Archives: Staff Members

Laura Colbert has served as the Executive Director at Georgians for a Healthy Future since 2017.

Laura came to GHF in June 2014 as the Community Outreach Manager. She previously worked at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; HSTAT, a student-run health policy and advocacy organization; and the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.

Laura sits on the Georgia Department of Community Health’s Medical Care Advisory Committee. She has served as a Consumer Liaison Representative to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (2018-2020), and as a board member to the Georgia Society for Public Health Education. Laura is also an alum of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Child Health Leadership Network (2019).

Laura earned her Master of Public Health degree from Emory University, where she focused on health literacy and the social determinants of health. Previously Laura attended the University of Georgia where she studied biomechanics and earned her B.S.Ed. She is also a Master Certified Health Education Specialist.

She lives in Atlanta with her husband, their two dogs, and many bicycles.

Laura can be contacted at 404-567-5016 x 1 or lcolbert@healthyfuturega.org

Knetta Adkins is the Organizing Manager at Georgians for a Healthy Future. She is a polished public speaker and community health advocate with high level experience in intimate partner violence, mental health, and maternal healthcare.

Knetta earned her Master’s of Science from Rowan University with a focus in Biomedical Sciences. She previously attended the University of Virginia where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her unique subject matter knowledge and experiences exist at the intersection of gender equity and social justice, with the intention of advocating for marginalized communities.

She is a certified birth doula and has a passion for advocating for birth equity. She is invested in strengthening maternal healthcare practices to ensure equitable treatment for all birthing people.

She can be reached at kadkins@healthyfuturega.org.

Whitney Griggs is the Health Policy Analyst for Georgians for a Healthy Future. She is returning to GHF after serving as the Southeast Regional Advocacy Manager at CARE for the past four years. Whitney started at GHF in 2015 as the Outreach and Engagement Manager.

Prior to joining GHF in 2015, Whitney worked for the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia where she served as the Lead Health Insurance Navigator. In this role, Whitney helped Georgians across the state enroll in Qualified Health Plans through the ACA Marketplace.

Whitney earned her Master of Public Health from Emory University, with a focus on prevention science and advocacy. She also holds a B.Sc in Psychology with a focus in biology from Clemson University.

Lois Hairston is the Content Development Manager at Georgians for a Healthy Future. In this role, Lois will lead the effort to collect stories from individuals and families as part of GHF’s Close the Gap initiative. Additionally, she will manage the development of digital assets that share consumer stories and informational content highlighting the state of health care in Georgia.

Lois earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a minor in Psychology from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Her professional background includes experience in fundraising, marketing, and public relations. Before joining GHF, Lois was an independent contractor providing photography, graphic design, and media production services.

You can contact Lois at lhairston@healthyfuturega.org or 404-567-5016 x 4.

Alex McDoniel is the Strategic Communications Planner for Georgians for a Healthy Future. In this role, Alex will lead GHF’s communications, marketing and public relations efforts.

Alex received a Public Relations degree at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. After graduating, Alex has worked in communications for various state and federal organizations, including Kentucky State Government / Governor’s Office, federal and state political campaigns and military non-profits.

Currently, Alex and her husband are stationed at Fort Benning, GA.

Alex can be contacted at amcdoniel@healthyfuturega.org

Daniel Nguyen is the Administrative Assistant for Georgians for a Healthy Future. In this role, he will support GHF’s growing team with day-to-day operations, office management, and other administrative functions.

Daniel earned his B.Sc. in Business Administration at the University of Alabama, with a focus in Finance. Prior to making the switch to the nonprofit sector, Daniel worked in Washington, D.C. in finance. His lifelong passion and commitments are towards improving racial equity, and social and economic justice.

Deanna Williams is the Central Georgia Insurance Navigator for Georgians for a Healthy Future. In this role, Deanna provides enrollment assistance, and community outreach and education in central Georgia, with a focus on these 10 counties: Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, and Wilkinson counties.

Deanna earned her B.S. in Psychology and minor in Sociology at Georgia Southern University. Following her passion to help others she began her career at the Department of Family of Children Services in Bibb county and later on passed her CMS training to become a certified Medicare counselor for the State of Georgia.

Deanna can be contacted at (470) 654-5509 or dwilliams@healthyfuturega.org.

Angelica Rivera is a health insurance navigator at Georgians for a Healthy Future. In this role, Angelica conducts outreach and provides enrollment assistance to uninsured and underinsured Georgians, as well as those covered by Medicaid and through healthcare.gov. She focuses primarily on the LGBTQ+ and Native American communities in Georgia.  

Angelica earned her Juris Doctorate at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and her B.S. in Business Management and Economics at SUNY Empire State College in Buffalo, N.Y. Angelica has real passion for community involvement in public policy and works tirelessly advocating for justice and fairness for all. Prior to her work with GHF, Angelica sat as the Education Chair for Citizen Action of NY and served as a community health worker for the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia where she provided education on sickle cell disease and served as an advocate and liaison between her clients and the medical community. 

Angelica can be contacted at (470) 654-5484 or arivera@healthyfuturega.org.