The People, Purpose, and Partners Behind Who We Are
A team of experienced professionals united by purpose and driven by results.
Dina Hunsberger, PhD, MPH, CHDA
Dina has over 30 years of experience in public health and consulting. She has worked as a consultant for federal, state, and local public agencies, including:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (NVDHHS)
The Washoe County Health District, the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office
Numerous nonprofit and community organizations
Professional Roles and Expertise
Dina has also worked as a clinical outcomes' analyst, accreditation manager, health information technology project manager, and instructor/adjunct faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). Dr. Hunsberger is skilled in proposal development and review, community and organizational assessment, community and strategic planning, quality improvement processes, program evaluation, and data analytics.
As a Public Health and Policy Expert
Dr. Hunsberger currently works with The Abbi Agency and Impact Evaluation & Assessment Services as a contractor for public agencies in Nevada through the state’s most recent Master Service Agreement (MSA), awarded in 2023. Dr. Hunsberger has completed the past two Comprehensive Community Prevention Plans (CCPPs) for Join Together Northern Nevada (JTNN). She serves in an ongoing capacity as a proposal writer for public agencies and an external evaluator for nonprofit organizations in northern Nevada. She and her team also conducted and authored the 2019 Nevada Statewide Health Needs Assessment for the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services.
Academic Background and Professional Service
Dina holds a PhD in public policy and program evaluation, with a minor in environmental toxicology, from UNR and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a Certified Health Data Analyst through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). She has served on the Reno Gazette-Journal Editorial Board and as a trustee for the UNR Foundation Board. She currently serves as the secretary for the Community Health Alliance Foundation Board. Dr. Hunsberger has three grown children with her husband, Kurt. She enjoys yoga, hiking, and playing the piano.
Sara Behl, MPA
Sara Behl, MPA has more than 30 years of experience in public health and healthcare, Ms. Behl’s past work experience includes serving in leadership roles at the Washoe County Health District and the State of Nevada. She currently resides in California where she continues to pursue work in supporting healthcare organizations.
Sara is skilled in grant and proposal development, strategic planning, program planning and implementation, continuous quality improvement, and program evaluation. Sara prides herself in developing positive working relationships that result in “triple-win” projects – projects that benefit the employer, partnering agencies, and the community served.
Education and Expertise
Sara received her Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Health Sciences degrees from the University of Nevada, Reno. Sara holds a certificate in Emergency Management and Homeland Security from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Personal Life
Sara is married and has six children. Sara enjoys hiking and spending time with her family. Other passions include screenwriting and songwriting.
Heather Kerwin, MPH, CPH
Heather has over 20 years of experience in data analytics, including quantitative and qualitative data collection, data management, and survey design. In 2011, she earned her Master of Public Health Degree in Epidemiology from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). Since graduating, Heather has worked as an infectious disease epidemiologist for the state of New Mexico, a statistician for the Washoe County Health District, and as a research associate and adjunct faculty at UNR.
Leadership in Infectious Disease Response
Just prior to the pandemic, Heather took on the role of Senior Epidemiologist and Epidemiology Program Manager for the Infectious Disease Program for Washoe County. She worked on the pandemic response for over 3 years, leading teams of over 100+ persons, teaching disease investigation to over 175+ persons in the county’s response teams, and managing the data tracking and reporting for COVID-19 metrics across the county. She, along with colleagues at the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory, identified and proved that reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 is possible, documenting the first reinfection in the United States in 2020.
Public Health Data Specialist
Much of her work has focused on deep diving into complex data and distilling it into understandable information for her clients and their constituents. Technical writing is Heather’s specialty, as she has coordinated and authored multiple health needs assessments, including multiple Washoe County Health Needs Assessments, Nevada State Health Needs Assessments, and topic-specific reports about maternal-child health, substance use, traumatic injuries and deaths, infectious diseases, and the Nevada Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-Education program. She enjoys it when clients use their data to drive action to improve the quality of life across communities.
Personal Life
Heather grew up in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range, and when she is not spending her time crunching numbers, she enjoys all the high desert has to offer, especially skiing and hiking.
Clients
Carson City Health and Human Services
Friends of Washoe County Child Advocacy Center
Great Basin Primary Care Association
Join Together Northern Nevada (JTNN)
National Center for Applied Prevention Technology
National Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Nevada Hispanic Services
Nevada Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS)
NorthBay Health
Note-Able Music Therapy Services
Renown Health
Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District
United States DHHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
United States DHHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Washoe County District Attorney’s Office
Washoe County Health District
Washoe County School District
The Children’s Cabinet
Reno Orthopedic Center Foundation
Our Vision, Mission, and Core Values
Our vision, mission, and core values at Hunsberger Strategies (formerly Public Health Consulting) guide every aspect of our work as public health professionals. They reflect our commitment to integrity, collaboration, and meaningful community impact.
Trusted by Clients Across Sectors
We earn trust through proven experience with public agencies, hospitals, and nonprofit organizations. Clients choose us for our rigorous methodology, transparent process, and practical recommendations they can confidently use.
We’d Love to Hear From You
Our team works closely with public agencies, hospitals, and nonprofits to deliver clear, actionable insights. Let’s talk about how we can support your goals.