Belinda Ballah
Director
Belinda Ballah first made Hood River her home 25 years ago and has been an active member of the community throughout that time. Belinda is no stranger to service. She spent more than 10 years working in Hood River County schools, facilitated classes at The Next Door and volunteered as a youth mentor and event planner for Hood River Alliance Church. As Director of the Prevention Department for the past 4 years, she has used her skills as a Certified Prevention Specialist to provide education and support for mental health, family-strengthening, and substance abuse prevention. Belinda also delights the office by bringing in delicious jam cookies on special occasions. Belinda can be reached by email or at 541-387-6890 (office) or 541-806-5734 (cell).
Sarah Christensen
Prevention & Education Specialist
Sarah Christensen has been a part of the Hood River community since 2013. She is a Wisconsin native, but has grown roots here as a Jesuit Volunteer, Zumba instructor, and bilingual teacher at Mid Valley Elementary School. She is passionate about health and wellness and is thrilled to be part of the Prevention Team! Connecting with youth is something that brings her absolute joy. Outside of work, Sarah loves spending time in the woods, laughing with family and friends, and sipping on a good cup of coffee. Sarah can be reached by email or at 541-387-7031 (office) or 541-806-4061 (cell).
Mesa Willis
Prevention & Education Specialist
Originally from central Virginia, Mesa Willis is a recent transplant to the Pacific Northwest. Mesa graduated with her Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Health Promotion and her Master’s of Public Health Degree from the University of Lynchburg. During her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Mesa completed several internships with local health departments, focusing on Community Health Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans. Mesa is looking forward to using her skills as a Certified Health Education Specialist to connect with the Hood River community. In her spare time, Mesa enjoys playing volleyball, reading, hiking, and crossing National Parks off her bucket list. Mesa can be reached by email or at 541-387-7030 (office) or 541-806-2877 (cell).
Kathy Smith
Office Manager
Kathy Smith has worked as the Prevention Department’s Office Manager for the past 22 years. She carries with her an abundance of historical knowledge and community context that guides the department’s programming and outreach. When she is not busy making the office laugh with her witty sense of humor, Kathy spends her time tracking Prevention Department finances, substance use and safety statistics, and other data. Kathy is a fantastic note-taker and a regular feature at local coalition meetings, and she also manages our quarterly newsletter and other mailing lists. If you have a question about the department or want to get connected to the resources we have to offer, contact Kathy by email or at 541-387-8093.
