Our Staff

Rhonda currently serves as the Executive Director of the California Black Health Network. She previously served as the Executive Director of the Life Serve Youth Foundation and as the Interim Executive Director for Integrative Medicine for the Underserved (IM4US). Prior to this role, Rhonda served as the IM4US Board President-elect. Before her tenure with IM4US, Rhonda was the Consultant/Project Director for the LiveHealthy OC Initiative, a three-year initiative that transformed the model of care of a network of FQHCs from a disease-focused treatment model to a prevention and wellness model to provide a whole person care approach.

Before the LiveHealthy OC Initiative, Rhonda served as the Consultant/Statewide Project Manager for the Susan G. Komen® Circle of Promise California Initiative, an intensive four-year effort to identify evidence-based strategies to decrease the high mortality rate of African American women diagnosed with breast cancer, and address disparities at the system, community, and individual levels.

Rhonda has also consulted on an NIH/NCI funded breast cancer survivorship research study at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami targeting the diverse population of Black women in the South Florida community. The study focused on evaluating the impact of stress management and wellness education on survivors who were within twelve months of competing treatment. Her responsibilities included marketing, PR, community outreach and recruitment, and facilitating the study’s ten-week health and wellness education program to the control group cohorts.

Prior to her health disparities consulting experience, Rhonda worked in sales, marketing, learning and development consulting, and business management, with companies such as Eli Lilly and DuPont. Rhonda has broad international consulting experience and managed client engagements and projects on 5 continents and in more than 20 countries for companies such as GE, Office Depot, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Myers Squibb, Glaxo SmithKline, Abbott Laboratories, Novartis, Rolls Royce, and Xerox Corp.

Rhonda earned her MBA in Marketing and Operations Management from the Colgate Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and her B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. Rhonda served the Mission Integration Chair for the American Cancer Society 2012 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk and a member of the Baptist Health South Florida Breast Center’s Patient and Family Advisory Council. Rhonda is a Leadership Charlotte alumnus, Past-Chair of the Board of The Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade, and a past CEO Forum member of The Commonwealth Institute South Florida. Rhonda served on the 2007 NFL Super Bowl Special Events Committee, and in 2006 was named one of South Florida’s “25 Most Prominent and Influential African-American Women” by Success South Florida Magazine.

Dr. Astrid Williams is an expert in public health. Dr. Williams has a wide range of experience in chronic disease, maternal and reproductive health. She is particularly passionate about women’s health issues and how they relate to women. A significant portion of her work involves developing public policies that address community-level health and social issues using evidence-based practices.

Dr. Williams advocates for beauty justice and works to phase out toxic chemicals in Black haircare and beauty products. She also works to shift cultural norms favoring Eurocentric beauty standards in Black communities. Dr. Williams openly shares how toxins in the built environment and from personal care products can have a direct effect on reproductive health.

Her academic career began as an undergraduate student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. She earned a Doctorate of Public Health and a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Education from Loma Linda University School of Public Health. Additionally, she has been certified as a Health Education Specialist (CHES). She also takes pride in serving as faculty in higher learning.

Dr. Astrid Williams is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and has held executive board leadership positions for Jack & Jill of America, Incorporated and National Council of Negro Women local Chapters.

Jessica Garza currently serves as Executive Assistant to CBHN’s Executive Director, Rhonda Smith. She comes with over 10 years of experience in support and organizational roles. Prior to California Black Health Network, Jessica was a Learning Initiatives Executive Assistant at PBS in Hawaii. She has also held positions at ESPN Deportes and Spanish Broadcasting System in New York City.

Jessica grew up in New York City, but hails from Ecuador. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Studies with a minor in English from Queens College, City University of New York. Since a young age she has always had a passion for helping people and joined CBHN to help make a difference.

Jamila Jabulani serves as the Network Membership Manager for the California Black Health Network. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for over fifteen years where she focused on civic engagement, health equity, education, and grantmaking. She is a former board member of an Autism chapter organization and founded the Differently Enabled Integrated Voter Engagement (DEIVE) Giving Circle which funds organizations committed to year-round voter mobilization, especially on behalf of people with disabilities.

Jamila holds a B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in English Literature, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Philanthropy from Loyola University Chicago, and an M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Northcentral University.

Aliya Patel serves as the Health Education Program Coordinator for the California Black Health Network. She has most recently completed a community-based research and implementation project with YoloCares to uncover and improve barriers to accessing healthcare services for Rural and Native Californians. She brings with her a deep commitment to creating equitable health programming.

Aliya holds a B.S. in Biology from Saint Mary’s College of California and is currently pursuing her master’s in public health in Population and Health Sciences with a concentration in Health Behavior and Health Equity from University of Michigan.

Sandra Simpson is the Business Operations Manager for the California Black Health Network (CBHN). She brings a wealth of experience, integrity, and professionalism with her. Prior to CBHN, Ms. Simpson worked within the federal government and non-profits arenas in both the District of Columbia and California. She has managed the development and execution of a variety of programs, including administrative and organizational development. Her strong commitment to serving the underserved is reflected daily in her personal and professional life.

Sandra holds a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Sacramento.

Sylvie Wilson (she/her) serves as a Program Coordinator at California Black Health Network. Her public health interests lie in the intersections of health equity, neuroendocrinology, and reproductive health. She is earning an MSPH in the population, family, and reproductive health department in sexual and reproductive health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She holds a certificate in Health Communications from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg, as well as holds a B.A. in Neuroscience with a focus on neuropharmacology from Pitzer College. She aims to use her Public Health skills to dismantle the interlocking systems of oppression through community-based programs, education, and research.