Jennifer Franklin, Contact Tracer
“Contact tracing is is more than just tracing someone’s contacts. It’s being there for them. It’s letting them know that I’m human as well. You don’t have to just give me your information. You can talk to me. I’m a real person, so let them know that real recognize real. Its more than just collecting data.”
“Contact tracing is is more than just tracing someone’s contacts. It’s being there for them. It’s letting them know that I’m human as well. You don’t have to just give me your information. You can talk to me. I’m a real person, so let them know that real recognize real. Its more than just collecting data.”
Jennifer Franklin
Contact Tracer
“Tracing Health is a community. It’s like a heart puzzle. And we all are pieces to it. And we fit. We all fit.”
John Franco, Bilingual Resource Coordinator
“I have one goal in life, and that is to continue to serve the public. My purpose here on this planet is to provide the best possible service to those who I encounter on the street, to those who might be struggling with income disparities or from those who might not have what I have, I want to continue to be a public servant and serve the public in my best capacity.”
“I have one goal in life, and that is to continue to serve the public. My purpose here on this planet is to provide the best possible service to those who I encounter on the street, to those who might be struggling with income disparities or from those who might not have what I have, I want to continue to be a public servant and serve the public in my best capacity.”
John Franco
Bilingual Resource Coordinator
“I struggled with COVID-19 far beyond what I thought I would ever experience, and my experience with a contact tracer helped me essentially save my mother’s life. When I got sick with covid, I had no idea I was exposed. It took that call from a contact tracer to let me know the day before I went to see my mother. And because of that call, I know that I helped save her life. My goal was to use that experience to help shape the foundation of what it is to stay home and how many lives each individual can save.”
Hameda Dil Mohamed, Multilingual Contact Tracer
“This job is special to me because I’m not only working for the community, but for my family members and for my neighbors as well.”
“This job is special to me because I’m not only working for the community, but for my family members and for my neighbors as well.”
Hameda Dil Mohamed
Multilingual Contact Tracer
“When my family and I arrived in the U.S. we faced so many obstacles. For instance, there were resources in the community, but we didn’t find the right person to help us access them. We came to the point where one of my family members had to leave us to work somewhere else. So when I was hired as a contractor, I told myself that I will never let my clients go through what my family has gone through.”
Jae Williams, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This pandemic has forced a lot of people to slow down and stop, and reconnect with themselves and their loved ones.”
“This pandemic has forced a lot of people to slow down and stop, and reconnect with themselves and their loved ones.”
Jae Williams
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“I was also able to see firsthand that minority communities have been hit the hardest by this disease and that was very emotional. But I think it also provided a wake up for a lot of people.”
Paulina Jafarzadeh, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“My ultimate goal is to help the Latino population in terms of mental health and general health.”
“My ultimate goal is to help the Latino population in terms of mental health and general health.”
Paulina Jafarzadeh
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“I’m taking a Tracing Health sponsored class to get a certification for Migrant Health and Nutrition. So that’s going to just propel me with achieving my ultimate goal of helping the Latino population in terms of mental health and general health.”
Maria Contreras, Bilingual Recruiter
“Some of the things that I look for in a candidate is that they have a customer service oriented mindset, that they’re flexible, that they’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
“Some of the things that I look for in a candidate is that they have a customer service oriented mindset, that they’re flexible, that they’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
Maria Contreras
Bilingual Recruiter
“I had to hire over 300 contact tracers in a timeframe of 60 days. Some of the skills I had to develop was definitely the ability to fast review a resume and pick up on the key skills I needed so that I can reach out to individuals and schedule interviews. I was doing anywhere from 13 to 15 interviews a day, and I had to be able to identify in those 15 to 30 minutes whether the individual would make a great contact tracer and had the skill set required to be successful and make a difference and impact in our team. Some of the things that I look for in a candidate is that they have a customer service oriented mindset, that they’re flexible, that they’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
Eva Ruiz, Teams Manager
“Living through the pandemic this past year has definitely taught me patience and understanding.”
“Living through the pandemic this past year has definitely taught me patience and understanding.”
“It’s been very difficult for people of all different ages and backgrounds. And so definitely being patient with everybody’s situation, and understanding because we we don’t know what situation they may be in at that point in time. So that’s definitely what this has taught me.”
Gladys Jimenez, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“To me, the data has a voice because that voice is talking to me, its telling me their suffering, their pain, their love, their empathy.”
