Kerri Shaw joined the Ohio University Ohio Alliance for Population Health in 2021 as the Community Health Worker Training Program Coordinator. With a Master’s degree in Social Work and an extensive background in program development, she began developing the CHW program in 2015 when it was originally funded by Medicaid dollars. The program is now offered regionally to individuals interested in making a difference in the health and wellness of their community.
Shaw joined Ohio University as a field liaison in the Department of Social Work in 2012 and served as the field director from 2018-2021. As a faculty member, she helped develop the online master’s program and placed social work students locally and around the country. She was also part of an interprofessional team that developed virtual reality content with the purpose of cultivating empathy in healthcare providers working with patients with substance use disorders. Shaw also led a service learning designated study abroad program to Paraguay.
As a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and former AmeriCorps member, Shaw values community engagement both personally and professionally. She was awarded the 2014 Athens Foundation Woman of the Year title for her service to women and children in Athens County. Her contributions to southeast Ohio and Ohio University include the creation of the PB & J Project and the development of the Athens United Immigrant Support Project. Although she lives in Dayton now with her family, she continues to work in and for southeast Ohio.
The Ohio University Community Health Worker Training Program provides an opportunity for health-minded community members to become eligible for Ohio Board of Nursing certification as a Community Health Worker upon completion of 100 didactic classroom hours and 130 hours practicing in the field. This training is part of a regional initiative to meet an increasing workforce need for CHWs, who are frontline public health workers trusted by their community, who serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health/social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery.