North Dakota Department of Health
Community Health Section
600 E Boulevard Avenue
Dept 301
Bismarck,
ND
USA
58505-0200
Email:
spaxon@nd.gov
Biographical Sketch:
2004 to Present - Community Health Section Leadership Team
2003 to Present - Division of Chronic Disease Director
2000 to Present - Diabetes Prevention & Control Program Director
Community Health Section, North Dakota Department of Health, Bismarck, ND
Provide leadership for section, division and program; facilitate program integration efforts; write and manage cooperative agreements and continuation applications; with Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND, developed the North Dakota Diabetes Care Provider Report project and provider award system - increased adherence to standard diabetes care measures from 13% to 45%; reorganized program structure and established the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program Team; conducted the ND Diabetes System Assessment based on the Ten Essential Public Health Assessment; with partners and stakeholders, created the Dakota Diabetes Coalition
2003 to Present - North Dakota Chronic Disease Director
National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, Atlanta, GA
Represented North Dakota at NACDD meetings; served as liaison between NACDD and the North Dakota Department of Health; served as Chair for the NACDD Health Equity Council 2008; chosen as liaison to Diabetes Council – 2008 to present; served as Steering Committee Member – 2006 to present; volunteered as cultural competency assessment lead 2007; with contractor, created assessment tool and conducted survey; developed recommendations to improve cultural competency throughout the NACDD; served as Cultural Competency Work Group Chair 2007 to present
2007 to 2008 - Acting Director, Office for the Elimination of Health Disparities
Special Populations Section, North Dakota Department of Health, Bismarck, ND
Wrote successful application for a cooperative agreement from the federal Office of Minority Health to form a state office addressing health disparities; developed a basic state plan to address health disparities; established the Office for the Elimination of Health Disparities; served as Acting Director for year 1 of the cooperative agreement
Co-author on seven publications relating to diabetes and health disparities
More than 50 presentations on over 20 topics at national, state and local conferences relating to health disparities, LGBT issues, diabetes and public health