Kerri Lopez

Kerri Lopez (Tolowa) is the Project Director for the Western Tribal Diabetes and Northwest Tribal Comprehensive Cancer Projects. She has worked in Tribal public health for the last 20 years. Ms. Lopez carries experience in program management for diabetes, tobacco, breast and cervical cancer prevention and has provided training and technical assistance in Diabetes; Tobacco Policy, Education and Cessation; Breast and Cervical Cancer, Cultural Responsivity, as well as the history of Indian health.  Ms. Lopez serves on the Oregon State Comprehensive Cancer Coalition, the Tobacco Free Coalition of Oregon and Washington, the Board of the County Multicultural Breast and Cervical Cancer Coalition, and Oregon’s Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee.  Her work was instrumental in setting the agenda for the negotiation for the tribal allocations for tobacco prevention funds from the tobacco tax initiative in Oregon. Her focus this session will center on the impact of smoking during and after pregnancy with an understanding on how to support families who are navigating tobacco cessation to assure their babies have a healthy smoke free home, especially during this COVIID-19 Pandemic.