Cassandra Fonseca, serving as the Epidemiologist for the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Public Health Department, leads data modernization efforts aimed at enhancing tribal health outcomes. Her focus includes identifying health disparities, developing evidence-based interventions, and empowering the tribal community to exercise their public health authority. Through her data analysis, Cassandra has successfully secured funds for critical initiatives, including data modernization, STI prevention, wastewater surveillance, and overdose prevention. Notably, she spearheaded the effort that resulted in TMBCI becoming the first Tribal Nation to receive electronic case reports (eCR).
Before her current role, Cassandra worked as a surveillance epidemiologist at the Florida Department of Health in Orange County. Leveraging her experience, she is committed to elevating the newly established tribal health department to the same high standards as state-level epidemiology programs. To ensure the sustainability of disease control programs, Cassandra assists in facilitating the first cohorts of the Public Health Certification program offered by Turtle Mountain Community College. This program equips local tribal students with a practice-based background in public health and provides a pathway for further advanced degrees in the field."