The Great Lakes Border Health Initiative (GLBHI) was originally undertaken as the Michigan-Ontario Border Health Initiative in early 2004. The program expanded in the fall of 2004 to include Minnesota, New York and Wisconsin in the mission of formalizing relationships between U.S. and Canadian public health and emergency preparedness agencies responsible for infectious disease tracking, control and response. In 2006 and 2007 respectively, the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania joined the initiative.

The Great Lakes Border Health Initiative has identified key stakeholders, and together, these partners are committed to converting challenges into opportunities in this groundbreaking effort to strengthen international public health collaboration.

State and provincial leads for the program are:

Indiana
Pam Pontones, MA
Director, Surveillance and Investigation
Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response
Indiana State Department of Health
2 North Meridian St, 5-K
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Phone: 317-233-7861
Fax: 317-324-2812
Email: ppontones@isdh.in.gov

Michigan
Katherine Allen-Bridson, RN, BSN, CIC
Border Health Program Coordinator
Michigan Department of Community Health
201 Townsend, 5th Floor
PO Box 30195
Lansing, MI  48913

Phone: 517-335-8199
Fax: 517-335-8263
Email: allen-bridsonk@michigan.gov

Minnesota
Amy Dewey Westbrook, MPH
District Epidemiologist
Minnesota Department of Health, Northeast District
Government Services Center, Room 703
320 W Second St
Duluth, MN  55802

Phone: 218-723-4907
Fax: 218-723-4920
Email: amy.westbrook@health.state.mn.us

New York
Richard Buck
Border Health Manager
Public Health Preparedness Program
New York State Department of Health
Flanigan Square, 547 River St
Troy, NY  12180-2216

Phone: 518-402-7713
Fax: 518-402-7723
Email:RJB06@health.state.ny.us

Ohio
Brian Fowler, MPH
Early Event Surveillance Supervisor
Ohio Department of Health
246 North High St
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 614-466-1402
Fax: 614-728-4638
Email: Brian.Fowler@odh.ohio.gov

Ontario
Phil Graham
Manager, Public Health Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Management Unit
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
415 Yonge St, Suite 801
Toronto, Ontario  M5B 2E7
CANADA

Phone: 416-212-5223
Fax: 416-212-4466
Email: Phil.Graham@moh.gov.on.ca

Pennsylvania
Veronica Urdaneta, MD, MPH
State Epidemiologist and Director
Division of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Health and Welfare Building, Room 933
7th and Forster Sts
Harrisburg, PA 17108

Phone: 717-787-3350
Fax: 717-772-6975
Email: vurdaneta@state.pa.us

Wisconsin
Lorna R. Will, RN, MA
Surveillance Epidemiologist
Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Room 318
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
1 W Wilson
Madison, WI 53701-2659

Phone: 608-261-6387
Fax: 608-261-4976
Email: willlr@dhfs.state.wi.us