Our Team

Injury and Violence Prevention Program Supervisor

lisa.wooten@vdh.virginia.gov

Reasons to Contact? Program initiatives and administration

Lisa is the Injury and Violence Prevention Program Supervisor and helps mentor and guide a talented team of Injury and Violence Prevention Program experts to conduct statewide work in addressing critical priorities from a public health approach. Lisa has over 29 years of acute and public health registered nursing and public health and injury prevention experience, primarily focused on maternal child health. She has 15 years of leading public health and quality improvement teams in program development, grants and contract management, and strategic project coordination. Lisa has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Virginia and her Master of Public Health from Liberty University. She is a native of Richmond, and enjoys spending time with her family and dog, creating music and art, traveling, and all things vintage.

Injury and Violence Prevention Senior Epidemiologist

lauren.yerkes@vdh.virginia.gov

Reasons to Contact? Injury, violence, and substance use epidemiology (data trends, interpretation, sources, analyses, and communication)

Lauren Yerkes is the Injury and Violence Prevention Senior Epidemiologist at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), providing subject matter expertise, data analysis, technical assistance, and consulting on injury, violence, and substance use data to inform state policy and program planning. She has over a decade of epidemiology and public health experience in injury and violence, substance use and mental health, HIV, and COVID-19. Lauren has a Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Virginia Tech and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and is Certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners.

Violence Prevention Coordinator/RPE Director

maria.altonen@vdh.virginia.gov

Reasons to Contact? Rape Prevention and Education initiatives

Maria oversees sexual violence, domestic violence, and child abuse and neglect initiatives associated with the Rape Prevention and Education grant with a special emphasis on enhancing primary prevention efforts throughout the state. They provide technical assistance and training to a variety of community partners and agencies. Prior to joining VDH, Maria earned their Master's in Housing Policy and Urban Planning at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Senior Substance Use Epidemiologist

lori.beck@vdh.virginia.gov

Reasons to Contact? Substance use and drug overdose epidemiology

Lori Beck is the Senior Substance Use Epidemiologist, where she serves as subject matter expert for substance use and overdose and coordinates prevention and surveillance efforts within VDH, across state agencies, and among community partners. Throughout her career she has held roles with HIV prevention and care, COVID-19, naloxone distribution, data visualization, and public health research. Lori obtained a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Psychology from Allegheny College and a Master of Public Health from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Statewide Safety Seat Program Coordinator

marcia.franchok-hill@vdh.virginia.gov

Reasons to Contact? Low-Income Safety Seat Distribution and Education Program

Marcia Franchok-Hill oversees the Low-Income Distribution and Education Program's initiatives associated with the Child Restraint Device Special Fund and a 402 Federal Highway Safety grant with a special emphasis on removing financial barriers by assisting eligible families in need of a child restraint device. Funds are used to purchase and distribute child safety restraints and provide education to families that cannot afford to purchase a device. Marcia coordinates and monitors seat allocations statewide, develops staff and recipient training, programmatic operation standards, policies, procedures, and provides technical assistance to a network of approximately 130 distribution sites in collaboration with local health departments, fire departments, Healthy Families, Department of Social Services, and hospitals.

Injury and Violence Prevention Epidemiologist

tara.keen@vdh.virginia.gov

Reasons to Contact? Injury and violence epidemiology

Tara Keen is the Injury and Violence Prevention Epidemiologist at the Virginia Department of Health. She is passionate about using epidemiology to facilitate optimal health outcomes. Tara graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. in Biology (go Dukes!) and Virginia Commonwealth University with her Master of Public Health. Tara loves to surround herself with animals; Tara and her boyfriend share four dogs, a horse, and a donkey. In her free time, she enjoys baking sourdough, gardening, and traveling.

Substance Use Prevention Epidemiologist

julia.mogren@vdh.virginia.gov

Reasons to Contact? Substance use and drug overdose epidemiology

Julia Mogren is the Substance Use Prevention Epidemiologist at VDH. She has been working at VDH since 2019 but has been passionate about public health for much longer. She serves as an overdose substance matter expert for epidemiological research, prevention efforts, data requests, grant writing and evaluation. Julia has a Bachelor of Science in Public Health: Health Promotion and Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from Liberty University and is a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. Julia is also the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Alcohol Subcommittee Co-Chair. In her free time, she enjoys adventures, physical activity, and spending time with loved ones. 

Suicide Prevention Coordinator

justin.wallace@vdh.virginia.gov

Reasons to Contact? Suicide related programming, funding, and other prevention, intervention, and postvention topics

Justin Wallace oversees suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention efforts within the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) with a special emphasis on youth suicide prevention. He provides technical assistance to the Campus Suicide Prevention Center of Virginia, co-facilitates the Suicide Prevention Interagency Advisory Group, is the VDH representative for the Behavioral Health Advisory Council, and supports other matters relating to youth suicide prevention across the state, including cross-collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, The Department of Education, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Department of Criminal Justice Services, . Prior to joining VDH, Justin worked for a decade providing mental health counseling to our neighbors, eventually completing his Master of Public Health degree and overseeing the Richmond City Health Districts Ryan White HIV Prevention Program. On his off time, he is heavily engaged in work with the group People Addressing and Understanding Suicide Experiences (PAUSE), supporting mutual aid in Richmond, and attempting to bring more native plants to Virginia.