User:Cooperkarla/The Reverend Dr. Raponzil L. Drake

Dr. Raponzil Drake is the Chief Administrator of the Office of Minority Health (OMH) within the Nebraska Health and Human Service System, which includes two satellite offices in Omaha and Lexington, and offices in Gering and Lincoln. Her responsibilities involve the efforts to coordinate and monitor programs intended to address health disparities in racial ethnic minorities, newly arrived immigrants and refugees, and Native American people to improve health outcomes in the State of Nebraska. She also monitors federal programs and private foundations for funding opportunities; and evaluates state health programs to develop recommendations, policies, and strategies for improving the health outcomes for these populations.

Dr. Drake, a member of the United Methodist clergy for 30 years, is also the Pastor of the Fairmont Community United Methodist Church, in Fairmont, Nebraska where she is responsible for total oversight of the care and nurture, as well as administrative management of a small membership congregation in rural, small town Nebraska. Dr. Drake earned a BS in Accounting at Christian Brothers University, and a Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry at Memphis Theological Seminary. During the summer of 2007, Dr. Drake was privileged to be selected for participation in Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She is now an alumnus of the Kennedy School's Senior Executives in State and Local Government program.

Among her accomplishments are several written pieces:

	principal author of the chapter entitled …, “Health Disparities, The Nebraska Perspective,” in the academic textbook, Cultural Proficiency in Addressing Health Disparities, co-edited by Dr. Sade Kosoko-Lasaki, Cynthia T. Cook, and Richard L. O’Brien, Aug. 2008; 	author of “Cultural Sensitivity, Cultural Awareness, and Cultural Competence, Is there a Difference?,” in Nebraska Medicine, A publication of the Nebraska Medical Association, Summer 2006, Volume 5, Number 3; 	numerous other articles on cultural competency and diversity in The Lincoln Journal Star; 	Originated, contributed, and guided the staff of the Office of Health Equity and Health Disparities (formerly the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity) in developing a cultural competency curricula, Kaleidoscope: Increasing Your Cultural Cache.

Rev. Dr. Drake joined the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services in April 2005 after serving as the United Methodist Church General Secretary to the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in Evanston, IL. Dr. Drake served as Adjunct Professor at Nebraska Wesleyan University Department of Religion in Lincoln from 2000 – 2002. Dr. Drake has done consulting for over 13 years, working with local churches, non profit organizations, and small colleges in the areas of managing strategic change, and strategic planning. She also has been trained in mediation and conflict resolution.

Her professional affiliations in the past have included the Commission on the Status and Role of Women for the Nebraska Conference and for the Memphis Conference; the American Association of University Women-Murray, Kentucky chapter; Planned Parenthood (Lincoln, NE); National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Lincoln, NE): the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs (Memphis and Lincoln); Citizens Against Racism and Discrimination (Lincoln); Planned Parenthood (Lincoln), and, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Current professional affiliations include the Nebraska Women’s Health Advisory Council; the Nebraska Stroke Advisory Council; the Nebraska Minority Public Health Association; and the Public Health Association of Nebraska, among others.