About Us

About Us

The Rural Telementoring Training Center (RTTC) provides free training, tools and technical assistance to support the implementation and evaluation of telementoring programs for rural and remote healthcare workers. By using a “train-the-trainer” approach, we aim to provide the tools organizations need to develop or expand their own telementoring programs. Our overarching goal is to support the delivery of evidence-based, high-quality telementoring programs that expand access, build cultural proficiency and improve the quality of healthcare in rural and remote America.

To see how we are transforming rural mentorship, access our Tools and Training. 

Our Team

 

Sean Hubbard, Ph.D

Principal Invistigator/Program Director

Dr. Sean Hubbard is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Health Administration and Health Policy at UNT Health Fort Worth's College of Public Health. He holds a doctorate in Public Policy and Political Economy from the University of Texas at Dallas. Driven by his belief that health insurance coverage does not equate to access, Dr. Hubbard’s research focuses on healthcare-related financial decisions made by economically vulnerable households. He seeks to use his research to remove financial barriers to healthcare and improve patients’ ability to navigate complex healthcare systems. Dr. Hubbard’s recent work examines medical debt and cost avoidance among American Indians and Alaskan Natives, as well as the role of financial knowledge in healthcare-related financial decisions.

 

Suyen Schneegans, MA

Training and Technical Assistance Lead

Suyen Schneegans serves as the Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Lead for the RTTC. Ms. Schneegans oversees the development and delivery of training and tools and supports the evaluation of its implementation. She has a MA from the University of Texas at San Antonio in Bicultural Bilingual Studies with a concentration in Cultural Studies and a BA in Spanish, Literature and Language with a minor in Psychology from the University of the Incarnate Word. Her professional background includes work on a range of social science projects focused on substance use disorders, community health and provider education and training. A skilled qualitative researcher, Ms. Schneegans has presented at numerous local and national conferences and has co-authored several publications.

Trisha Melhado, MPH

Evaluation Lead

Trisha Melhado is a Senior Research Specialist in the Department of Health Administration and Health Policy at UNT Health Fort Worth’s College of Public Health. Her work centers on research methodology, program evaluation and statistical analysis. She earned a Master of Public Health with a concentration in epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Her research interests include infectious diseases, primary care and implementation science. In her role, Ms. Melhado leads evaluation efforts across the RTTC, overseeing the dissemination of program findings and the development of the evidence-based telementoring quality measures guide, an evaluation toolkit.

Blake Ross, MPH

Training and Technical Assistance Navigator 

Blake Ross is a Research Coordinator within the Department of Health Administration and Health Policy at UNT Fort Worth's College of Public Health. He earned his Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology from UNT Health Fort Worth. As a part of his MPH practicum, Mr. Ross spent time working with urban farming projects and discount food events in southeast Fort Worth and gathered extensive data on the food inventory of vendors across Tarrant County.  From these experiences, his professional desire is to contribute to innovative and multifaceted approaches to building healthier and more resilient communities.