Insights

NICHQ Employee Spotlight:
Jordan-Tate Thomas

In honor or our 20th anniversary, we're sharing insights, memories and goals from the NICHQ team

Jordan-Tate ThomasFull name and title:

Jordan-Tate Thomas, MPH, Analyst

Years with NICHQ:

11 months (almost 1 year!)

How has your background/experiences led you to join a national children’s health organization?

I wanted to join an organization that was as passionate as I am about health equity. After completing a BA in Biology and English and an MPH in Biostatistics and Epidemiology, I sought to focus my attention on alleviating disparities we see occurring in health. Soon after graduating, I came across NICHQ, a mission-driven organization that would allow me to work on projects that strive to improve the health of underserved children and families. I am happy to work for a nimble organization that continuously works to prioritize health equity across the country.

Which NICHQ quality improvement projects do you support?

I currently work on the Supporting Healthy Start Performance Project (SHSPP) and the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network (ECCS CoIIN). In the past, I worked on the Ohio Infant Mortality Focused Home Visiting Curriculum as well. As an analyst, I'm a member of NICHQ's Department of Applied Research and Evaluation (DARE) team and we seek to assess how projects can be continuously improved. My role, specifically, involves supporting evaluation activities that can identify gaps and areas of improvement. For example, as part of our start-up activities for the Supporting Healthy Start, we performed a needs assessment including a survey shared with all 101 grantee sites and focus groups. We used the data gathered to identify gaps and areas where assistance could be targeted as well as inform how we develop and carry out future activities.

Do you have a favorite memory since working at NICHQ?

Just a few months after joining NICHQ, I had the opportunity to travel with the SHSPP team to the annual Healthy Start Conference in Washington, D.C. There, I had the opportunity to work as a NICHQ team member to lead evaluation efforts as well as engage with Healthy Start sites and participants from all around the nation. I had a wonderful time at this conference and felt a connection to everyone in the room due to our shared passion toward reducing maternal and infant mortality and morbidities. It was also wonderful to bond with the Healthy Start team here at NICHQ and become as close of a team as we are.

What are you most proud of from your time with NICHQ?  

I am most proud of my work with Healthy Start and the DARE Team, as well as my work with Dr. Stacy Scott on the Ohio home visiting project. I have had the opportunity to be part of a multitude of projects and activities, and I am proud to see this work is shaped by a health equity and implicit bias lens. 

What are your goals for NICHQ’s future?

In the future, my hope is that NICHQ continues on its health equity and implicit bias journey. I believe NICHQ is taking essential strides needed to do the work we do, and I am certain the organization will continue on in the future. I hope that we continue working toward our vision while being committed to working with diverse populations and having our staff reflect that. My goal for NICHQ is to be a leader in addressing health and health care disparities and improving health outcomes for all populations.  

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