“To me, the data has a voice because that voice is talking to me, its telling me their suffering, their pain, their love, their empathy.”
Gladys Jimenez
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“When you call a person, you have 10 to 15 minutes to get the information. But at the same time, in order to get the information, I need them trust to me. Then every call is like a dance because a person will give you some, and at the same time will step back…And then you come forward and then you go back.. Then I realize that’s what you’re doing. You’re dancing, and the better you get, the better the dance will be. People will trust you.”
Arnold Dimas, Resource Coordinator
“Resource coordination is the identifying of various different resources and services at the community, the county, state and even federal levels, and then relaying that information over to people who have been affected by COVID-19. It’s really important because it addresses the social determinants of health, which play a huge role on health outcomes.”
“Resource coordination is the identifying of various different resources and services at the community, the county, state and even federal levels, and then relaying that information over to people who have been affected by COVID-19. It’s really important because it addresses the social determinants of health, which play a huge role on health outcomes.”
Arnold Dimas
Resource Coordinator
“Resource coordination is the identifying of various different resources and services at the community, the county, state and even federal levels, and then relaying that information over to people who have been affected by COVID-19. It’s really important because it addresses the social determinants of health, which play a huge role on health outcomes.”
Emily Henke, Executive Director, Oregon Public Health Institute
“Working during a pandemic has taught me that when we resource and fund public health the way it needs to be, we can accomplish amazing things.”
“Working during a pandemic has taught me that when we resource and fund public health the way it needs to be, we can accomplish amazing things.”
Emily Henke
Executive Director, Oregon Public Health Institute
“It’s important to have a local and culturally competent/multilingual, multicultural workforce doing this work because contact tracing at the end of the day is about trust. Contact tracing is not a healthcare encounter. You don’t need to be a trained medical provider to do contact tracing. What you need to do is establish trust, be able to communicate, ensure that the person you’re speaking with has heard and really understood your message.”
Alesha Casayuran, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“…When I got involved in the vaccine team, I was able to call the same couple and they were able to get their vaccine scheduled. They were making jokes saying that ‘hey, it’s Alesha. Are you going to tell us that we have COVID-19 again?’ And I was like, ‘no, I’m here to schedule your vaccine!”
“…When I got involved in the vaccine team, I was able to call the same couple and they were able to get their vaccine scheduled. They were making jokes saying that ‘hey, it’s Alesha. Are you going to tell us that we have COVID-19 again?’ And I was like, ‘no, I’m here to schedule your vaccine!”
Alesha Casayuran
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“Not too long ago, I was also involved in being a case investigator where you call individuals who have COVID-19. So fortunately enough, I called a couple. They were sad to get my call. It was bad news. But a few months after when I got involved in the vaccine team, I was able to call the same couple and they were able to get their vaccine scheduled. And they recognized my voice. They were making jokes saying that ‘hey, it’s Alesha. Are you going to tell us that we have COVID-19 again?’ And I was like, ‘no, I’m here to schedule your vaccine!”
Ariel Ransom, Community Care Supervisor
“We actually have a program that could help support you. Would you want me to put in a referral for you?’ And I remember the phone call going silent for a second and I thought ‘I might have lost her.’ And she said, ‘you’re going to make me cry. I’m going to try not to. But I didn’t realize that you were going to offer that.’ And I sat there with her and said, ‘that’s OK. If you need to cry, this is a lot and you’re handling a lot.”
“We actually have a program that could help support you. Would you want me to put in a referral for you?’ And I remember the phone call going silent for a second and I thought ‘I might have lost her.’ And she said, ‘you’re going to make me cry. I’m going to try not to. But I didn’t realize that you were going to offer that.’ And I sat there with her and said, ‘that’s OK. If you need to cry, this is a lot and you’re handling a lot.”
Ariel Ransom
Community Care Supervisor
“We actually have a program that could help support you. Would you want me to put in a referral for you?’ And I remember the phone call going silent for a second and I thought ‘I might have lost her.’ And she said, ‘you’re going to make me cry. I’m going to try not to. But I didn’t realize that you were going to offer that.’ And I sat there with her and said,’that’s OK. If you need to cry, this is a lot and you’re handling a lot.”
