The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH) at Georgetown University is pleased to accept the charge from the US Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to further MCH Block Grant transformation by providing customized training collections focused on the MCH Leadership Competencies and collaborating with other MCHB-funded projects to meet the training needs of the MCH workforce and others serving the nation's women and children.
The MCH Navigator project team is made up of health educators, MCH content experts, librarians, and technology professionals who have successfully worked with MCHB for over three decades. You can connect with the team through our Contact page.
John Richards, MA, AITP
Project Lead, MCH Navigator
Research Professor, McCourt School of Public Policy
Co-Director, NCEMCH
Lead, Health Information Group
Georgetown University
Rochelle Mayer, EdD
Education and Program Advisor, MCH Navigator
Research Professor, McCourt School of Public Policy
Director, NCEMCH
Georgetown University
Keisha Watson-Bah, PhD, MPH
Training Director, MCH Navigator
Co-Lead, Health Information Group
Georgetown University
Sarah Riehl, MS
Curriculum Developer, MCH Navigator
Senior Writer, NCEMCH
Georgetown University
Olivia Pickett, MLS, MA
Micro-Learning Strategist, MCH Navigator
Head Librarian, NCEMCH
Georgetown University
Skylar Schlicht
Research Specialist, NCEMCH
Georgetown University
Tim King
Senior Web Architect, MCH Navigator
Systems Engineer, Health Information Group
Georgetown University
Mindy Nash
UX Developer, MCH Navigator
Program Liaison, Health Information Group
Georgetown University
Crystal Boateng
UI Developer, MCH Navigator
Technology Lead, Health Information Group
Georgetown University
NCEMCH at Georgetown UniversityFaculty and staff of this project are members of the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH). For over 30 years NCEMCH has provided leadership to the MCH community in 3 key areas: (1) systems-wide program development; (2) culturally competent, family-centered resources and research; and (3) evidence-based training and resource development to advance the knowledge and skills of the MCH workforce. NCEMCH puts knowledge about MCH issues to practical use for federal, state, and local public health professionals, policymakers, and the public. As such, NCEMCH’s mission is perfectly aligned with the goals of this project.
NCEMCH has maintained a productive relationship with MCHB and other partners and has founded and operated numerous national centers and data projects, including:
Since 1982, these projects have established a distinguished record of accomplishment, having earned over 25 awards for outstanding contributions to the health-promotion and disease-prevention field, including MCHB’s Young Leadership Award and GU’s President’s Award (for John Richards), the HRSA Administrator’s Special Citation (for Rochelle Mayer), the MCHB Director’s Award (for TVIS), APEX Awards for Excellence (for the MCH Navigator, MCH Library, OHRC, and Bright Futures), Digital Health Awards from the Health Information Resource Center (for the MCH Navigator and MCH Library), and a Yahoo! Best Site Award (for HSNRC). In addition, Center sites have earned the UsableNet Seal of Approval for surpassing Section 508 of ADA requirements.
Advisory Group, Expert Panel, and PartnersThe MCH Navigator benefits from a well-established network of MCH organizations that have served as long-time collaborators with NCEMCH. Project staff tap these partners to engage a 24-plus-member Advisory Group composed of experts from the field and academia. In addition, staff continue to consult the NCEMCH Expert Panel, organizational partners, and experts in the field.
This Advisory Group consists of two levels: an outer ring of members from key MCH organizations who provide strategic advice and an inner ring of 24 professionals who serve as content reviewers. Both rings include representation from the professional field and academic settings.
Outer Ring. This group includes MCH organizations representing the workforce (AMCHP, NMCHWDC, CityMatCH, and NCCPHT) and academics (ATMCH and the Centers of Excellence in MCH Education). Representatives from these six groups assist in strategic planning across MCH Navigator objectives.
Inner Ring. This group consists of 24 members: one professional from the field and one professional in an academic setting for each of the 12 MCH Leadership Competencies. These professionals have been chosen based on their self-identified area of competency-based expertise and serve as the prime vetting mechanism for new trainings identified by the project. Project staff send bundled groups of trainings to members of this group based on topic area. Group members are asked to review only materials that are aligned with their area of expertise.
Division of MCH Workforce Development (DMCHWD), U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau
From 2010 to 2013, MCHB convened a working group of graduate public health MCH faculty and state and federal MCH staff to develop the concept and framework for a learning portal for MCH professionals based on reported needs from a 2007 survey of state Title V MCH and Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) programs conducted by AMCHP, ATMCH, and MCHB. This working group became the original "design team" of the MCH Navigator. The current Navigator team is indebted to their pioneering work. Members of this working group consisted of:
*Original Design Team member, 2010–2011; Design Team member, 2011–2013;
Otherwise Design Team Member, 2010–2013