Dr. Ya-Ching Huang is an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at Texas A&M University. She obtained her Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Texas at Austin in 2018. Her most recent past five years of research has focused on health disparities, illness perception, health promotion, and chronic conditions among marginalized populations. Dr. Huang has experience in a range of research methodologies, including quasi-experimental designs, behavioral interventions, qualitative research methods, and mixed-method approaches. Dr. Huang is also a member of the American Public Health Association, the American Nurse Association, the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and other professional associations.

Mrs. Valerie Zapien has been serving as the Williamson County and Cities Health District-Healthy Williamson County (WCCHD) Coalition Coordinator since October 2022. In this role, she performs highly complex consultative services and technical assistance work as a liaison between Williamson County, TX, residents, the health district, and partner organizations. In addition, she is integral in the cyclical planning, development, implementation, and evaluation process of both the Community Health Assessment (CHA) and the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). Valerie received bachelor’s degrees in psychology and communication studies from the University of North Texas in Denton and her master’s in educational psychology from Loyola University in Chicago. Valerie has over 30 years of professional experience working directly in healthcare and indirectly with social and structural determinants of health. She has held various leadership roles in the educational, public health, social services, and mental health systems. She has certifications in higher education, mental health crisis assessment and program design, implementation, and evaluation.

Mrs. Yanyan Chen is a DrPH candidate in Health Behavior at Texas A&M University. She holds a Registered Dietitian credential, a Bachelor's Degree in Dietetics, a Master's Degree in Public Health Nutrition, and a Master's degree in Health Promotion Sciences. Her current research focuses on diabetes management, community health, health disparities, and the impact of nature on mental and physical health, dietary behavior, and food choices.

Ms. Sara Le is a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas, USA. Sara received her bachelor’s in Kinesiology from Southwestern University in 2022 and her Master's in Health Behavior and Health Education from UT Austin in 2024, where she is continuing in the same program for her Ph.D. Sara is a graduate research assistant of the People Health and Place Lab, with her research focusing on the built environment and physical activity, with a focus on minority communities. Sara has been involved in her research as a member of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH), and the Texas Physical Activity Research Collaborative (Texas PARC). She recently concluded her internship at the Williamson County and Cities Health District as a community health assessment intern.

Dr. Ashton Cumberbatch, Jr. is the President/Co-founder of Equidad ATX (a catalyst for the acceleration of holistic, equitable and sustainable transformation in Austin’s Eastern Crescent). He is also Special Counsel at McGinnis Lochridge, LLP, and Executive Pastor at Agape Christian Ministries. Formerly he served as Vice President of Advocacy and Community Engagement for Ascension Health and volunteer Policy Advisor to Austin Mayor Steve Adler, where he co-led the Spirit of East Austin (an initiative re equitable and holistic development in Austin’s historically underserved region), and the Mayor’s Task Force on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities. His record of civic leadership includes service as Chairperson of the Austin Area Research Organization; Chair of the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce; and Co-Chair of an Austin ISD Bond Oversight Committee. Currently, he serves as Board Secretary for HousingWorks Austin, on the Board of Directors for E3 Alliance, and on the Admissions Committee of the University of Texas Dell Medical School. His commitment to co-creating holistic communities has been recognized by several organizations, including the Austin Area YMCA, the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, the Urban Land Institute, NAACP (Austin Chapter), the Austin Bar Association, Austin ISD, the University of Texas Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, and the University of Texas School of Law.

Dr. Carmen R. Valdez is Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Partnerships at the UT School of Public Health San Antonio. Prior to that position starting in 2024, she served as Chief of Community Engagement and Health Equity at Dell Medical School in Austin, TX. There, she oversaw the program “Community-Academic Partnerships for Health Equity (CAP-HEP), which provided mentoring and funding to the first two authors. Dr. Valdez conducts community-engaged health research with low-income populations and has an interest in building the capacity of community-academic teams for health promotion. She is a member of the American Public Health Association, the Society for Research in Child Development, and the American Psychological Association.