About Us

Mission and Vision

We envision every
person in Colorado
having the opportunity
to attain their full
and best health potential.

About AHEC

The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program was developed by Congress in 1971 to recruit, train, and retain a health professions' workforce committed to rural and underserved populations in the US. The Colorado AHEC system was established in 1977 by Dean Richard Krugman. All AHECs are funded by HRSA AHEC Model grants which are renewed in 5-year grant cycles to attend to the overall mission of AHECs in the US.

Today, AHECs serve 85% of the counties in America including American territories. This Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded network provides health education services to students, faculty, and local practitioners, ultimately improving healthcare delivery link between university health science centers and rural and underserved areas of our nation.

 

 





National map of all Area Health Education Centers

Colorado AHEC's Six Regional Centers

The state of Colorado is divided into six regions (Centennial AHEC, Front Range AHEC, San Luis Valley AHEC, Southeastern Colorado AHEC, Southwestern Colorado AHEC, and Western Colorado AHEC). Each state Program Office must be affiliated with a public school of medicine.

The individual Colorado regions attend to the HRSA Model specifications as well as the Anschutz Medical Campus Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs’ direction for service in the support of both entities.

The state office, Colorado AHEC (COAHEC), is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

 


Color coded regional map of the six Colorado AHEC regions

Colorado AHEC

Colorado AHEC connects the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus with current and future health professionals in rural and urban medically underserved areas. COAHEC and its regions do this by providing programs for students who are interested in healthcare, events to improve community health, continuing education for health professionals, and housing for students who are on clinical rotations more than 40 miles from the Anschutz Medical Campus.

COAHEC Location

The Colorado AHEC Office is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus, Building Education 2 North on the fifth floor

Summer 2020 photo of the Anschutz Medical Campus and Education 2 Building

Contact Us

First NameLast NameTitle Phone NumberE-mail Address
Josina

Romero O'Connell, MD

 

Program Director

303.724.0540

josina.oconnell@cuanschutz.edu

 

Ken TadikondaBusiness Services Program Manager303.724.0360

ken.tadikonda@cuanschutz.edu

Patti JoWagnerSenior Administrative and Program Specialist 303.724.3808patti.wagner@cuanschutz.edu

Mariafrancisca

(Fran)

Zabalaga-Haberman

Program Manager and Education Specialist

303.724.5288mariafrancisca.zabalaga-haberman@cuanschutz.edu

Elizabeth

JungkindGrants and Programs Evaluator303.724.7865elizabeth.jungkind@cuanschutz.edu
MarcosMaldonadoBusiness Services Coordinator303.724.1898marcos.maldonado@cuanschutz.edu
JosephMartinez
Administrative Assistant III303.724.0348joseph.martinez@cuanschutz.edu

More Information

We envision every
person in Colorado
having the opportunity
to attain their full
and best health potential.

Colorado AHEC Program Office

CU Anschutz

Education II North

13120 East 19th Avenue

5th Floor

Aurora, CO 80045


303-724-0348

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