Empowered Communities

In the latest episode of Public Health in Focus with Dean Perry, she speaks with Professor Becki Sutter, director of the Empowered Communities Project. Learn about the three ways the project is supporting local communities

The inaugural Empowered Communities Conference brings together diverse stakeholders to drive impactful change in public health.

Caitlyn Fulcher is an ECOP Community Peer Specialist coordinator for the College of Public Health, School of Nursing. She is a Registered Peer recovery specialist through the Virginia Board of Counseling. Her primary role with George Mason University is the site coordinator of the ECOP program located in Chesterfield County. 

Ms. Nancy Spencer manages a portfolio of public health projects, which engages high-risk, high-need individuals with Opioid Use Disorder and Criminal Justice involvement to facilitate health and social care systems navigation. She is responsible for the implementation and delivery of community-based participatory research that includes cross-sector health equity initiatives.

Dr. Megan Harvey is an assistant professor and Research Scientist in the School of Nursing, Research faculty. Harvey’s research interests include vulnerable populations, community and population-based healthcare and substance use disorders.

Jeremy Burton is an ECOP Community Peer Specialist Coordinator for the College of Public Health, School of Nursing. He is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist with DBHDS and has graduated from the Recovery Leadership Academy in 2021, facilitated by VCU.

Samba R. Pathak (he/him/his) is the Administrative Operations Specialist at the School of Nursing and College of Public Health. His primary role is to support the development, growth of administrative processes, and administrative support for clinical placement and educational program development.

As a doctorally trained and credentialed Family Nurse Practitioner, Dr. Sutter serves as the Director of a network of eight Academic Nurse-managed community clinics. Dr. Sutter has a history of extensive successful community collaborations on a variety of multidisciplinary implementation programs and research studies.