Kristine Rhodes
About Kristine Rhodes
Kristine Rhodes is a Director at the Minnesota Department of Health, specializing in culturally grounded public health solutions for Indigenous communities. With over 20 years of experience, she has a strong background in community health education and has held various leadership roles in public health organizations.
Work at Minnesota Department of Health
Kristine Rhodes serves as the Director at the Minnesota Department of Health, a position she has held since 2024. Her role involves overseeing health initiatives and programs within the department, focusing on public health strategies that benefit the community. Rhodes operates in a hybrid work environment based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her extensive background in public health and community engagement informs her leadership and decision-making processes.
Education and Expertise
Rhodes earned a Bachelor of Applied Science in Community Health Education from the University of Minnesota Duluth, completing her studies from 1987 to 1992. She furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Public Health in Public Health Administration & Policy from the University of Minnesota, where she studied from 1998 to 2000. Rhodes specializes in creating culturally grounded solutions that integrate tribal values with scientific evidence, demonstrating her commitment to public health in Indigenous communities.
Background
Rhodes has over 20 years of experience working with Indigenous communities in public health. Her career began at the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, where she worked as a Youth Specialist and later as a Community Health Educator. She has also held various roles at the University of Minnesota, including Research Coordinator and Senior Research Coordinator. Additionally, she served as Chief Executive Officer at the American Indian Cancer Foundation for ten years, where she focused on health initiatives for Indigenous populations.
Achievements
Rhodes founded Asemaake, a consulting firm dedicated to improving health programs and systems for Indigenous communities. She has a proven track record of launching and leading a national capacity-building organization. Her work emphasizes managing community-engaged research and evaluation projects with diverse teams, showcasing her ability to build partnerships across tribal, academic, government, and philanthropic sectors.