Administration and Finance staff are a key component of the DPH workforce. They help manage the funding, contracts, and budgets for an enormous variety of programs to improve public health for residents across Massachusetts.
DPH Workforce Spotlight – Nadia El Kamouss
Video: DPH Workforce Spotlight – Nadia El Kamouss
Skip this video DPH Workforce Spotlight – Nadia El Kamouss.Marrisa Hood
Administrative Coordinator and Budget Specialist, Bureau of Family Health and Nutrition
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in international business and a master’s in business administration, Marrisa joined a construction company, handling a variety of tasks, from hiring to budgets, to contract management.
At DPH since 2018, she has applied and expanded her skills, tracking budgets, managing contracts, and assisting with grant applications in the Division for Surveillance, Research and Promotion of Perinatal Health. Recently, she worked with a team for weeks on a successful multi-year grant application to research prenatal care and help prevent birth defects.
Marrisa says her DPH colleagues are a great part of the job and she so appreciates the ability to manage work and family.
“DPH offers real work-life balance and we’re encouraged to take the time we need to achieve that balance,” says Marrisa. “I can always reach out for help if I don’t know how to do something and everyone is so supportive,” she says. “I recently came back from maternity leave, and the support I received before, during, and afterward was fantastic.”
Sokonthea An
Director of Contracts and Payments, Bureau of Community Health and Prevention
Thea has been at DPH for 26 years in a variety of roles and now oversees her bureau’s procurement, contracts, purchasing, and payments. A key piece of Thea’s work is helping ensure that policies and programs are inclusive and equitable for all DPH contract providers, consumers, and clients. She says the administration and finance group actually helps program managers move their ideas to reality.
When the team was short-staffed recently, Thea was asked to step in and step up. She felt unprepared and says it was tough to juggle everything. But she kept at it and now the work is going smoothly.
“As the saying goes, ‘no pain no gain,’” says Thea. “Although I struggled at first, I gained so much knowledge and experience in those 3 months and I’m grateful for the acknowledgement and appreciation of my colleagues.”
She says many at DPH share her commitment to helping others. “In my mind, working for DPH has never been a job – it’s my passion; it’s my life. If you have the same passion for making a difference in people’s lives, DPH is the workplace you want to be.”
Debra Dinkins
Deputy Director of Contracts and Procurement for the DPH Offices
Debra has been with DPH close to 30 years, starting her career with the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, moving to the Massachusetts Cancer Registry, and then to Administration and Finance (ANF). In 2023, she was promoted to Deputy Director of Contracts and Procurement.
Debra’s role includes building and managing a new ANF contracts/procurement team, overseeing the processing of contracts and procurements and sharing her in-depth knowledge and vast experience as a resource for all senior program staff who value her feedback and guidance.
She says there are several reasons for a job-seeker to apply to DPH.
“Come to DPH if you’re interested in a job that enables you to make a difference in your community,” says Debra. “And if you’re passionate about the betterment of the healthcare system and access to public health, DPH would be the place for you.”
Andrea Deeker
Deputy Bureau Director, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services
Andrea came to DPH from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, serving several agencies. DPH was a favorite, and when a position opened up in January 2017, Andrea was excited to make the move.
In her role, she makes sure policy and program priorities are reflected in how the bureau allocates millions of dollars in funding, while meeting each funder’s requirements. She also guides the fiscal side of program development and ensures that bureau operations run smoothly, from procurements to contracts to IT to hiring.
At a recent BSAS Administration and Finance meeting, she proposed a new idea: would the fiscal team want to visit some of the programs funded by their bureau?
“My colleagues were as excited about the idea as I was,” says Andrea. “I’m glad the staff is so invested and they want to see how the work they do connects to the larger goals of our bureau. It was really gratifying.”
Andrea urges job-seekers to apply to DPH where she has so enjoyed her work and her team. “DPH is full of smart, engaged people dedicated to improving the Commonwealth and the lives of people here,” she says. “The sense of mission is really palpable.”