2016 National Conference

Dr. Frank Mirabal has over 20 years experience designing and implementing high-impact collaborative strategies with local communities.  Currently, Dr. Mirabal is serving as the Director of Collective Impact for Mayor Richard J. Berry in the City of Albuquerque. In this role, Dr. Mirabal focuses on engaging historically marginalized groups and cross-sector partners in problem solving using Collective Impact as a fundamental approach. In 2016, he was awarded a fellowship in Cross-Sector Leadership from the Presidio Institute. Dr. Mirabal earned a Ph.D in Educational Leadership from New Mexico State University and lives in Albuquerque with his multi-generational family.

Kate Shirah is the Program Director for the John Rex Endowment, a private foundation focused on supporting an environment where children in Wake County, North Carolina, live healthy lives.  She is responsible for planning, designing and implementing grant programs and program-related initiatives, as well as directing grant management and evaluation. 

Prior to joining the John Rex Endowment, she worked as an instructor and the field training coordinator in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.  Kate’s background and expertise in public health includes program and intervention strategy development and management, teaching and research.  Kate earned both her master's in public health in health behavior and health education and her bachelor's degree in health policy and administration from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Kate’s commitment to strong community shapes her personal time as well.  She serves on the board of Youth Thrive, is an active member of the Triangle’s Art of Giving women’s collective and currently volunteers with the North Durham Junior Athletic Association.