many Haitian clients who step aboard which allows them to have direct contact with someone who understands their language and culture. We value her unique combination of skills which allows her to work with us as both a community health worker and get our 30 foot mobile clinic through the streets of Boston each week.

Rebekah Kaufman

(she/her/they)
Rebekah grew up in Northern California and obtained a bachelor's degree in Health Promotion with minors in Psychology and Dance, developing an interest in social medicine, health equity, and LGBTQ+ health. Additionally, Rebekah is a recent graduate with an MS in Global Health Sciences from the University of California, San Francisco, completing a capstone on equity in global health research collaborations. Rebekah is excited to get to know the Boston area and enjoys hiking, traveling, and dancing.

Dina Martinez

Dina is a native of Honduras, she serves the Latino/x community with a cultural heart fully supporting everyone. Dina has over 15 years of experience in the field of health and wellness that she pairs with mindfulness and preventive care practices, making it accessible to everyone. At The Family Van, she is offering free health screenings, stress reduction techniques, a listening ear with a smile and a friendly personality.
When she is not in The Family Van, Dina is teaching yoga, meditation and breath work techniques. She has taught yoga in communities like East Boston, Chelsea, YWCA in Malden and the Latino Church of Boston. She now teaches in Melrose, MA. Dina is a lover of nature and hiking, a true believer of gratitude with a fascination for mangoes and dancing.

Josephina Lin

Josephina grew up in Massachusetts and then attended Dartmouth College where she studied anthropology and psychology. She developed several interests in medicine including mental health support, geriatric care, and medical education. Her interests all center around understanding people’s lived experiences and creating a culture of compassion and empathy in healthcare. She is grateful for the opportunity to work towards health equity within the caring culture of The Family Van. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, baking cookies, and spending time in nature.

Emmanuel Messele

Emmanuel, a native of Boston's Roxbury neighborhood, recently graduated from Boston University with a degree in Sociology and Biology. His educational journey reflects a deep-rooted commitment to understanding both the societal and biological aspects of human well-being.
Emmanuel is passionate about forging a career at the intersection of medicine and humanitarian service, driven by a desire to contribute to global health equity.
In his pursuit of equitable healthcare access, Emmanuel is excited to apply his experiences and insights to benefit the communities served by The Family Van.
Outside of work, Emmanuel finds joy in a variety of activities including runnin, shooting hoops on the basketball court, immersing himself in poetry, or dedicating time to tutoring and mentoring students at his community church.

Thanex Louis

Thanex Louis is a native of Haiti with a diverse background in public health, environmental compliance, and information technology. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science with a Certificate in Geographic Information Systems, a Master of Policy, Planning and Management (2019), and a Master of Public Health (2022) from the University of Southern Maine Muskie School of Public Service in Portland, Maine. Most recently, he worked as a Health and Safety Representative for Consolidated Communications overseeing environmental compliance of underground storage tanks and hazardous materials to help prevent pollution and community health risks. He also consulted for the Maine CDC Environmental and Occupational Health program on community resilience planning for extreme temperature events as a result of climate change. He is excited to be relocating back to the Boston area after living in Maine for 9 years. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening and playing tennis.

Simone de Oliveira

Simone de Oliveira is a native Brazilian and a Community Health Worker with The Family Van. This role allows her to provide free preventive screenings and health education to underserved communities. In addition to her work with the Family Van, Simone works as a domestic violence advocate for the SafeLink hotline at Casa Myrna Vazquez. She has also worked as a union organizer and a variety of other jobs and volunteer positions in the Greater Boston area. Simone is a graduate of UMass Boston with a BA in political science and labor studies. She is also passionate and active around issues of social justice, immigration, and environmental justice. Simone loves cats, travel, food, and music (not necessarily in that order)!

Rainelle Walker-White

Rainelle Walker-White, B.S. in Human Service, serves as the Associate Director of Health Equity Programs at the Family Van. For over 30 years, Rainelle has improved equitable access to care for hard-to-reach communities. As a community health worker, she utilizes a client-led, strengths-based and relationship-centered approach to care that is rooted in love and compassion. She counsels clients with complex health and social needs and empowers them to live healthier, happier lives. She is skilled in offering culturally-responsive health screenings and education related to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, mental health, and cancer. Rainelle has trained and mentored hundreds of aspiring health professionals in how to care for clients with cultural humility. She leads and oversees the direct service team, supervising community health workers, students and volunteers. Rainelle believes in community partnership and is always nurturing new connections and strengthening existing partnerships to improve the health of the whole community. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and her grandson as well as cooking, singing and praying for others.

