Jessica Espinoza Jensen
New Mexico Health Equity Partnership
Grants & Capacity Building Strategist
jjensen@nmhep.org – 505.988-9715 ex.7019
Jessi serves as the Grants & Capacity Building Strategist for the New Mexico Health Equity Partnership. With HEP since 2012, she is responsible for co-creating strategy, processes, and spaces rooted in equity with partners; facilitating dialogues and workshops; connecting people and ideas; coordinating community-driven research; and managing HEP’s grant opportunities.
Jessi is a woman of color with family roots in Mexico. Born in California and raised in New Mexico, Jessi is deeply committed to lifelong learning, and values the strengths and creativity of those around her. She is passionate about supporting communities to develop their own solutions on issues affecting them. She works to create intentional spaces for community partners to share their ideas and transform how decisions are made so the processes, and decisions themselves, center the lived experiences of people most impacted. Jessi enjoys utilizing creative engagement strategies, such as art, visuals and play to ensure intentional community building and sharing of narratives.
Jessi holds a Masters in Sociology and a BBA in Marketing & Accounting. Her past professional endeavors include: policy research, technical assistance to nonprofits, and teaching English abroad. When Jessi’s not at HEP, you can find her running long distances in the desert or mountains. For Jessi, her work at HEP and trail running are interrelated. She experiences trail running as a learning exercise— in perseverance, understanding, and connection. Jessi’s other passions include spending time with friends and family, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, doodling, and adventuring with her husband Brian, and beagles, Bogus Basin and Burčák Bilo.
David Gaussoin
New Mexico Health Equity Partnership
Communications & Marketing Associate
dgaussoin@nmhep.org – 505.988-9715 ex.7018
David Gaussoin provides communications, web site, newsletter, and social media support for the NM Health Equity Partnership. In addition, he serves as support for co-creating strategy, processes, and spaces rooted in equity with partners; facilitating dialogues and workshops; connecting people and ideas; community-driven research; network engagement and external communications. He also supports HIA teams, such as Together for Brothers, the Lobos CO2 Pipeline, Chainbreaker Collective, Indian Health Services team on various issues.
David holds a BBA in Business Marketing from the Anderson School of Business, at the University of New Mexico. He has a background in applied fine arts and arts education. David’s previous experience includes teaching at the Institute of American Indian Arts and the Santa Fe Community College, as well as, producing and selling his own jewelry and fashion internationally. David is a Native of Santa Fe, as well as, a proud member of the Navajo Nation and Picuris Pueblo. David is a strong advocate for the arts. He has worked with the Pueblo Opera Program, Avant Garde, the New Mexico Museum Foundation, and the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts. He enjoys traveling, learning about new cultures, and sharing with others his own cultural background.
David strongly believes in equity and advocacy for grass roots community action-
“I believe community members hold the knowledge and answers; they just need to be asked. I do this work because we all have a responsibility to honor our past, present, and future generations, because this is our home.”
Some pictures of past “Hepsters”….Once a Hepster always a Hepster!!!