Andrea Brown

(she/ her/ hers)

Andrea Brown serves as the Traditional Health Worker Liaison for Umpqua Health Alliance, the Coordinated Care Organization that administers Medicaid for Douglas County. A THW herself, dual- certified as both a Community Health Worker and Peer Support Specialist in Mental Health, Andrea was amongst the first in the state to receive certification under the newly established THW certification process in 2014 and was among the first to participate in Multnomah County’s CHW training pilot in 2012 that ultimately became one of the Oregon's first approved THW training programs. 

Andrea identifies as a person of lived experience from mental health challenges and that has been instrumental to her understanding of THW roles, her work in behavioral health and her work in suicide prevention. Between her history in direct service THW roles with organizations such as Peacehealth and Sheltercare and her ultimate transition into working at the systems level she feels equipped to address systemic challenges that exist within our health and social service systems.

Andrea has volunteered her time on several healthcare-related boards and commissions such as the Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board and the Lane County Mental Health Local Alcohol and Drug Planning Committee. Currently she serves on the Systems Integration Subcommittee, a subcommittee under the state Traditional Health Worker Commission and the OHSU/ PSU School of Public Health Rural Public Health Practice Advisory Committee.

Andrea enjoys sharing learning opportunities with community partners and is actively involved in workforce training in both Lane and Douglas Counties.  Andrea is a certified Mental Health First Aid trainer, a Foundations of Trauma Informed Care trainer, a certified QPR trainer and a Connect Suicide Postvention trainer. Additionally, she is in the process of becoming a trainer for the Be Sensitive, Be Brave program.

Andrea was born in Eugene, Oregon and has spent her entire life either in Eugene or just minutes from it in the small rural community where she spent her childhood. Her husband, a navy veteran, whom she has been married to for 12 years, was also born and raised in Eugene and they have seven kids between them, ages ranging from 8 to 29 (one of whom is an army veteran). When she isn’t working, she enjoys working a small crafting business, getting together with family, spending time outdoors or on various volunteer projects. 

Andrea is always looking for opportunities to serve her community, whether it’s the one where she lives in Eugene, the one she has adopted in Douglas County or the healthcare workforce she has dedicated her years of service to.