“I struggled with COVID-19 far beyond what I thought I would ever experience, and my experience with a contact tracer helped me essentially save my mother’s life. When I got sick with covid, I had no idea I was exposed. It took that call from a contact tracer to let me know the day before I went to see my mother. And because of that call, I know that I helped save her life. My goal was to use that experience to help shape the foundation of what it is to stay home and how many lives each individual can save.”
– John Franco, Bilingual Resource Coordinator
Beth Midanik-Blum, Teams Manager
“It is extremely important to get to positive cases quickly because the quicker you are able to talk to someone who has COVID-19, hopefully the less exposure they give to others and therefore we are able to reduce the spread of COVID-19. So it does make a big difference.”
“It is extremely important to get to positive cases quickly because the quicker you are able to talk to someone who has COVID-19, hopefully the less exposure they give to others and therefore we are able to reduce the spread of COVID-19. So it does make a big difference.”
Beth Midanik-Blum
Teams Manager
“It is extremely important to get to positive cases quickly because the quicker you are able to talk to someone who has COVID-19, hopefully the less exposure they give to others and therefore we are able to reduce the spread of COVID-19. So it does make a big difference.”
Javier Mendez, Bilingual Recruiter
“I’m proud of the work that I’m doing because not only are the people that I’m hiring saving lives, but also we are creating a pipeline of public health workers that can carry on this work way beyond Tracing Health.”
“I’m proud of the work that I’m doing because not only are the people that I’m hiring saving lives, but also we are creating a pipeline of public health workers that can carry on this work way beyond Tracing Health.”
Javier Mendez
Bilingual Recruiter
“I’m proud of the work that I’m doing because not only are the people that I’m hiring saving lives, but also we are creating a pipeline of public health workers that can carry on this work way beyond Tracing Health.”
Carrie Rose, Workforce Development Advisor
“What we mean by workforce development is taking the time to really see and understand how we can build the capacity of all of our staff and then to match that with the needs that exist in the public health field, particularly in available jobs and career paths right now.”
“What we mean by workforce development is taking the time to really see and understand how we can build the capacity of all of our staff and then to match that with the needs that exist in the public health field, particularly in available jobs and career paths right now.”
Carrie Rose
Workforce Development Advisor
“What we mean by workforce development is taking the time to really see and understand how we can build the capacity of all of our staff and then to match that with the needs that exist in the public health field, particularly in available jobs and career paths right now.”
Debbie Hintz, Director of Data and Informatics
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that it takes a village to really solve this problem, not any one person with any one expertise can do it.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that it takes a village to really solve this problem, not any one person with any one expertise can do it.”
Debbie Hintz
Director of Data and Informatics
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that it takes a village to really solve this problem, not any one person with any one expertise can do it.”
Eden Lopez, Bilingual Deputy Director
“We work with the county health departments very closely. We have constant communication. We meet two to three times a week. We have constant contact through email, to phone, through Microsoft teams, you know, live chats soon. All that on a daily basis. The county provides us with scripts, with guidance, with updates on what’s going on in the community.”
“We work with the county health departments very closely. We have constant communication. We meet two to three times a week. We have constant contact through email, to phone, through Microsoft teams, you know, live chats soon. All that on a daily basis. The county provides us with scripts, with guidance, with updates on what’s going on in the community.”
Eden Lopez
Bilingual Deputy Director
“We work with the county health departments very closely. We have constant communication. We meet two to three times a week. We have constant contact through email, to phone, through Microsoft teams, you know, live chats soon. All that on a daily basis. The county provides us with scripts, with guidance, with updates on what’s going on in the community.”
Francisco Gomez, Bilingual Senior Program Manager
“I believe building up this robust team of contact tracers is important because we must do as much as we can to break that chain of infectious people which builds exponentially.”
“I believe building up this robust team of contact tracers is important because we must do as much as we can to break that chain of infectious people which builds exponentially.”
Francisco Gomez
Bilingual Senior Program Manager
“I believe building up this robust team of contact tracers is important because we must do as much as we can to break that chain of infectious people which builds exponentially.”
Julian Hofschneider, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“Our Tracing Health team is unique because we are just like everybody else. We are not medical professionals and that makes it easier for us to connect with the rest of the public. And, you know, instead we can take complex words and we can break it down to our language for the average person.”
“Our Tracing Health team is unique because we are just like everybody else. We are not medical professionals and that makes it easier for us to connect with the rest of the public. And, you know, instead we can take complex words and we can break it down to our language for the average person.”
