Who We Are

Location: North Puget Sound and Olympic Regions, while also representing the statewide prevention system.
Organization: Health Care Authority
Sector: Government
Geography: Statewide
Quote: “I have lived and worked in rural communities my entire life and have a lot of empathy for what kids and families in small towns experience. There are incredible strengths in rural society, but those often get overshadowed by the needs. I want to help flip that narrative and show small towns they have what they need to get ahead of troubles before they start.”

Location: Pomeroy, WA and Garfield County, WA: Population 2,500
Organization: Quality Behavioral Health (Clarkston EPIC Coalition and Pomeroy Partners for Healthy Families)
Sector: Prevention, DFC Grantees and CPWI Coalition Coordinators
Geography: Southeast WA
Quote: “I was very excited to join the Rural Network Steering Committee in 2020 when I first heard about the opportunity because I felt like the needs of folks in rural communities were never genuinely heard and brushed aside. Great prevention CAN be done in rural communities, and rural health equity needs to be addressed every step of the way. Folks in rural places have unique challenges that cannot be glossed over. For example, getting 12 sectors – a rural person might think “I can’t apply for that grant, or we can’t do this work because we have no youth serving organizations, or we don’t have any media”. Although rural communities have challenges, folks in rural places are intelligent, genuine, highly skilled, community-minded, tight knit, and caring. I love working in the field of prevention because I feel like I can play a large part of the new field of prevention science. The science of what makes kid successful, what prevention drug use, and what increases mental health is out there, let’s use it!” 

Location: Royal City, WA
Organization: Royal School District
Sector: Prevention
Quote: “I’ve been involved in prevention since 2017 and fell in love with the varied nature of the work. Leadership, organizational development, and effective community projects are big passions for me and I look forward to expanding my skills and knowledge in these areas alongside the Rural Network.”

Location: Shelton & North Mason School Districts
Organization: Mason County Public Health
Sector: Prevention
Geography: Western WA
Quote: “I believe that one of the most important things I can do is help our youth by providing knowledge to make healthier personal choices and ways to avoid individuals from getting into risky situations.”

Location: Colfax
Organization: ESD 101, Colfax Community Coalition
Sector: Prevention
Geography: Eastern WA
Quote: “Hello! I am Sara Golden. I have lived in Colfax, WA for going on 11 years. We have loved everything about being in a small town but do realize there are definitely challenges. Because of these challenges; I joined the steering committee to help champion for our Rural Communities. To help our voices be heard above the louder, bigger cities. Just because we’re smaller, more isolated; doesn’t mean we don’t matter.”

Specialty: Prevention in Rural Communities
Phone: (360) 952-3512
Email: abigail.wells@esd112.org