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Click each staff person's name to learn more.

Project Director

Roberta RiportellaRoberta Riportella serves as Project Director and Principal Investigator for Covering Kids & Families-Wisconsin, a coalition-based Medicaid outreach organization. She has recently accepted a position with Kansas State University and maintains her PI role with CKF's outreach and research projects.

Roberta Riportella

785-532-1942
rriporte@ksu.edu

Project Manager


Michael Jacob Project CoordinatorMichael Jacob has managed Covering Kids & Families-Wisconsin since its inception in 2003. He provides leadership in program design, oversight and implementation, along with overseeing eight staff and the day-to-day operations.

Michael Jacob

608-890-4784

mbjacob@wisc.edu

Health Care Outreach Specialist

Jeni Appleby

Jeni Appleby rejoined Covering Kids & Families- Wisconsin in 2011 as an Outreach Specialist located at Community Advocates in Milwaukee. Through the REACH BC+ (Retention and Enrollment to Achieve Children's Health and Build Capacity +) project, Jeni provides BadgerCare+ outreach and support to CESA 1, which is comprised of 45 school districts in southeastern Wisconsin.

Jeni Appleby

414-270-4685

jappleby@wisc.edu

Coalition and Communication Specialist


Lauren Cnare Coalition & Communications Coordinator

Lauren Cnare joined Covering Kids & Families in 2012 as the Coalition and Communication Coordinator to champion an activated coalition and employ all the communication channels from traditional to social to spread the word about CKF’s strategies to build systems that connect children and their families to BadgerCare+ and other public programs. She’s worked in healthcare marketing and communications for 25 years.

Lauren Cnare

608-261-1455

cnare@wisc.edu

Evaluation and Dissemination CoordinatorAllison Espeseth Dissemination Coordinator

Allison Espeseth has worked with Covering Kids & Families-Wisconsin since 2004. She has been involved in assessing the effectiveness of strategies for public health coverage outreach in schools since 2007 and currently leads project evaluation and dissemination efforts.

Allison Espeseth

608-261-1455

aehales@wisc.edu

Health Care Outreach Specialist

Caroline Gomez, Outreach SpecialistCaroline Gomez has been an Outreach Specialist with Covering Kids & Families-Wisconsin since 2011. Through the REACH BC+ (Retention and Enrollment to Achieve Children's Health and Build Capacity +) project, Caroline provides outreach and support to the 27 school districts in CESA 8, located in northeastern Wisconsin.

Caroline Gomez

608-261-1455

cbgomez@wisc.edu


Direct Certification Outreach Specialist

Abby Leonhart Outreach SpecialistAbby Leonhart is an Outreach Specialist who began with Covering Kids & Families-Wisconsin in 2013. She works on the Direct Certification Implementation grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This grant is a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), to make improvements to Wisconsin’s Direct Certification program and remove administrative barriers for students that are eligible for free meals at school.

Abby Leonhart

608-890-4783

aleonhart@wisc.edu


Direct Certification Outreach Specialist

Marisa MacLaren Direct Certification Outreach SpecialistMarisa MacLaren is an Outreach Specialist who began with Covering Kids & Families-Wisconsin in 2012. She works on the Direct Certification Implementation grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This grant is a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), to make improvements to Wisconsin’s Direct Certification program and remove administrative barriers for students that are eligible for free meals at school.

Marisa MacLaren

608-890-4783

mkmaclaren@wisc.edu


Health Care Outreach Specialist


Photo of staff member Jean Nothnagel joined Covering Kids & Families-Wisconsin in 2010 as an Outreach Specialist. Jean currently leads the REACH BC+ (Retention and Enrollment to Achieve Children's Health and Build Capacity +) project in the CESA 3 region that represents 31 school districts in southwestern Wisconsin, and lends support to other school based projects, program planning and evaluation.

Jean Nothnagel

608-261-1455

nothnagel@wisc.edu


Health Care Outreach Specialist

Danielle_Zirkel_Outreach Specialist

Danielle Zirkel is a Health Care Outreach Specialist at Community Advocates in Milwaukee. She provides school-based outreach through the REACH BC+ project, assisting individual schools with resources to connect their uninsured children and families to health insurance and care.

Danielle Zirkel

414-270-4687

daniellez@communityadvocates.net