Community Health Advisory Council - Members

Leila Barraza, J.D., M.P.H.

Leila Barraza, J.D., M.P.H., is a Professor and Chair for the Department of Public Health Practice, Policy & Translational Research at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona. She is also the Director of the Arizona Area Health Education Centers Program. Her research interests include studying the impact of laws and regulations on population health, both nationally and globally. Professor Barraza instructs a public health law course for public health and law students, and she has also provided numerous presentations at national and local conferences on a variety of critical public health law issues.

As Director of the Arizona AHEC Program, we value our collaboration with community partners to achieve our mission of increasing the supply and distribution of healthcare professionals throughout the state.

Katie Brite, MD                                                                                            

Dr. Brite Hillis has dedicated her career to community health and serving the underserved. She practices at Wesley Health Center where she enjoys broad spectrum primary care, including a vast array of musculoskeletal procedures, prenatal care, women’s health care, chronic disease management, and preventive care. Dr. Brite Hillis also enjoys teaching at the bedside and has been involved in medical school and residency curriculum for over a decade. She is the Associate Dean of Community Engagement at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.

She is dedicated to innovative medical education solutions to addressing Arizona’s workforce needs. Dr. Brite Hillis is a strong advocate for inclusive excellence and equity in all aspects of medicine to improve medical care for all.

William Ellert, MD

William Ellert, MD, MSN, FAAFP is the Chief Medical Officer of Circle the City, an organization dedicated to caring for people experiencing homelessness during times of illness.

He has served as a Clinician, Chairman of the Board, or Chief Medical Officer of Circle the City for over 12 years.

Robert Fauer, MD, FAAFP  

Robert Fauer, MD, FAAFP is the College of Public Health’s Medical Director for the Street Medicine-Phoenix Mobile Health Unit and an Assistant Professor at Creighton University School of Medicine.

Marisue Garganta                              

Marisue Garganta is the former Director of Community Health Integration and Community Benefit at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. In that role, she oversaw the nonprofit requirements for community health and community benefit. Marisue also serves and has served on the board of directors for the Partners for Paiute, Diocese of Phoenix Advancement Council, Catholic Health Association’s Elder Care Committee, Maricopa Association of Governments Continuum of Care Committee, Advisory Council for the American Hospital Association, Catholic Charities of Arizona, AllThrive 365 (formerly Foundation for Senior Living), City of Phoenix Age Friendly Communities Advisory Coucil, Keogh Health Connections, Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona Advisory.

Sage Liu

Sage Liu is a 2nd year MD/MPH student dedicated to advancing community health and promoting health equity. Her connection to community health stems from her belief that meaningful, preventive care begins with understanding and partnering with the communities she serves.

Francisco Lucio, JD

Francisco Lucio, JD is the Senior Associate Dean of Health Care Advancement and Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. His connection to community health is centered on addressing social drivers of health through education of trainees and faculty.

Elen Mendoza, MD                          

Elen Mendoza, MD is a second year Family Medicine resident at Banner/U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix. She grew up in west Phoenix as the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her connection to community health stems from a strong desire to advocate for her patients, empower them to make informed decisions, and do her part in addressing social determinants of health.

Eiven Mugo

Eiven Mugo is an ASU senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering. During his summer 2025 internship in the U of A Community Medicine program, he was drawn to community health because of the systematic way it targets the well-being of populations. Targeting the underlying factors of health is something that he’s long been interested in, being able to directly instill change in the community via this council is something he is very passionate about.

Laura Magruder, M.Ed                                                     

Laura Magruder, M.Ed joined Maggie’s Place as the Chief Executive Officer in September 2013. She holds a Master of Education in Counseling and has over thirty years of experience in the private, government and nonprofit sectors.

Her primary focus has always involved issues concerning children, youth and families, education and advocacy. The common thread throughout her professional and academic career has been her dedication to excellence, collaboration and solutions-driven problem solving.

Wendy Redford, DNP

Wendy Redford, DNP is a family nurse practitioner and the Chief Clinical Officer at Wesley Community & Health Centers, a federally qualified health center in Phoenix. She attended Arizona State University, graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in nursing. She worked as a registered nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center before returning to Arizona State to complete her doctorate in nursing.

She felt a special connection to the patients and team at Wesley as a student, and has been practicing at Wesley since 2014.

Kristina Robinson

Kristina Robinson is the founder of Halite Solutions Group, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering people with cystic fibrosis (CF) through collaboration, education, and advocacy. Drawing on her experience in health systems and community engagement, she blends strategy and compassion to drive meaningful change in the CF community.

Her connection to community health was shaped by her early career at Dignity Health, where she saw firsthand how collaboration and strategic partnerships can address the social drivers of health and improve lives. This experience continues to guide how she serve communities today.

Gina Touch-Mercer, PhD

Dr. Gina Touch Mercer has been a licensed clinical psychologist for the past 30 years, and the director of the Behavioral Sciences, Physician Development and Wellbeing Theme at U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix since 2018.

Dr. Touch is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Family, Community and Preventive Medicine and Psychiatry at UA COM-P, and served as Behavioral Science core faculty at Abrazo's Family Medicine Residency program and at the Arizona Professional School of Psychology prior to working in undergraduate medical education.