Margaret Walker

Margaret is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota with degrees in Anthropology and Spanish, along with a minor in Family and Community Engagement. She has experience as a Youth Services Assistant for Achieve Twin Cities, the non-profit partner of Minneapolis and St. Paul Public Schools. She is passionate about empowering people through education and building connections to create communities where everyone has access to what they need--including culturally relevant health services. In her free time, Margaret enjoys baking, knitting, reading, and going on walks. She also has over 14 years of experience as a tap dancer!

Mollie Williams

Mollie is a dedicated public health professional who has devoted her career to promoting access to care and advancing health equity. She currently serves as the Executive Director of The Family Van and Mobile Health Map, where she draws upon her extensive experience to provide vital healthcare services to underserved communities in Boston and beyond. In addition to her leadership roles, Mollie is also a passionate educator and researcher, serving as a Lecturer in Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She has co-authored several publications, including the fifth edition of Health Program Planning and Evaluation. Mollie holds an MPH from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor and a DrPH in Health Policy and Management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Leadership Council

Nancy E. Oriol, MD, Leadership Counsel President

Nancy E. Oriol, MD. is Faculty Associate Dean for Community Engagement in Medical Education at Harvard Medical School. As co-founder of The Family Van and the Mobile Health Map Project, both programs of Harvard Medical School, she specializes in investigating the role of the mobile health care sector in the United States. Her work has demonstrated the mobile health care sector’s return on investment in terms of quality life-years saved and emergency department visits avoided. She is currently building the Family Van’s community-based research program to extend this work and demonstrate the impact of mobile health clinics on chronic disease prevention and management. Dean Oriol also has an interest in disparities in health and access to health care in the United States, as well as training medical professionals in cultural competency and in fostering biomedical literacy in underrepresented minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged youth.

Dr. Oriol has been awarded several Harvard Medical Student Teaching Awards, The YMCA Black Achiever’s Award, The Massachusetts Medical Society Special Award for Public Service, The Dr. Louis Sullivan Award for contributions to the delivery of quality health care to Black men, The New England Women’s Leadership Award in Health and was selected for inclusion in Footsteps: Profiles of Forty Remarkable Health Care Leaders, Stephen E. Gordon, editor, Puritan Press 2004. In her role as founder of the Van she received the Pri-Med 15th Anniversary Award and the 2006 Mobile Healthcare Leadership Award.

Khin-Kyemon Aung

Khin-Kyemon Aung is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and Managing Editor of Healthcare: The Journal of Delivery Science and Innovation. Previously, she served as a fellow at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation where she worked on developing and testing new accountable care organization models. In addition, she has also worked on research projects at Beth-Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic, and has interned with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services where she helped prepare the operational plan for Massachusetts’ State Innovation Model. Khin received her bachelor’s degree cum laude from Harvard College.

Linda Clayton, MD, MPH

Linda Clayton, Instructor, Division of Public Health Practice, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health; co-author of An American Health Dilemma: Race, Medicine and Health Care in the United States, 1900–2000. Dr. Clayton is a gynecologic oncologist-obstetrician gynecologist whose career has been concentrated in academic medicine and health policy and management. She is currently associate medical director for the division of medical assistance of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, an instructor and senior research scientist in the division of public health practice at the Harvard School of Public Health, and an instructor and staff physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston. Her focus is health policy and concerns impacting African American and other disadvantaged minorities in the US health system. A widely published author, Dr. Clayton also serves as a consultant and visiting faculty with the National Cancer Institute, the National Medical Association (NMA), and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). Dr. Clayton has testified before the US Congress on African American and disadvantaged health matters and serves as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust and resource person for the Office of Minority Health and Indian Health Service. She was an NMA-CBC representative on the Clinton Health Reform Task Force.

Erik Erlingsson, MD, MS, MPH

Dr. Erlingsson is a health care innovator and leader with a diverse set of experiences in nonprofit management, health care, higher education, clinical research, and medical education. He earned his medical degree from Charles University, holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Utah School of Medicine, and also has a Master of Science in Geology. Dr. Erlingsson’s clinical work has ranged from orthopedic surgery and patient transport for the Alaska Native Health Hospital, a clerkship in general surgery and emergency medicine in Egypt, serving as an epidemiologist for the rural populations of southeastern Utah with the Utah Department of Health, and creating a health profile of the populations inhabiting the Marovo Lagoon in the Solomon Islands. Dr. Erlingsson is currently the Chief Science Executive at Medical+Intelligence.

