Who We Are

We envision sexually healthy people and communities throughout Alabama and advance our mission of championing healthy adolescent development through evidence-informed sexual health education and services.

About The Campaign

The Alabama Campaign for Adolescent Sexual Health is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded on the belief that reducing the rate of teen pregnancy is one of the most direct means available to improve overall child well-being and reduce persistent poverty. You can learn more about what we do here.

The Campaign was founded in 1999, and incorporated in 2002, in response to a deep concern among community leaders that Alabama had one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the United States. Alabama has made progress in reducing teen pregnancy since 1999, but even with that progress we remain ranked among the states with the highest rates of teen pregnancy. High rates of teen pregnancy burden not only teenagers but also their children, families and communities, while imposing large costs on taxpayers as well. For the most recent teen pregnancy and birth data, click here.

Teen pregnancy prevention requires the thoughtful and deliberate attention of parents, youth, community leaders, educators, policy makers, faith leaders, and others who have an interest in the healthy development of Alabama’s children and youth. You can receive information and learn about teen pregnancy prevention in Alabama by signing up for the monthly newsletter.

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

Tony Christon-Walker – Chair
AIDS Alabama

Shey Thorn – Chair-elect

AIDS Alabama South

Michelle Jenkins – Treasurer
Anglin Reichmann Snellgrove, P.C.

Brook Araya – Secretary
University of Alabama - Birmingham, School of Public Health

Michelle Anthony, MSN, RN
Community Member

Nic Carlisle, JD
University of Alabama - Birmingham, School of Medicine

Mona Davis
The Gift of Life Foundation

Foster Dickson
Booker T. Washington Magnet High School

Claire Estep
University of Alabama - Birmingham

Samantha Hill, MD, MPH
University of Alabama - Birmingham; Children's Hospital of Alabama

Charles Jackson
Emerge Community Solutions; Auburn University Montgomery

Sue Jones
The FOCUS Program

Robin Lanzi, PhD, MPH
University of Alabama - Birmingham, School of Public Health; Center for AIDS Research

Nancy Buckner, Commissioner – ex-officio
Alabama Department of Human Resources

Scott Harris, MD, State Health Officer – ex-officio
Alabama Department of Public Health

Dr. Eric Mackey, State Superintendent of Education – ex-officio
Alabama State Department of Education

Eric Goodcase, PhD
University of Alabama

STAFF

Christina Clark Okarmus, MPP

Executive Director

With over ten years of advocacy experience, Christina Clark Okarmus is leading the Alabama Campaign for Adolescent Sexual Health as Executive Director. Christina is committed to the right of young people in Alabama to receive sexual health education that is medically accurate, age-appropriate, inclusive, and free of bias and shame. She cares deeply about the ability of all people to have the knowledge, skills, and access to services to take care of their health.

Tell me more

Dedication
Christina previously served as the Policy and Outreach Manager for the Alabama Campaign. In that role she worked primarily on policy change and training around sexual health education for Alabama’s youth. Christina has facilitated workshops and curricula trainings for youth-serving professionals and coordinated the Campaign’s annual conference, Youth Advocacy Day, and regional workshops. She has had the opportunity to travel to the Alabama State House and Washington D.C. to advocate for sexual health education for young people. Christina has worked with the Gift of Life Foundation as Interim Director of their sexual health education program, VOICES for Alabama’s Children as Outreach Coordinator, and the Alabama Birth Coalition as President of the Board of Directors. She has also held internships with various government agencies and political candidates.

Experience
Christina is a member of ADPH Family Planning Advisory Committee, Alabama Arise, Church of the Ascension, Doula Training International, League of Women Voters, and Pi Gamma Mu. She has her Master of Public Policy from the University of Northern Iowa and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Contact
Christina Clark Okarmus, MPP
Executive Director
334-265-8004 x1
christina@alabamacampaign.org

Nadia Haq

Program Coordinator

Nadia is the Program Coordinator for the Alabama Campaign for Adolescent Sexual Health. They strongly believe health education programs and policies can have lasting effects on one’s ability to reach their full health potential. They are enthusiastic about Alabama youth receiving inclusive sexual health education and services so they may be empowered toward making their own health decisions.

Tell me more

Dedication
Nadia has successfully practiced forming long-term community partnerships, coordinating inclusive and advocacy-based events, writing instructional design, hosting workshops or conferences, and managing communications. These efforts have translated into newsworthy civic campaigns and community health initiatives. Prompted by this success, they were inspired to continue advocacy work in sexual and reproductive health as the previous UAB 1917 Clinic Testing and Counseling Intern, and now as the Alabama Campaign’s Program Coordinator.

Experience
Nadia holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Along with their work with the Alabama Campaign, they are an ambassador for UAB’s Lister Hill Center for Health Policy.

Contact
Nadia Haq
Program Coordinator
Pronouns: they/them
nadia@alabamacampaign.org

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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