Bureau of Services for Blind Persons
Michigan High-Speed Internet Office
Michigan Rehabilitation Services
Workers' Disability Compensation Agency
Black Leadership Advisory Council
Michigan Community Service Commission
Executive Order 2020-107 established Michigan Workforce Development Board
MiSTEM convenes a statewide network of leaders in education, business and local communities to empower the next generation of innovators.
Unemployment Insurance Appeals Commission
formerly MI Compensation Appellate Commission
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
Alum of the Month – December 2025: Mia Echartea, Ingham County Health Department Public Health AmeriCorps
Mia Echartea served as an AmeriCorps member with the Ingham County Health Department AmeriCorps Public Health AmeriCorps Program (ICHD PHA) from 2023-2025. Public Health AmeriCorps members provide capacity building support to organizations in the Capital Region (Ingham, Clinton and Eaton Counties) in the areas of healthcare access, racial equity, community resilience, and public health workforce development.
Echartea is an inspiring public health leader in her community. She began her journey with AmeriCorps in 2023 serving at her host site, the Allen Neighborhood Center. Here she provided health education and training, community outreach and engagement, and system navigation, referrals, and linkage to care. After her service ended, Echartea knew she wanted to continue in her efforts in the public health field while also serving her community. She decided to complete a second term of service with the ICHD PHA serving as a Data Coordinator with the Michigan Association for Local Public Health (MALPH).
Through her service, Echartea has made lasting connections in the field as well as with her cohort. According to a fellow member, Lydia Podlesak, “Mia's enthusiasm and positive energy make her a crucial member of her public health cohort. Her ability to uplift the mood in any room she enters, combined with her commitment to service, has made her a true ambassador for the AmeriCorps mission.”
Reflecting on her AmeriCorps experience, Echartea describes it as one of the best and most fulfilling decisions of her life. Echartea remarks that “Public Health AmeriCorps has jumpstarted my future career possibilities, and I believe it has placed me in an incredible position moving forward to graduate school.” She credits ICHD PHA with advancing her personal and professional growth, stating “AmeriCorps has taught me things from how to build a resume to grant writing. But it has also fostered my personal growth, helping me build incredible relationships that have greatly impacted my life.”
Echartea holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Michigan State University and is pursuing a master's degree in public health with a concentration in epidemiology or public health policy. She hopes to continue a career in public health and is passionate about promoting the spirit of service. She frequently shares her AmeriCorps experiences with others and actively involves her friends in volunteer activities, believing that sharing her journey is one of the best ways to advocate for public health and inspire others to engage in service. Echartea exemplifies the transformative power of service and continues to be a driving force for positive change in her community.
Learn more about Ingham County Health Department AmeriCorps Public Health AmeriCorps Program (ICHD PHA) and other Michigan’s AmeriCorps programs making a positive impact in communities across Michigan. For more information about AmeriCorps, visit www.americorps.gov.