who we are
Jill Hutson, MA
CEO
Jill is an accomplished health policy strategist, researcher, and public health visionary. Her hands-on, collaborative leadership approach ensures that each Rede Group project is treated with the care and attention befitting of the complex public health challenges being addressed.
Jill has over 25 years of experience researching, analyzing, developing, and implementing successful public policy campaigns and initiatives. She is a resourceful and tenacious problem solver, committed to improving community health through policy and systems change.
Prior to co-founding the Rede Group, Jill worked for the American Cancer Society, Clackamas County, and the State of Oregon (as the Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Section Policy Manager). In 2010, Jill received the Maurine Neuberger Award for Distinguished Career Achievement in Tobacco Control.
Jill has a BS in Psychology and an MA in Organizational Leadership and Ethics.
Robb Hutson, MA
President
Robb is a communications and public health professional with expertise in training, technical assistance, strategic communications, capacity building, and technology systems. As an ‘ideas guy’ and technologist, Robb ensures that Rede Group has our finger on the pulse of innovation in the field. He makes certain that we approach all projects with the latest tools, techniques, and methods at our disposal.
Robb is the lead organizer of CannAct, a national cannabis action conference focused on public health, youth prevention, and safety, and ToPCon; a national commercial tobacco prevention conference. Robb has been providing training and technical assistance for cannabis public health and prevention for more than six years.
Prior to co-founding the Rede Group, Robb studied, lived, and worked in Japan, owned a business, directed marketing and media for a large company, and helped to start several tourism based companies. Robb is on the board of directors for the Oregon Public Health Association (former president and current treasurer), and Upstream Public Health (Vice Chair). He previously served on the board of Ski Oregon, The Clackamas County Tourism Development Council Marketing Committee, and the Columbia River Gorge/Mt. Hood Marketing Committee.
Robb has a Bachelor's degree from Lewis & Clark College, a Master's degree from the University of Oregon and a Graduate Certificate in Virtual Team Management from Cornell University.
Kara Skelton, PhD
Of Counsel
Kara Skelton is a passionate maternal and child health researcher with over 10 years of experience in program development and implementation, data collection, program evaluation and grant writing. Kara is a highly trained mixed-methodologist with expertise in an array of research, evaluation, and analytical methods.
Dr. Skelton received her postdoctoral training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she examined environmental influences of maternal and child health. Her current work encompasses health policy analysis, as well as mixed-methods research, where she focuses on perinatal cannabis use and unintended maternal and child health outcomes of changing cannabis policies. Kara holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Health Education and Promotion from the University of Alabama at Birmingham as well as a Master’s Degree in Community Health Education with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health.
Erin Charpentier, MFA
Design Director
Erin Charpentier is an artist, designer, educator, and serial collaborator. Her creativity and user-centered design approach ensure that all materials produced by Rede Group are project-specific, practical, and well-designed. She is highly skilled at creating materials that transform complicated information into accessible formats, with an emphasis on report design, data visualization, and systems mapping.
Erin received her BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and her MFA from Portland State University. She has held visiting faculty positions at Portland State University, Stonehill College, and Texas Tech University, where she’s taught courses in art and design. Erin works from her home office in Lubbock, Texas under the supervision of her rescue terrier, Santi.
Alex Muvua
Managing Consultant & Analyst
Alex Muvua is an adept analyst with unparalleled organizational capabilities. As managing consultant, she keeps all the plates spinning at the Rede Group. Alex Muvua has been working as an analyst and project manager for the past seven years, successfully managing large scale evaluation, technical assistance, and training projects. She plays a key role in managing the National Public Health and Marijuana Summit. Alex has experience training and often leads Rede Group webinars.
When she’s not managing projects, Alex is running around with her children Reyna and Maliyah, and her fur baby, Tucker. Alex received her Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health at Oregon State University along with a minor in Business and Entrepreneurship. Prior to beginning her work with Rede Group, Alex interned here! She now manages the internship program at Rede.
Beck Wright, MPH
Evaluation Lead, Senior Consultant
Beck Wright is a self-described ‘data nerd’ and seasoned analyst with a passion for uncovering and addressing health disparities wherever they are hiding. They have nearly 20 years of public health experience, and have held roles with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, the Oregon Health Authority, and the Multnomah County Health Department. Beck has served as co-chair of the national LGBT HealthLink Steering Committee and as a member of the Community Advisory Board for the national Advancing Science & Practice in the Retail Environment (ASPIRE) grant.
When not geeking out over data and public health policy, Beck plays on the trapeze and spends time with friends and family, especially their teenager, Yukpa. They hold a master of public health and a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies, both from Portland State University.
Audra Baca, MPH, CHES
Senior Consultant
Audra is an experienced non-profit professional specializing in community partnered participatory research methodologies. With a bachelors in Health Education, another in Community Health, a Master’s in Public Health, and currently earning a Master’s in Global Health and Medical Anthropology, Audra is passionate about understanding health and approaching health equity solutions from multiple perspectives and levels of society.
