MN SOPHE Executive Board

Taylour Blakeman (she/her) has been a dedicated Board Member of MNSOPHE for five years, driven by a personal mission inspired by a quote from Dr. Tornabene (Professor at UMD): "All things in pursuit of prevention, community wellbeing, and that which resonates between heartbeats." Taylour holds a Bachelor's in Public Health from the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) and a 250-hour Certification in Trauma-Informed Yoga Practice. Her significant contributions have earned her recognition, including the Presidential Citation for Outstanding Service from MNSOPHE and the Minnesota Public Health Association's (MPHA) Dr. Harold "Hal" Lepink Scholarship Award. Her passion for prevention was ignited at the American Lung Association, where she focused on life-saving policies to combat commercial tobacco addiction in young people. This work included advocating in Minnesota for a milestone policy (raising the tobacco age from 18 to 21) in rural communities and developing new youth initiatives across the state. Taylour’s regional public health experience includes serving three years as a coordinator for the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) grant with the Carlton, Cook, Lake, St. Louis Community Health Board (CHB). In this role, she focused on Active Living, Healthy Eating, Commercial Tobacco Free, and Wellbeing across seven counties in Northeast Minnesota. Additionally, she works as a Regional Food Coordinator for twelve counties in Northeast MN, collaborating with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

Alyssa Peterson works in suicide prevention as a Regional Coordinator in Minnesota, a role she has held since December 2020. In this position, she supports communities across the region by coordinating prevention efforts, supporting training and offering technical assistance, and strengthening partnerships to advance evidence-based suicide prevention strategies. Alyssa holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from St. Catherine University. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with friends and family.

Erin Schwab works at Brown County Public Health as a Health Educator and Planner. She’s passionate about rural communities and enjoys working with individuals, schools, businesses, and local organizations to support health and prevention efforts. Erin uses information and trends to understand community needs, guide planning, and see what’s working, with a focus on practical, proven approaches. She earned her B.S. in Public Health from St. Catherine University and holds CHW and CPP certifications. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, crafting, and spending time in the north woods with her family and dog, Trooper.

Holly Walters earned her Master of Arts in Addiction Counseling and a post-master’s certificate in Mental Health from the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies. She also completed a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, where her work focused on leadership development and strengthening organizational systems within behavioral health settings. She plans to begin her Master of Public Health in fall 2026. Holly is a therapist in private practice and the founder of The Healing Project of MN, a trauma-informed mental health agency serving children, adolescents, adults, and families through individual therapy, psychoeducation, and community-based programming. Her professional interests include trauma-informed care, addiction recovery, youth prevention initiatives, and advancing equitable access to behavioral health services. Outside of her professional work, Holly is a theater enthusiast, proudly cat-obsessed, a frequent visitor to Walt Disney World, and most enjoys spending time with her daughter.

Kenna Markle (she/her) is a Health Educator for Minnesota Community Care, a health clinic in St. Paul, MN. In her position, she provides education to patients and community members regarding family planning services, such as birth control methods, STI testing and treatment, and outreach. She received her B.S. in Public Health from Minnesota State University, Mankato in the spring of '24 and additionally received her certification as a Health Education Specialist. In her free time, Kenna likes to read, workout, and try new coffee spots!

Katie Stapleton graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU) with a Bachelors of Science in Business. She worked in corporate management for 8 years. Since 2019, she’s been a certified yoga and exercise instructor. She loves motivating and connecting with people and helping to improve health initiatives. Katie is currently a graduate student at MSU pursuing her passion for public health with a Masters in Community Health Education. She spends her free time with her dogs and cat, painting, and cheering on the Vikings.

Dr. Wendy Schuh is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Health Science at Minnesota State University, Mankato. For the past two decades, Wendy served as a Health Educator and as the Director of Student Health Services at MSU, Mankato. Prior to that, she worked as an educator for the American Red Cross and a local public health agency in Iowa. She has had the opportunity to serve on the North Central College Health Association Executive Board in a variety of roles, including President, and as a representative with the American College Health Association.

Luke Ewald graduated from St. Cloud State with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health. Since 2014, Luke has worked at Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services (Cottonwood-Jackson Counties) in Southwest Minnesota on various grants and programming including the Tobacco-Free Communities Grant, Community Wellness Grant, the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP), and the coordinator for the Cottonwood County Family Services Collaborative. Growing up in a suburban Wright County and moving to rural Jackson County has been one of the most unique and rewarding experiences, especially having the privilege to work in the public health field. Luke is very passionate about parks and recreation accessibility; improving active transportation opportunities that encourages individuals to walk, bike, and roll; working with community members to identify solutions to improve health and wellness; and volunteering in the community on various boards/committees. In his free time, Luke enjoys bicycling, running, hiking, and taking in the fantastic historical sites, state and local parks, and recreation opportunities that Southwestern Minnesota has to offer!