Director, Interprofessional Strategic Initiatives
Jennifer Kertz serves as the director of interprofessional strategic initiatives for the Center for Interprofessional Health. In this role, she provides guidance on strategic deliverables and broader engagement strategies across the university and communities it serves.
The Center for Interprofessional Health (CIH) is pleased to offer a unique Phase III Experiential Interprofessional Education activity supporting health professions learner participation in collaborative care for athletes with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the Special Olympics USA Games 2026. Learners will engage in preparatory training, on-site activities with the athletes, and an interprofessional debriefing session.
Mary Kate Leloux (she/her) serves as Education Coordinator for the Center for Interprofessional Health where she supports the planning and implementation of 1Health curriculum and education for health sciences students across UMN campuses. Mary Kate earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Minnesota in 2024, and has previously worked in study abroad education, public health research, and supportive patient care roles. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog, exploring Minnesota, and being creative in the kitchen.
The Center for Interprofessional Health (CIH) Ambassador Program recently welcomed its second coho
Students gain a clear understanding of the scope of practice of non-mental health providers as it relates to mental health, trauma, and the processes of referring clients to other professionals when appropriate. Students will be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of common mental health concerns and of trauma and will learn tools and techniques to navigate these concerns within their profession’s scope of practice.
Participants in Human Rights and Health Equity: The Minnesota Advocacy Project (MAP) curriculum attend 7 workshops in which they learn about human rights, social determinants of health, and advocacy strategies with an emphasis on translating these concepts into action. This unique course emphasizes interprofessional collaboration and education through small group activities and simulation. Participants develop tactics for effective individual, community, and legislative advocacy to address inequities.
CIH Education Coordinator
The Pediatric End-of-Life Skills Inter-professional Workshop is a half-day, simulation-based workshop during which trainees (graduate social work students, graduate nurse practitioner students, and pediatrics/medicine pediatrics resident physicians) work on teams to learn about pediatric palliative care and communicate with standardized family members of a pediatric patient with a life-limiting illness. The workshop is facilitated by faculty (nursing, social work, physicians), bereaved parents, and simulation staff.
This activity focuses on partnering students in small groups to investigate the intersection between the pharmacy, dental hygiene, dental therapy, and dental professions. Students will investigate the other professions and work together through cases highlighting the intersection between these healthcare careers using guiding questions and team roles.
In this 2-week course (GHSR 6723), participants learn about public health & health care infrastructure in Ecuador, including Western & Indigenous health practices. Through field visits and classes with local faculty, students experience key health topics in urban, rural, and Indigenous settings in Andean Ecuador.