Sachin H. Jain, MD, M.B.A

Dr. Sachin Jain is chief medical officer at CareMore Health System, an innovative health plan and care delivery system subsidiary of Anthem, Inc. with $1.2B revenue and over 100,000 members, 700 clinical staff and 40 care centers. He is charged with developing and leading a multi-year strategy to expand next-generation care management/care delivery model nationally. Prior to joining CareMore, Dr. Jain was Chief Medical Information and Innovation Officer at Merck & Co, where he developed global partnerships to leverage health data to improve patient health. He also served as an attending hospitalist physician at the Boston VA-Boston Medical Center and lecturer in healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Jain earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Dr. Jain is a founder of several non-profit healthcare ventures including the Homeless Health Clinic and ImproveHealthCare.org. Dr. Jain worked previously at WellPoint, McKinsey & Co., and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. He has authored more than 50 publications and is Co-Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of Health Care: The Journal of Delivery Science and Innovation.

Laura Weisel, MPA

Laura Weisel has been a senior administrator at Harvard Medical School since 1991. First with the for the Microbiology department and for the past five years she has served as the Executive Director of Harvard Catalyst Harvard Catalyst | The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center is dedicated to improving human health by enabling collaboration and providing tools, training, and technologies to clinical and translational investigators. As a shared enterprise of Harvard University, Harvard Catalyst resources are made freely available to all Harvard faculty and trainees, regardless of institutional affiliation or academic degree.

Laura serves on numerous boards including The Lawrence School and was first elected to Brookline Town Meeting in 2006. She is a graduate of Williams College and Yale University School of Management. Prior to her tenure at HMS she served as the Deputy Executive Director of Oxfam America and Deputy Director of WNYC-AM/F.

Ella D. Auchincloss, MTS

Ella heads community engagement efforts for ReThink Health. She has been working with us on the Healthier Roxbury Coalition for the past few years. ReThink Health works with leaders to create healthier health systems – ones that bridge health and care in ways that improve people’s health, assure access to quality care, and enhance equity, productivity, and community vitality. An expert in community leadership development, Ella leads multi-site projects, trainings, and workshops and provides coaching for a wide variety of organizations and teams, helping them develop the skills needed to lead change. She holds a MTS from the Harvard Divinity School and a BS in Finance from Babson College.

Cheryl Dorsey, MD, MPP

Cheryl Dorsey is president of Echoing Green, a pioneer in the social entrepreneurship movement. This global social venture fund has awarded over $33 million in start-up capital to nearly 600 next generation social entrepreneurs worldwide since 1987. Dorsey received an Echoing Green Fellowship in 1992 to help launch The Family Van.

Dorsey has served in two presidential administrations. She serves on several other boards including the Harvard Board of Overseers, the SEED Foundation, and Northeast Bank. In 2009, Dorsey was named one of "America's Best Leaders" by US News & World Report and the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School. For 2010 and 2011, she was named as one of The Nonprofit Times' "Power and Influence Top 50."

Dorsey received her Bachelor's degree in History and Science magna cum laude with highest honors from Harvard-Radcliffe Colleges, her medical degree from Harvard Medical School, and her Master's in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School. She completed her pediatric residency at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC

Natalia Gormley, MBA, MPH

Natalia Gormley is a Project Manager for the Computational Neuroscience Outcomes Center, an international research collaboration focused on improving patient-centered outcomes using technology, housed in the Department of Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her current work focuses on developing transitional care applications for the entire episode of care. She recently completed her Master of Public Health degree at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and completed her practicum work with The Family Van. The experience deepened her understanding of the challenges of behavior change in populations with scarce resources. Some of her projects at Harvard Chan focused on behavioral interventions to nudge providers to adopt evidence-based practices in several domains. Her areas of interest are public health, behavioral economics, health care communications, and performance improvement with a focus on chronic disease management and behavior change to improve adherence.

Born and raised in Mexico City to Spanish refugees, Natalia is bilingual and tricultural. She started her studies in International Relations at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and completed her BA in Political Science and obtained her MBA from Wayne State University in the U.S.

Zirui Song, M.D., Ph.D

Zirui Song is a resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. He graduated from Harvard Medical School magna cum laude and from the Ph.D. Program in Health Policy (Economics track) at Harvard University. His research has focused on changes in health care spending and quality under global payment, the effect of Medicare payment changes on spending and physician behavior, and the economics of Medicare Advantage. He is a recipient of the AcademyHealth Article-of-the-Year award, the Daniel Ford Award for research achievement in health services and outcomes research from Johns Hopkins Hospital and the resident research award from the American College of Physicians. He was also named to the 2014 Forbes 30 Under 30 for Science and Healthcare. Formerly, he served on the
Massachusetts Medical Society Task Force on Health Care Reform. He received his B.A. in Public Health Studies with honors from Johns Hopkins University.