Our Team

Amanda Davé, MPH

Amanda Davé is the Program Manager of UTHealth School of Public Health-Brownsville’s Community-Wide Campaign “Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta!”, a chronic disease prevention program that partners with cities and precincts throughout Cameron and Hidalgo Counties to address physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and environmental infrastructure change around health.

Amanda graduated from Trinity University with a B.S. in Neuroscience and International Studies in 2008, and received her Master in Public Health in 2011 from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston-School of Public Health. Her work has focused on addressing health disparities in vulnerable populations including infectious disease program development with The Carter Center in Atlanta and NGOs in Honduras and Peru, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Malawi, and now addressing obesity-related chronic diseases in the RGV.

A native Houstonian, Amanda moved to Brownsville in 2015 to work for UTHealth and has embraced the beauty and intricacies of the Rio Grande Valley. In addition to her professional duties, Amanda is a certified yoga instructor. She is dedicated to helping communities thrive in a united effort focused on the health and wellness of each individual that builds a community.

Alma Ochoa-Del Toro, MPH, CHES®

Alma’s background in public health is centered around health promotion, health education, and behavioral sciences. She is currently pursuing a DrPH in Health Promotion & Health Education at the UTHealth School of Public Health in Brownsville. Alma is also an active Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) and is serving as President for the Texas Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) in 2020.

In her spare time, Alma enjoys reading, dancing, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Jessica Perez, MSHS

Jessica is a Research Assistant whose educational background centers in exercise, nutrition, and health administration. Her life-long commitment to helping minority groups and in-risk populations served as an inspiration to professionally develop in Public Health with Community-Wide Campaign at UT Health School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus.

During her free time she enjoys doing activities with her family, learning and creating healthy recipes, as well as traveling.

Otila Estrada, BS Ed

Otila is a Research Coordinator for UTHealth School of Public Health – Brownsville Regional Campus and has worked for the School of Public Health for 5 years. She pursued a Degree in Education, and is committed to a healthy lifestyle.

In her free time Otila enjoys reading, kickboxing and have quality time with family and friends. She likes to travel get to know new places.

Rebecca Lozoya, BS

Rebecca is a graduate student at UTHealth School of Public Health – Brownsville Regional Campus. She is majoring in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences with a Maternal and Child Health certificate. She graduated from UTRGV in December of 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology.

Rebecca’s favorite type of wellness activity is dancing, especially while she is studying. She likes to give herself “dance breaks” to relax. When in doubt, she just dances it out! She loves to bake organic cookies for a quick and healthy snack.

Marcelina Marcelina Martinez

Marcelina (Nina)is a health promoter and Zumba instructor for 13 years now, at the UT Health School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus. She really enjoys all the activities in the development of her work, but what she loves the most is interacting with the participants, either by bringing them information or when giving an exercise class.

She is a proud mother of 2 children, enjoys Sunday family day, a day where she goes to the movies with her husband and children.

Alba Flores

Alba is a Community Health Worker (CHW) and works as a health promoter and Zumba instructor. She is very happy and grateful for her work because it allows her to have contact with many people who she can help in different ways.

Alba likes to exercise, socialize, cook, help out, listen to music and dance. She enjoys family time, and believes in friendship, loyalty, sincerity and in ” Love ” which to her is the force that moves human beings, but most importantly that she believes in GOD. Alba enjoys a sunrise, sunset or dusk always, no matter the place, it is just appreciating the wonderfulness of life.

Mirna Carrizales

Mirna Community Health Worker (CHW) and a Health Promoter. She is also an exercise instructor as well as certified in Phlebotomy and CPR.

Mirna likes to travel with her family and visit new places. She adores nature and loves nutrition. In her free time she enjoys working on her garden and taking care of her plants, she likes to read and learn new topics of all kinds. Most importantly she is a mother of 3 beautiful children whom she loves very much. One of Mirna’s favorite foods among others is the “Entomatadas de queso fresco”.