Our Team
Ariel Childs
Executive Director
Ariel is driven by the belief that access to health is a human right, and is dedicated to building a new liberated model of community health that is designed from the margins and rooted in relationships. After over a decade of directing maternal and child health equity programs at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Ariel joined Vital CxNs to lead the organizations strategic development and catalyze activities advancing Vital CxNs ambitious goals. In addition to radically reimagining health equity, Ariel can be found immersed in her own 'vital connections' with those she loves, including adventuring around Boston with her partner Jesse and their two kiddos Hazel and Simone.
Mariana Cohen
Co-Founder & Deputy Director
Mariana is a first generation Venezuelan immigrant committed to rebuilding inefficient and ineffective systems to create an ecosystem of health that is accessible to all. With a background in public health and social work, she has spent time both providing direct clinical services, and developing and delivering programs. At Vital CxNs, Mariana spends her time designing processes that enable the team to catalyze, convene, and connect, in addition to overseeing our food systems initiatives. When she is not deep in strategic conversations with Ariel, you can find her painting with watercolors, cooking for loved ones, or on a walking trail with her husband, Ben and their dog, Archie.
Mary Ulseth
Project Manager
Mary believes in the power of community to drive health equity. She is dedicated to building meaningful relationships, creating inclusive environments, and bridging the gap between diverse stakeholders. Her background in macro social work, community-engaged research, and experiential learning uniquely shapes her approach to working alongside community members to create positive systems change. At Vital CxNs, Mary leads our mental health and maternal health initiatives. In her free time, Mary loves running with Pioneers and TrailblazHers run crews, being in nature, traveling, dancing with her partner Abeo, and loving on their dog, Orzo.
Briana Acosta
Project Manager
Briana is an indigenous Boricua and Mexican woman from a low-income background who is dedicated to partnering with equity-deserving communities to create the conditions for holistic wellbeing. Her lived experience, passion for storytelling, and background in multisectoral collaboration through research, direct service, and policy roles inform her approach to equity-driven systems change. At Vital CxNs, Briana leads our food access initiative and clinical community-partnerships. When she is not co-creating a more just world with communities, she is nurturing her mind-body-spirit connection through dance, painting, and other creative arts, learning about different cultures through food and travel, and baking for her loved ones.
Rosie Docanto
Community Engagement Specialist
Rosie is a holistic healer and advocate passionate about building healthier communities through various wellness modalities. As a certified trauma-informed yoga teacher and holistic wellness educator, she enjoys curating brave spaces for people to connect, learn, and practice self-care. She believes that community engagement is vital for people to thrive—mind, body, and spirit. At Vital CxNs, Rosie works across the organization to ensure our initiatives are engaging and responsive to community members in meaningful and impactful ways. In her free time, you can find her on the yoga mat, working out, traveling, gardening, and immersing herself in nature.
Rebecca Riley Greene
Community Leader
Rebecca is dedicated to her community and helping others. She believes collaboration and community voices are key to solving food insecurity and providing essential care and resources to those in need. As a Community Leader at Vital CxNs, Rebecca leads food access initiatives, empowering others to advocate for their needs and participate in decision making in their communities. In her community, Rebecca helps run the Hyde Park Food Pop Up which serves fresh produce to over 200 families per week. Rebecca loves spending quality time with her children, grandchildren, and pups and whenever she gets the chance, traveling to great beaches around the world!
Ric Henry
Community Leader
Ric brings decades of grassroots experience to his community work, leading major advocacy efforts including raising the minimum wage, advancing prison reform, and fighting for housing justice as Board President at City Life Vida Urbana. He holds certificates in Labor Leadership and Leadership from UMass Boston and Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, respectively, and is a licensed Community Health Worker. Currently, Ric serves as a Community Leader for the Neighborhood Food Action Collaborative with Vital CxNs, where he uplifts challenges to explore innovative, community-driven solutions. In his downtime, Ric enjoys cooking, trying different cuisines, swimming and doing water sports at the beach.
Cynthia Njenga
Scholar*
Cynthia is passionate about building stronger and healthier communities through education, advocacy, and research. Her goals involve becoming a health educator, and minimizing health literacy gaps amongst marginalized communities. She is currently pursuing a Master in Public Health at Boston University. Her area of focus is community health with a context in global health. At Vital CxNs, she will support the food access and peer advocacy programs, alongside our Long Covid project. When she is not listening and learning from the communities around her, Cynthia enjoys watching television, dancing, playing the piano, and learning new languages.
Deanna Ruelo
Scholar*
Deanna is passionate about advancing health equity through health policy, research, and community-driven action, with an interest in how systems and policies shape access to care. An alumna of Boston University, she earned a B.S. in Health Science with a minor in Public Policy Analysis. Her background includes legislative research with the MA Joint Committee on Public Health, regulatory and data-focused work with the MA League of Community Health Centers, and youth mental health advocacy. At Vital CxNs, Deanna will support our maternal health, mental health, and Community Convos initiatives. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and making floral arrangements!
Rich Joseph
Founding Director, Board of Directors Co-chair
Dr. Rich Joseph is the founder of VIM Medicine, a private health management and proactive health practice. He is the co-founder and board chair of Vital CxNs, a nonprofit that partners with communities to co-create sustainable solutions for a more accessible, effective, and equitable community health ecosystem. Dr. Joseph also remains on faculty at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School where he conducts clinical research in the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and mentors medical students and residents.
Previously, Dr. Joseph served as the Chief Medical Officer of Restore Hyper Wellness, a nationwide franchise that provides cutting-edge wellness services. He practiced at the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he was awarded the Nesson Fellowship, a two-year fellowship to support promising health care professionals pursuing community clinical care initiatives that address society's critical and emerging health care needs.
Dr. Joseph earned his MD and MBA at Stanford University and completed his residency in Primary Care-Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital at Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.
Rich’s mission is to advance human health and holistic wellbeing through prevention-oriented, performance-focused, and community centric models of care. His mission is deeply rooted in his background as a strength and conditioning specialist and competitive athlete.
Health Equity Internship Program*
Our Health Equity Internship Program was created to fill a gap we identified in public health education and workforce development for those who are eager to work in a variety of sectors with a shared goal of redesigning community health infrastructure. This program provides budding health equity champions with an opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge base necessary to leverage authentic community partnerships in strategic upstream interventions. Scholars learn from and contribute to systems change community health strategies and solutions across all projects at Vital CxNs, while also participating in the dynamic internal processes of a start-up non-profit.