Find a Peer Mentor
Peer Mentors are fellow grantees who volunteer their time to share their own experiences and offer opportunities for peer to peer learning. If you need technical assistance instead, please refer to the FY20 TA Provider List and connect with one of STEPP’s contracted training and technical assistance providers. To learn more about the formal STEPP TA Ecosystem, use the link below. Read our Peer Mentor biographies below and contact Peer Mentors directly. To find a Peer Mentor according to topic area and STEPP's LHA Core Community Strategies, click
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What do Peer Mentors do?
- Enhance the existing network of supportive relationships
- Lend advice and encouragement
- Available to be a thought partner
- Share their own wisdom from the field
- Describe how they overcame similar obstacles
- Provide examples of how to use state and national tools, materials and resources
Contact Jennifer Schwartz with any questions about peer mentorship: 303.692.2509 or
Peer Mentor Biographies:
Rachel Freeman, Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment
Rachel Freeman oversees all Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Programming at the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment. She received her Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Community Health Education from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2014 and obtained her Certified Health Education Specialist credential in April 2010. Rachel enjoys brainstorming and is passionate about using art and creativity to improve the health of Weld County residents. She takes great joy in working alongside young people to make the community a healthier place to live, learn, work, and play. Contact Rachel:
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970-400-2385
Dacia Hudson, El Paso County Public Health
Dacia joined El Paso County Public Health in October 2012, after beginning her public health career in North Carolina. As a public health educator, Dacia had the privilege of working with local communities to implement policy and environmental changes that increase physical activity, promote healthy eating and increase access to healthy foods, and decrease tobacco use and smoke exposure. She currently manages policy level tobacco prevention measures to increase tobacco cessation, reduce initiation of tobacco use, decrease tobacco prevalence among youth, and decrease exposure to secondhand smoke in El Paso County. Dacia attended Appalachian State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in Health Promotion. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS). Contact Dacia:
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719-575-8989
Jennifer Lange, El Paso County Public Health
Jennifer joined El Paso County Public Health in 2006 and has collaborated with local schools, community members, and municipal leaders to successfully pass and implement local policy measures to make sustainable improvements to public health, especially among youth and decreasing their access to tobacco products. Other areas of focus include facilitating the Tobacco-Free Alliance of El Paso County, assisting health care agencies streamline patient tobacco cessation interventions, and decreasing exposure to secondhand smoke. Previously, Jennifer worked in the marketing and communications field for more than 15 years. She holds a master’s degree in general psychology, and is a Tobacco Treatment Specialist (T.T.S). Contact Jennifer:
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719-578-3287
Jan Moraczewski, Larimer County Department of Health and Environment
Jan Moraczewski has worked in tobacco prevention in Larimer County for almost 12 years. She is interested in public policy and helped lead efforts to make Fort Collins events, parks & trails, city property & downtown smoke-free. Jan is a frequent contributor and presenter at state conferences, and STEPP related activities. She also works with smaller communities to help them assess and implement what makes the most sense in their community. Jan is passionate about clean air and reducing nicotine use among all persons, but especially those with mental health and substance abuse issues. Contact Jan:
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970-498-6883
Tracey Richers Maruyama, Denver Public Health
Tracey joined Colorado’s tobacco control movement in 2000 beginning with work on the American Stop Smoking Intervention Study (ASSIST), then followed by the Centers for Disease Control, the Master Settlement Agreement, and currently Amendment 35. She is a Sr. Public Health Planner and serves as the Tobacco Program Manager within the Community Health Promotion Division at Denver Public Health (DPH). Tracey manages a highly talented and professional Chronic Disease Tobacco Control Team and oversees the strategic direction and implementation of the tobacco program. Her experience includes smoke-free and tobacco free policy campaigns; decreasing youth access to tobacco products; promoting effective cessation programs; media and public relations; community outreach and coordination of community coalitions and forums; and budget/fiscal management. She has provided consultation on tobacco control policy to hospital executives locally, statewide and nationally to implement tobacco free hospital campus policies. Tracey has also served as the coordinator of LiveWell West Denver (healthy eating/active living); as Policy Director and President of the Colorado Public Health Association; as Tobacco Program Coordinator at the American Lung Association of Colorado; as Strength and Conditioning Specialist at the Denver Athletic Club and a teaching tennis professional in the Denver area. Tracey’s work is published in peer-reviewed professional journals in the National Academy of Medicine, Journal of the American Medical Association, Addiction, Journal of Human Movement Studies, along with several book and toolkit chapters. A Denver native, Tracey holds both a Masters and Bachelors degree in Kinesiology (exercise physiology) from the University of Northern Colorado. Tracey is certified in Change Management (the people side of change) and leads change efforts at Denver Public Health. She teaches Leading People through Change in Denver Health’s Leaders as Teachers Program. Contact Tracey:
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303-602-3692
Scott Schulle, Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment
Scott Schulle has been working in tobacco prevention and control since December 2011. He graduated from Colorado State University in Pueblo with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Exercise Science, Health Promotion, and Outdoor Recreation. At a community level impact, Scott’s experience in tobacco prevention and control includes passing a Non-Cigarette Tobacco Retail Licensing Ordinance within the City of Pueblo. His role with place-based policy includes Smoke-Free Public Housing for the Housing Authority in the City of Pueblo, Tobacco-Free Campuses across the Pueblo Community College Network, updating Tobacco Policies to be consistent at Colorado State University in Pueblo, and working with Pueblo County Government to offer quit resources for employees. Within the health care and health neighborhood, he has worked with numerous agencies and organizations to implement tobacco-free campus policies as well as offering opportunities for quitting with clients during routine visits. Scott really enjoys being a part of the tobacco prevention and control team in Colorado and is excited to see what the future holds for keeping Colorado amazing! Contact Scott:
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719-583-4356
Susan Westhof, Jefferson County Public Health
Susan Westhof is the Tobacco Health Communications Team Lead at Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH). Susan oversees and coordinates media and communications-related needs for the Tobacco Prevention Initiative. Prior to this role, Susan coordinated local policy initiatives intended to reduce youth access to tobacco and exposure to secondhand smoke in Jefferson County municipalities. Before working at JCPH, Susan worked at a community-based non-profit in Summit County, Colorado, implementing grant-funded prevention programs intended to reduce impaired driving and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Susan is originally from Atlanta, Georgia, and earned a degree in marketing and business broadcasting from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Susan lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and young daughter. They try to spend as much time in the mountains as possible! Contact Susan:
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303-271-5705
The associated files and links are available below.