Staff
JODI MITCHELL, Executive Director
Jodi Mitchell became Executive Director of Kentucky Voices for Health in April 2010 with over ten years of health care policy and advocacy experience on both the state and federal level. A large portion of her efforts have focused on provider and consumer issues and building coalitions united to achieve common goals and grassroots mobilization.
Prior to taking the helm of the Kentucky Voices for Health, Mitchell served as a Principal for McCarthy Strategic Solutions where she assisted with the development and implementation of government relations, business development and advocacy plans for various clients. Mitchell serves on the KY Regional Extension Center External Advisory Board, KY Cancer Consortium Steering Committee, Kentuckiana Healthcare Collaborative, Child Advocacy Today Advisory Board, and Passport KCHIP Coalition Advisory Committee.
She relocated to Kentucky in 2008 from Washington, DC where she utilized her expertise in Medicare policy to position the profession of optometry for quality reporting and she was active in legislative strategy and advocacy on behalf of the American Optometric Association. Mitchell also served as Associate Director of Government Relations at the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and Director of Health Care Policy for the American Academy of Audiology. Her vast experience in providing lobbying services and strategic counseling on health care policy has also included government relations positions with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Smith, Bucklin and Associates. Mitchell began her career in the Ohio legislature working for three State Representatives as a legislative assistant covering health and education issues.
Mitchell graduated with honors from Bowling Green State University in Ohio with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. She is married to Michael Mitchell, Quality Assurance Manager with Goodrich Corp. and has a daughter, Emma Mitchell. The Mitchell’s reside in Louisville, KY.
Amanda Heuser, KVH Outreach Facilitator
Amanda has worked with Kentucky Voices for Health (KVH) since December 2008. She began as a Local Leader in the Laurel County District and was promoted to Region Leader in 17 counties, representing Senate Districts 16, 17 and 21 in June of 2009. In December of 2010, her role expanded to Outreach Facilitator; delivering KVH presentations at KVH Speakers’ Bureau outreach events to advance health coverage in public/private sectors, identify revenue sources to support public health care programs and build the capacity of health care consumers. She also assists Jodi with KVH Membership management.
Heuser serves on the Aging Council for KY and the Center for Rural Development’s W.O.W Coaltion.
Before working with KVH, Amanda served as the Healthy Community Coordinator for Saint Joseph-London from July 2004 – July 2009. She played an integral role in the development and coordination of the Healthy Children's Initiative. Amanda learned the value and strength in community collaboration. Through uniting community members, asset mapping and hands-on experience with children in the schools, this experience sparked her great passion for the health of her community. Several noteworthy projects included monitoring and tracking student’s Body Mass Index and then analyzing it using a statistical method comparing their socio-economic background, health history and lifestyle/behavior changes. Amanda helped to facilitate a local Task Force that received a grant to implement Nutrition and Exercise classes into our Laurel County schools K-5 grade curriculum. The program received National recognition and continues to have ongoing success today.
Amanda has been married to her husband, Brandon, for eleven years. They are the parents of two highly animated daughters, Bella (7) and Kyla (6) and currently reside in London, KY. Alongside of the Heuser’s computer marketing business, Amanda also serves in their local church as Youth Worship Leader and Youth Choir Director.
