Purpose

The Community Engagement Liaison Specialist , Cynthia Killough, at the University of New Mexico's Health Sciences Center, has attended various health councils since 2019 and has developed great relationships with them. By engaging with the health councils, Ms. Killough is able to achieve her health research work goals and also assists the health councils achieve their priorities. The bidirectionality created by meaningful engagement means that New Mexicans have more opportunities to lead healthy lives.

“When I first started my job and attended various health councils there was a steep learning curve and a lot of information to take in. I want to share what I’ve learned and help others who might not be from the health council’s community but have a common interest in the community’s health and well-being. Being a native New Mexican, I love my state and I want to encourage collaboration so New Mexicans can achieve their health goals.”

-Cynthia Killough

(ckillo@salud.unm.edu)

The impact of engaging with New Mexico Health Councils can be so rewarding on so many different levels. Below are some examples of the ways Ms. Killough, the Community Health Specialist at UNM's Clinical and Translational Science Center, has been able to help health councils and their communities with their work and the reciprocity health councils have returned to support Ms. Killough's work.

Thank you card for community partners

Ms. Killough reached out to the San Miguel County Health Council, and they helped her connect to El Centro Family Health Center to help reach out to patients for a UNM health study. The UNM research team created a thank you card once the study ended acknowledging the support they received to enroll patients from El Centro Family Health Clinic.

Zine presentation for

Las Vegas public school

virtual summer camp 2020

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the San Miguel County Health Council's coordinator reached out to Ms. Killough to ask if she could present on her journey to the work she currently does to a group of middle schoolers during their 2020 virtual summer camp. Ms. Killough created a zine, a self made paper booklet, to help tell her story to the middle schoolers. The middle schoolers adapted the zine template to create their own stories.

QCHC virtual fun run/walk

The Quay County Health Council put on an in-person and virtual fun run/walk in 2021. Ms. Killough helped organize the virtual session and invited folks from the UNM community, including Running Medicine, to pledge miles for Quay County.

Postcard for data dissemination

Ms. Killough helped create and distribute (via email) a data postcard to health councils that helped promote one of the studies at UNM HSC CTSC. The postcard helps with efforts to increase transparency in research so that participants know about findings in the study and keep them in the loop.

Health council member acknowledgement on social media

Years of collaboration and relationship building means the Quay County Health Council sees Ms. Killough as a member of their health council. For Ms. Killough it is an honor & privilege to be seen this way by community members. Building trust and relationships is an important part of any community project, including health research.

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