Community Outreach and Engagement Office

From developing authentic community and healthcare partnerships to extending our reach to underresourced groups, the goal of the Community Outreach and Engagement Office (COE) is to ensure we are advancing clinical, research, and policy initiatives in alignment with what our community truly needs.

COE Leadership

Staci A. Young, PhD



Staci Young, PhD

Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement

syoung@mcw.edu

A lifelong Milwaukeean, Dr. Young has dedicated her research to studying community-based healthcare delivery, the structural causes of health disparities, and the effects on traditionally vulnerable populations. Her current work focuses on health care delivery among free and charitable clinics, the effects of racism and residential segregation on cancer survivorship, and exposure to violence and housing access for women in street-based sex work.

 

COE Team Members

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Debra Nevels, MSHCM

Program Manager, Community Outreach and Engagement

dnevels@mcw.edu

Deb has served as program manager of community outreach and engagement at the MCW Cancer Center since 2019. Her career spans 7 years leading healthcare initiatives at the American Cancer Society to support newly diagnosed cancer patients and decrease the cancer burden across populations.

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Raul Romo

Community Engagement Coordinator, Hispanic Outreach

rromo@mcw.edu

Raul has served in the healthcare community as a medical interpreter for Spanish-speaking patients for more than 15 years. In his current role, he leads Hispanic outreach efforts for communities across Wisconsin.

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Melanie Burns

Community Engagement Coordinator, Women’s Health and Faith-based Outreach

mburns@mcw.edu

Melanie is a leader in volunteer services, with extensive experience guiding program development for non-profit faith-based and healthcare organizations. She is an inspirational public speaker and an advocate for social justice.

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Ambrose Wilson-Brown

Community Engagement Coordinator, Men's Health Outreach

awilsonbrown@mcw.edu

Ambrose came to MCW in 2022 after a decade in public service roles in education, health, and well-being. He is using his passion for wellness coaching to support men’s health initiatives in the community, including a support group for prostate cancer survivors.