Averie Lico (she/her) joins HEAL with a deep commitment to social justice, infectious disease prevention, and community-centered public health. Prior to joining HEAL, she served as a CDC Public Health Advisor at the local level, working with the health departments in Monterey County and Alameda County. During this time, she gained hands-on experience in project and grant management, HIV prevention, syphilis case management, and emergency response during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work in the Salinas Valley and the East Bay deepened her understanding of what it means to advance health equity in practice. Averie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is excited to bring her skills, values, and love for California to the HEAL initiative and contribute to its growing impact across the state.