Audra’s nonprofit experience involves a variety of positions such as leading community health assessments, program development, implementation and evaluation, and grant coordination in the US, Peru, and Ecuador, and working with a variety of populations, but primarily rural. Additionally Audra has worked in Health Promotion for a county public health department in Oregon.
Outside of work, Audra enjoys hiking in nature and long city walks, studying Spanish, travel, and trying out new restaurants.
Elisabeth Castillo
ASSOCIATE
Elisabeth loves everything to do with the community. She is passionate about health promotion and the improvement in underserved communities. Elisabeth Castillo received her Bachelor of Science in Public Health with an option in Health Promotion and Health Behavior with a minor in Education at Oregon State University. She is currently enrolled in the Masters of Public Health program at OSU. Elisabeth has held a position as a Bilingual Assistant at South Albany High School where she translated course curriculum and served the ESL community. Prior to working at Rede Group, Elisabeth interned with the Providence Community Teaching Kitchen in Milwaukie, Oregon, providing food and education to the food insecure population. Elisabeth is passionate about helping and protecting communities who lack resources to improve their overall health through the promotion of healthy lifestyles.
KC Thompson, MPH
associate
KC is passionate about working to eliminate barriers that create health disparities in communities as well as increasing access to mental and behavioral health resources. KC completed a Graduate Certificate of Public Health at Oregon State University and has a BA in social science from Western Oregon University. He spent a year volunteering in New Orleans through the AmeriCorps VISTA program where he organized volunteers and focused on emergency preparedness and community development. He also interned with Rede Group in 2017.
Outside of his professional career, KC enjoys spending time outside with his dog, George. Together, they go on walks, runs, and explorations through Oregon’s many forest and mountain areas.
Elena Rivera, MPH
Senior Consultant
Elena is a passionate public health advocate with skills in program planning and evaluation, policy advocacy, and systems change. She is a tenacious learner and loves diving into public health issues from various angles, whether reviewing research literature, mapping the policy landscape, or building relationships with communities directly impacted by an issue to understand problems and co-create solutions grounded in community wisdom.
Elena’s professional experience spans work at the community, state, and global level on maternal and child health, youth development, reproductive health, and immigrant health. Prior to joining the Rede Group she served as the senior health policy and program advisor at Children’s Institute where she spearheaded efforts to advocate for and implement programs and policies to improve children’s health across Oregon. She brings curiosity, humility, and a collaborative spirit to her work.
Elena has a master of public health degree from the University of North Carolina and completed her undergraduate studies in human biology at Stanford University. She is an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity and serves on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Latino Health Coalition. In her personal time she loves exploring the outdoors with her husband and toddler, playing on the aerial silks, and cooking.
Makinna Miles, MPH
consultant
Makinna graduated with her Master’s in Public Health from Oregon State University, and has worked with private, non-profit, and state government agencies. Prior to working with Rede Group, Makinna was working in the Health Systems Division of Oregon Health Authority on a project to expand and improve Oregon’s behavioral health crisis system. She also has a background in Cultural Anthropology, and is inspired by public health action that is culturally-competent, equitable, and socially just. In her work, Makinna brings a deep curiosity for systemic problems and a fervor for solving puzzles.
When she’s not at her desk, you can usually find Makinna on the floor or at the park with her scrappy terrier, Frankie. She is also head-over-heels in love with her two toddler nephews and chases them around the house whenever she can. On a calmer day, she may be happily messing up a recipe in her kitchen, or wood carving on her porch.
Skye Larsen
Associate
Skye received her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Portland State University with a focus in Community Health Promotion along with a minor in Conflict Resolution. Additionally, she studied abroad in Spain where she focused on learning spanish. She is passionate about improving health for future generations and transforming our health systems into something that is more accessible and equitable to all. Prior to joining the Rede Group, Skye was working with Upstream Public Health, a non-profit leading efforts to find effective policies for increasing community health across Oregon.
Skye grew up near the Columbia River Gorge and has a deep appreciation for the PNW. Outside of working she enjoys traveling, coffee, line dancing, game nights, trying new foods, and days full of sunshine.
Lauren Seki, MPH
Consultant
Lauren is passionate about community health and adept at applying epidemiological methods to analyze and interpret health-related data, contributing valuable insights to address public health challenges. She recently received her Master’s in Public Health degree specializing in Epidemiology at Oregon State University and completed her undergraduate studies in Exercise Science from Linfield University. Prior to joining the Rede Group, Lauren worked as a Foodnet Interviewer at the Oregon Health Authority, where she interviewed cases of select foodborne diseases to identify risk factors for infection and also participated in outbreak investigations.
In her personal time, she enjoys hiking, trying new foods, exploring new places in the PNW, and soaking up the sun when she can.