Antonia Maria Apolinário-Wilcoxon, Ed.D. is principal consultant for Equity Strategies, LLC where she provides direction and leadership in efforts of private, public, and collaborative efforts working to improve the lives of disenfranchised and vulnerable persons impacted by inequities. Dr. Apolinário-Wilcoxon obtained her doctorate degree in educational leadership focusing on critical studies informed by Critical Pedagogy theorists. An African-Brazilian, she brings experiences in education, corporate, private nonprofits and government to lead efforts that bring agency, voice and liberation in spaces where the presence of Oppression, bias and other barriers, silence those most valuable voices to find solutions to problems in their world.  

As an instructor, Dr Apolinário-Wilcoxon hopes to instill in students a love of life-long learning, a commitment to excellence, leadership, and service. She brings her years of experience in various sectors to translate theory into practice for students’ well-round preparation for work in the field. She is a 2015 recipient of the School of Public Health’s Community Partner award.

Dr. Nathan T. Chomilo is Medical Director for the State of Minnesota’s Medicaid & MinnesotaCare programs and practices as a General Pediatrician and an Internal Medicine Hospitalist with Park Nicollet Health Services/HealthPartners. He received a Zoology degree from Miami University (Oxford, OH) and graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School. He completed his combined residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and was the Pediatric Chief Resident at the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital. He is one of the Early Childhood Champions for the Minnesota chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics where he also serves on the board of directors, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School and co-founded the organization Minnesota Doctors for Health Equity. He serves on the board of directors of Reach Out and Read and the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) as well as the steering committee of the Minnesota Perinatal Quality Collaborative. His work has been recognized by the City of Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights which recognized him as a 2019 History Maker at Home recipient and Minnesota Physician which named him a one of the 100 most influential healthcare leaders in 2020.  In March of 2021 he joined the Minnesota Department of Health to lead their vaccine equity team as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Shirlynn LaChapelle, RN, BSN, SNP, PHN, MSN, PMHNP is the President and CEO of Nursing Is The Answer, LLC. Her goal is to holistically and positively impact the health of persons, specifically those in the African American community and in other communities of color. She understands the emotional barriers and historical trauma that hinder their willingness to trust and access the healthcare system.

Her biggest achievement is being able to compassionately address the needs of the community through education and teaching self-advocacy, empowering community members to be able to access and utilize the healthcare system. Providing education on heart disease, diabetes, and their comorbidities will equip the community with the tools needed to participate fully as active partners with their providers in their care and result in the desired achievement of positive health outcomes.

Current Health related Committees:

• Attorney General’s Drug Pricing Taskforce
• MDH Cardiovascular Collaborative
• MDH 2030 Cardiovascular and Diabetes Work Group
• Ramsey County’s Mental Health and Wellness Action Team (MHWAT)
• DHS COVID taskforce member with the African American Child Wellness Institute
• MN Nurses Association Diversity Taskforce 
• MNA Government Affairs Commission (GAC) 
• National Black Nurse Practitioner Association
• Holistic Nurses Association
• Hennepin County Juvenile Diversion Alternatives Steering Committee
• Previous member of Hennepin County Biomedical Ethics Committee