The Master of Public Health (MPH) General Advisory Board includes public health professionals across the state of Utah from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. The General Advisory Board meets twice a year to provide regular feedback on student outcomes, curriculum, and overall program planning. This feedback is then used to guide programmatic changes in an effort to best serve students and the field of public health. Below are the names, pictures and bios of the current MPH General Advisory Board members.
If you are interested in joining the MPH Advisory Board, please contact Casey Coombs at casey.coombs@usu.edu or (435) 797-3725.
Dr. Sabo
Dr. Sabo is the Assistant State Veterinarian and Animals in Disasters Coordinator for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Her responsibilities include preventing, preparing for and responding to animal disease outbreaks and disaster events. Dr. Sabo received her DVM from Cornell University and spent her first 7 years of practice working with dairy cattle and other farm animals in the western part of New York State. After moving to Utah she began working with UDAF as a Field Veterinarian in 2024, taking over her current position in February 2025. Dr. Sabo is an enthusiastic supporter of advancing animal health and welfare across the state both in her official role and during her spare time where she can be found working relief at Utah Humane Society, and volunteering for Ruff Haven and Sageland Collaborative. Dr. Sabo enjoys running, biking and skiing the mountains with her two yellow labradors
Lea Palmer
Lea Palmer, MBA, MPH, RDN, is a public health leader with over a decade of experience advancing equitable food and nutrition security across diverse communities. Her career spans statewide SNAP-Ed leadership, culturally grounded nutrition initiatives in Alaska Native communities, clinical-to-community nutrition consultations with high-risk WIC patients, and multi-sector collaborations that strengthen local food systems and community health. She currently serves as Director of the Create Better Health Hub at Utah State University Extension, where she leads statewide efforts to expand nutrition education, improve healthy food access, and build sustainable systems that support nutrition-secure communities. Lea also serves as Co-Director of Utah’s Hunger Solutions Institute, guiding cross-sector strategies to address food insecurity through research, policy, and community partnerships. She is passionate about community-driven solutions, systems change, and preparing the next generation of public health practitioners.
Gina Ward
Gina Ward is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) with more than two decades of clinical hospital experience. She works as a Clinical Product Support Specialist at Sequel Med Tech, as the Utah Sales Representative for Simply Thick and as a clinical research dietitian for Emvenio on multiple GLP-1 studies. Gina holds a B.S. degree from USU in Biological Science and an M.S. degree in Medical Dietetics from the University of Utah. Gina served on the Utah Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Executive Committee from 2000-2025, leading advocacy efforts for dietitian licensure for the state of Utah. She currently serves on the national advocacy committee for the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES), a group advocating for policy change to expand access and coverage for diabetes education, technology, and diabetes medications.
Arie Van De Graaff
Arie Van De Graaff is the program manager for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. He earned both a B.S. in Zoology and a master’s degree in Public Administration at Brigham Young University. Arie is passionate about ending food insecurity and appreciates working with so many fantastic partners throughout the state towards that goal. In his free time, he enjoys cartooning, reading, and spending time with his wife and four children.
Dr. Tiffany Tolbert
Dr. Tiffany Tolbert works as a diagnostician at the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Her main duties include performing necropsies, supporting disease surveillance and detection efforts, and collaborating with veterinarians to interpret results and guide test selection. She graduated with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences and earned a Master of Public Health with a veterinary public health emphasis from the University of Missouri. Dr. Tolbert’s experience ranges from small animals, to exotic, and wildlife species. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and paddleboarding in the summer.
Luisa Hansen
Luisa Hansen is a Public Information Officer at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. She graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Psychology and completed an MPH in Public Health Nutrition at Utah State University. Luisa is fluent in English and Spanish and is also a licensed trainer for community interpreters. Aside from her regular duties, Luisa works in information access initiatives that include language accessibility and health literacy. In her free time, Luisa loves to travel with her husband and two sons.