Author: Estela Fernandez Cabana

Born and raised in Spain, Estela Fernandez Cabana calls Kansas City, Missouri home. As the first native Spanish-speaking employee of Jackson County Public Health, she has led crucial efforts to close critical gaps in health education and access for underserved communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. As Clinical Outreach Coordinator, Estela oversees all lab testing and COVID-19 resource distribution to community partners, with a focus on those serving at-risk populations within Jackson County. She also spearheads community health education and vaccination efforts by cultivating key relationships with stakeholders in the public school system and the faith-based community. Though her work originally focused on COVID-19 intervention, her linguistic experience, direct interpretation services and advocacy for the Hispanic community have increased the public’s access to care. As a GHC fellow, Estela is eager to continue honing her skills as a public health professional. She is also eager to expand her understanding of the challenges facing the U.S. health system. She is also excited to engage with the diverse GHC community and leverage cultural differences to generate creative ideas and apply them locally to advance health equity.