Julian Hofschneider
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“Our Tracing Health team is unique because we are just like everybody else. We are not medical professionals and that makes it easier for us to connect with the rest of the public. And, you know, instead we can take complex words and we can break it down to our language for the average person.”
Linda Diaz, Bilingual Resource Coordinator
“In my country, Colombia, I am a physician. When the pandemic started, I looked for work in public health because I want to make a difference in this pandemic because I have the knowledge and I have the background. This is what I try to apply to Tracing Heath, and Tracing Health has opened the doors for me to help the people at this moment.”
“In my country, Colombia, I am a physician. When the pandemic started, I looked for work in public health because I want to make a difference in this pandemic because I have the knowledge and I have the background. This is what I try to apply to Tracing Heath, and Tracing Health has opened the doors for me to help the people at this moment.”
Linda Diaz
Bilingual Resource Coordinator
“In my country, Colombia I am a physician. When the pandemic started, I looked for work in public health because I want to make a difference in this pandemic because I have the knowledge and I have the background. This is what I try to apply to Tracing Heath, and Tracing Health has opened the doors for me to help the people at this moment.”
Lorenzo Sotolongo, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“Every single person on my team is bilingual. When it comes to Spanish speaking cases, they are often faced with misinformation, so providing them credible information is invaluable.”
“Every single person on my team is bilingual. When it comes to Spanish speaking cases, they are often faced with misinformation, so providing them credible information is invaluable.”
Lorenzo Sotolongo
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“Every single person on my team is bilingual. When it comes to Spanish speaking cases, they are often faced with misinformation, so providing them credible information is invaluable.”
Dr. Marta Induni, Ph.D., Tracing Health Program Director
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that we really do have a lot of empathy as a culture.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that we really do have a lot of empathy as a culture.”
Dr. Marta Induni, Ph.D.
Tracing Health Program Director
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that we really do have a lot of empathy as a culture.”
Melika Mobini, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“What’s really cool about the Tracing Health teams is that they are extremely diverse, people come from all over. They speak all different types of languages, were able to connect, learn from each other in different cultures, different backgrounds. It’s kind of like a melting pot. So it’s really nice to learn from everyone and see different faces.”
“What’s really cool about the Tracing Health teams is that they are extremely diverse, people come from all over. They speak all different types of languages, were able to connect, learn from each other in different cultures, different backgrounds. It’s kind of like a melting pot. So it’s really nice to learn from everyone and see different faces.”
Melika Mobini
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“What’s really cool about the Tracing Health teams is that they are extremely diverse, people come from all over. They speak all different types of languages, were able to connect, learn from each other in different cultures, different backgrounds. It’s kind of like a melting pot. So it’s really nice to learn from everyone and see different faces.”
Omar Vargas, Bilingual Contact Tracer Supervisor
“I’m going to call you every day to know how you’re doing, how your husband is doing, how your children are doing. And I want to give you anything that the county can get – all the help. I will help you with the whole process.”
“I’m going to call you every day to know how you’re doing, how your husband is doing, how your children are doing. And I want to give you anything that the county can get – all the help. I will help you with the whole process.”
Omar Vargas
Bilingual Contact Tracer Supervisor
“I’m going to call you every day to know how you’re doing, how your husband is doing, how your children are doing. And I want to give you anything that the county can get – all the help. I will help you with the whole process.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me we have to learn to work as a whole community and as human beings.”
– Omar Vargas, Bilingual Contract Tracer Supervisor
Sarah Thorwirth, Senior Training Manager
“The most important part of my job is to train the front-line workers so that they have the skills that they need to help the most vulnerable communities.”
“The most important part of my job is to train the front-line workers so that they have the skills that they need to help the most vulnerable communities.”
Sarah Thorwirth
Senior Training Manager
“The most important part of my job is to train the front-line workers so that they have the skills that they need to help the most vulnerable communities.”
Stephanie Rivera, California Contact Tracing Support Initiative (CCTSI) Director
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that there is good that will override the difficulties and there are people that bring hope from very unexpected places.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that there is good that will override the difficulties and there are people that bring hope from very unexpected places.”
Stephanie Rivera
California Contact Tracing Support Initiative (CCTSI) Director
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that there is good that will override the difficulties and there are people that bring hope from very unexpected places.”
