Josie Silverman-Méndez, MPH

Josie has over 15 years of nonprofit, state government and health plan experience, having led numerous community health and social justice initiatives. She joined the Willamette Health Council as Deputy Director in September 2022. As Deputy Director, Josie oversees programs, community investment strategy and communications for the organization. Prior to the health council, Josie served as the Director of the Marion-Polk Coordinated Care Organization at PacificSource. Currently, Josie is a member of the Health Equity Committee of the Governor’s Racial Justice Council. She also chairs the Executive Committee under the Marion-Polk Community Health Collaborative, the leadership group that oversees the region’s Community Health Assessment/Community Health Improvement Plan. Josie was born in Idaho, grew up in the Dallas and Salem areas (a graduate of Sprague High School) and has lived, studied, and worked in Seattle, New York City, South and Southeast Asia and Central America. She resides in Salem with her husband, Jose, and their puppy, Chispa. Josie holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in Philosophy with a minor in Medical History and Ethics and a master’s degree in Public Health from Columbia University.