Montelle Tamez

Montelle Taméz is the Deputy Director of Community Engagement at the University of Colorado’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) where she co-leads the CCTSI’s Community Engagement (CE) Core, which aims to build capacity in community-academic research partnerships to improve the translation of scientific discoveries into interventions and programs that improve health in communities. Before joining the CCTSI in 2009, Ms. Tamez worked for the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment’s Prevention Services Division, where she specialized in community-based initiatives to promote chronic disease prevention, screening and treatment. While at the health department, Ms. Taméz co-lead the Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease and Pulmonary Disease Competitive Grants Program. Ms. Tamez began her public health career at the American Cancer Society (ACS) as a Cancer Control Specialist, developing and implementing community-based tobacco control initiatives. Ms. Tamez worked closely with external partners and coalitions to pass legislation that made Colorado smoke free. In this role, Ms. Tamez also worked in the community as a health educator, promoting cancer prevention, screening and treatment. Ms. Tamez co-authored the American Cancer Society’s You Can Quit smoking cessation program, developing a train-the-trainer model, which she implemented in businesses, community-based organizations, primary care clinics and hospitals throughout the state.