Iqra Adde, BS,CHW (she/her)

Community Health Promotion/Health Equity Program Coordinator

iqra@ophi.org

As the health equity program coordinator, Iqra focuses on developing health equity-focused, culturally-specific and -responsive trainings and technical assistance for early life professionals, especially those who participate in OPHI’s Right From the Start program. Through her prior roles in nonprofit organizations, Iqra has over six years of experience extending a helping hand to immigrant and refugee communities in Portland, Oregon. 

Iqra is a certified community health worker. She moved to the United States in 2013 and has called Portland home ever since. She enjoys spending time with her kids, cooking, and going for a nice hike. Iqra also enjoys traveling when she gets the chance.

Becca Brownlee, MPA

(she/her)

Team Manager

becca@ophi.org

Team Manager Becca Brownlee supports data analysts and community-based staff working in public health departments through OPHI’s Community Response Corps program. Becca has experience in policy analysis, building government capacity to partner with communities and advance equity, and strategic planning facilitation. Prior to joining OPHI, Becca led community strategy development for a sustainable food system startup and managed a fundraising program at a large health system.

Becca holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of California, Berkeley and a BA in Politics from Willamette University. When Becca isn’t at work, she enjoys hiking, tackling the New York Times crossword, and cheering on her favorite college basketball teams.

Masha Cole, MS

(she/her) 

Program Administrator

 masha@ophi.org

As program administrator with OPHI, Masha applies her diverse professional experience in law practice, operations management, and accounting to her work with the OPHI team. Masha's experience immigrating to the U.S. just 6 years ago gives her  unique, first-hand experience in the systemic challenges of the educational, healthcare, and workforce systems. As an experienced translator and ESL tutor, Masha is dedicated to serving underrepresented communities and amplifying their voices.

Masha holds a Master's Degree in Law, from Saint Petersburg State Marine University (Russia), and an A.A. in Health Information Management from Clark College. During her free time she enjoys visiting new places across the U.S., crafting soap, and participating in local Slavic events.

Mary Gersjes (she/her) 

Financial Analyst

 mary@ophi.org

As a financial analyst with OPHI, Mary partners with program leaders to provide financial management insights, support operational decision making, and ensure award compliance. Mary's knowledge of and facility with budgets and accounting processes ensure OPHI’s programs operate smoothly and efficiently. 

Prior to joining the nonprofit sector, Mary worked in the hospitality industry in various roles including sales, finance, and administrative functions. Her hospitality experience, coupled with her desire to help people, is what motivate her to deliver exceptional service to the OPHI team, funders, and partners.

Mary holds an A.A. in Hospitality Management. She enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family.

Kyna Harris, MBA, CHW

Right From the Start Program Director

 kyna@ophi.org

Kyna Harris directs the Right From the Start program at OPHI, which focuses on advancing health and early childhood equity for African American and African immigrant and refugee communities in Oregon. She leads program strategy, develops advocacy agendas, and provides technical assistance to private and public partners that share these goals. 



Kyna’s background includes advocacy on school-age and early learning equity issues as well as community engagement in health systems and community health settings. She holds a Master’s of Business Administration and is a certified community health worker. Kyna serves on numerous nonprofit boards, committees, and coalitions advancing health and early childhood equity, including a Head Start/Early Head Start organization, foster agency, the African American Breastfeeding Coalition of Oregon, the Children Institute's Early Learning Collaborative, the Oregon DEQ-Community Climate Investment Act Equity Advisory Committee, and the Oregon Health Equity Alliance policy committee. In her free time, Kyna enjoys cooking and spending time with her family and friends.

Emily Henke, MPH (she/her)

Executive Director

 emily@ophi.org

 As OPHI’s executive director, Emily’s primary focus is guiding OPHI’s organizational strategy, people, and partnerships to achieve greater health equity impact. A nationally-recognized leader in cross-sector collaboration and systems change, Emily became OPHI’s executive director in 2019 after five years of service to OPHI in staff and consultant roles. She has co-founded two of OPHI’s cornerstone initiatives: The Oregon Health & Outdoors Initiative, which advances equity by connecting communities with nature; and Tracing Health, the community-based COVID-19 response program that has provided equity-focused pandemic response services to over 25 health departments and school districts on the west coast. 



Emily is a de Beaumont Foundation “40 Under 40 in Public Health” leader and a member of Portland Business Journal’s 2021 “40 Under 40” class. She holds a Master of Public Health from Portland State University and a B.A. from Lewis & Clark College. She is a mother of two young children and an accomplished musician.

Edén López, BA (he/him)

Deputy Director

 eden@ophi.org

OPHI Deputy Director Eden Lopez is a seasoned nonprofit leader with over 10 years of experience in community-based organizations. At OPHI, he focuses on building the capacity of the organization, ensuring smooth operations, and supporting program staff in implementing OPHI’s strategy through innovative projects.

Eden was born in Michoacán, Mexico and migrated to the United States at five years old. Later, and despite facing numerous challenges as a first-generation college student, he excelled in higher education and earned a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Portland State University. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Eden is dedicated to giving back to his community. He uses his own experiences as an immigrant and first-generation college student to mentor and support others facing similar challenges, and serves on the City of Cornelius Planning Commission and the Washington County Advisory Council on Racial Equity.