Program Administration Manager
Rochelle Heard
rochelle@georgiahealthinitiative.org
Rochelle Heard serves as Program Administration Manager at the Initiative, where she combines her expertise in program management, evaluation, and grant oversight to strengthen community capacity and drive change. With a process-oriented approach, Rochelle leverages her public health background to assist with the design and implementation of programs to improve health and wellbeing in Georgia.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Rochelle spent many summers with her great-grandmother in rural Georgia, an experience that sparked her appreciation for rural communities and firsthand understanding of the health challenges faced across the state. Rochelle pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Health from Mercer University. Her career has included evaluating public health programs, nurturing national partnerships, and helping to lead initiatives such as the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network and the National Health Equity Collaborative. At Morehouse School of Medicine, she fostered collaboration among national, community-based, and grassroots organizations and microgrant initiatives to support community health.
What Rochelle loves most about Georgia:
“I love the diversity of Georgia’s 159 counties—from rural towns to metropolitan centers—and the unique cultural and health needs across the state.”
What a healthy Georgia means to Rochelle:
“A healthy Georgia is one where all Georgians have equitable access to health information and healthcare services, empowering informed health decisions and optimal health outcomes.”