Vadim Gaynaliy, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“Lots of times these languages and dialects aren’t represented in interpreter services so it’s communicating to people directly about their health, gives them a bigger sense of privacy and they feel like they’re more understood if you’re speaking their language.”
“Lots of times these languages and dialects aren’t represented in interpreter services so it’s communicating to people directly about their health, gives them a bigger sense of privacy and they feel like they’re more understood if you’re speaking their language.”
Vadim Gaynaliy
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“Lots of times these languages and dialects aren’t represented in interpreter services so it’s communicating to people directly about their health, gives them a bigger sense of privacy and they feel like they’re more understood if you’re speaking their language.”
Caroline Velasco, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me the importance of staying united and adapting to changes, especially when saving a life.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me the importance of staying united and adapting to changes, especially when saving a life.”
Caroline Velasco
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me the importance of staying united and adapting to changes, especially when saving a life.”
Dexter Whack, Recruitment & Talent Assistant
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to band together as one so that we can promote positivity.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to band together as one so that we can promote positivity.”
Dexter Whack
Recruitment & Talent Assistant
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to band together as one so that we can promote positivity.”
Gabriela Arima, Resource Coordinator
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that you just can’t have expectations.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that you just can’t have expectations.”
Gabriela Arima
Resource Coordinator
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that you just can’t have expectations.”
Gabriela Carolina Rosales, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me how to recontextualized my life and prioritize what and what serves me.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me how to recontextualized my life and prioritize what and what serves me.”
Gabriela Carolina Rosales
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me how to recontextualized my life and prioritize what and what serves me.”
Gabriela Castro Gutierrez, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that I want to help people.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that I want to help people.”
Gabriela Castro Gutierrez
Bilingual Contact Tracer
Magdalen Rath, Communications Intern
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me not to take life for granted.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me not to take life for granted.”
Magdalen Rath
Communications Intern
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me not to take life for granted.”
Margarita Melano Mendoza, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me self-care is so important. Without self-care, it’s hard to help others.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me self-care is so important. Without self-care, it’s hard to help others.”
Margarita Melano Mendoza
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me self-care is so important. Without self-care, it’s hard to help others.”
Maritza Lissette Valadez, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to be more grateful for life and those we have around us.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to be more grateful for life and those we have around us.”
Maritza Lissette Valadez
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to be more grateful for life and those we have around us.”
Mason Dean Hershenow, IT Administrative Assistant II
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to consider opportunities and possible steps that I wouldn’t have previously considered.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to consider opportunities and possible steps that I wouldn’t have previously considered.”
Mason Dean Hershenow
IT Administrative Assistant II
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me to consider opportunities and possible steps that I wouldn’t have previously considered”
“I’m proud of the work that I’m doing because not only are the people that I’m hiring saving lives, but also we are creating a pipeline of public health workers that can carry on this work way beyond Tracing Health.”
– Javier Mendez, Bilingual Recruiter
Miguel Martinez Salguero, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me it’s essential to be more united and try to enjoy our family members as much as possible.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me it’s essential to be more united and try to enjoy our family members as much as possible.”
Miguel Martinez Salguero
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me it’s essential to be more united and try to enjoy our family members as much as possible.”
Stephanie Osorio, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me the importance of taking care of myself and my well-being.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me the importance of taking care of myself and my well-being.”
Stephanie Osorio
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me the importance of taking care of myself and my well-being.”
Tenesie Payne, Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that I’m able to succeed at anything I put my mind to.”
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that I’m able to succeed at anything I put my mind to.”
Tenesie Payne
Bilingual Contact Tracer
“This past year living through the pandemic has taught me that I’m able to succeed at anything I put my mind to.”
S. Brooke Briggance, MHFA, Program Director Cypress Resilience Project
“Cypress Resilience Project’s mission is to make sure that everyone in our communities knows what to say, what to do, and can really help support a person in a compassionate and trauma informed way who may be in a really escalated situation.”
“Cypress Resilience Project’s mission is to make sure that everyone in our communities knows what to say, what to do, and can really help support a person in a compassionate and trauma informed way who may be in a really escalated situation.”
S. Brooke Briggance
MHFA, Program Director Cypress Resilience Project
“Cypress Resilience Project’s mission is to make sure that everyone in our communities knows what to say, what to do, and can really help support a person in a compassionate and trauma informed way who may be in a really escalated situation.”
