Jiana Calixto (She/Her/Ella) is the Director of Community Health & Engagement at Equal Hope where she is responsible for the operations of the outreach and navigation departments. She also provides grants management and budgetary oversight over all community health initiatives, as well as maintaining and developing strong partnerships with local hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Patient-Centered Medical Homes, community-based organizations and stakeholders. In addition, she provides leadership for the community health team and Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, contributing to Equal Hope’s pillars of equal access, equal care, and an equal voice.
Jiana has over ten years of experience as a public health care professional, skilled in interpersonal and public communication among culturally diverse populations. She has a MPH from the University of Illinois at Chicago and B.S. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Prior to Equal Hope, she was the Manager of Care Coordination at Family Health Centers of San Diego, ensuring patients were connected to specialists and resources. A lifelong Chicagoan, Jiana is enthusiastic to continue her public health career as a fellow advocate. Through the Change Collective, she intends to advocate for healthcare access for Latino/a/x communities, including addressing barriers that impact access for migrant/refugee populations.