Board of Health

Dr. Jerry Halverson, Chair (Dane County resident)

Dr. Halverson is a Psychiatrist and practices in Madison and Oconomowoc. He is the Medical Director of Rogers Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc and adjunct Clinical Faculty of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health. He has been involved in Public Health initiatives through his involvement with the Dane County and Wisconsin Medical Societies and the Wisconsin Psychiatric Association. 

Robin Lankton, 1st Chair (City of Madison resident)

Robin is the Director of Population Health at UW Health. She earned her Master of Public Health in Community Health Sciences and Bixby Certificate in Population and Reproductive Health from the University of California-Los Angeles in 2006. Robin is a Certified Health Education Specialist who has primarily worked with African American and Latinx communities in Los Angeles and Madison around the topics of maternal and child health, HIV and immunizations. Her areas of interest include community health improvement, systems change, collaborative partnerships and supporting the conditions for all people to have the best opportunity to live well and thrive.  

Dr. Gene Musser, 2nd Chair (Dane County resident)

Dr. Gene Musser is a retired cardiologist, having practiced at Meriter Hospital, the last 20 years employed by the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation and School of Medicine and Public Health, of which he's Emeritus Associate Professor (Clinical). He has in the past been a member of the Boards of Directors of the Physicians Plus Medical Group and Insurance Corp, the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation, and Meriter Health Services. He was a member of the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board for ten years, and a Chair for three years. He's formerly Chair of the Council on Legislation of the Wisconsin Medical Society, a member of the League of Women Voters, and Co-Chair of the group Fitchburg Progress. 

Lisa Jackson (Dane County Board Supervisor)

Lisa Jackson has more than a decade of experience in social work, including the past three years dedicated to mental health. Holding a Masters in Counseling and Public Administration, her passion lies in cultivating a community where everyone feels socially connected and safe to live, work, and play. Her decision to run for the County Board stemmed from a firm belief in the power of action over mere words. Rather than merely discussing issues, she actively pursues positive change by rolling up her sleeves and getting to work. 

Alder Yannette Figueroa Cole (Common Council member)

Alder Yannette Figueroa Cole has over two decades in the healthcare & medical devices manufacturing field and has spent years serving people experiencing homelessness. Her experience working with families in strife offers her a perspective on the critical issues we face together. Alder Figueroa Cole lives in the Dunn's Marsh neighborhood of Madison. 

Ceri Jenkins (City of Madison resident)

Ceri Jenkins manages planning, health equity coordination, and data analytics in support of the COVID Testing and Vaccination Programs on the State’s COVID crisis response team. She has served as the Co-Managing Director of the Mayors Innovation Project and as a liaison to several networks connecting higher education to city government, coordinated the Working Poor Families Project, the Evidence-Based Healthy Policy Project at UW Madison’s Population Health Institute, and served as a Program Officer at the Pew Charitable Trusts. 

Jessi Kendall (City of Madison resident)

Jessi Kendall is a Registered Nurse who has practiced both in direct patient care and away from the bedside. Currently, she works with hospitalized patients with cancer or blood disorders, as well as those receiving end-of life care. Jessi has served in a number of health equity-related roles both in her workplace and in a community-based or volunteer capacity. She is also passionate about working with future and new-to-practice nurses and believes in the power of lived experience. Jessi is a native Madisonian living on the North side. 

Leslie Seltzer (Dane County resident)

Leslie Seltzer, PhD is a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Waisman Center. Her early research focused on the effects of early life stress on the developing brain, examining how child abuse and neglect can impact the epigenome, neuroendocrine system, and risk for future psychopathology. She is currently a Research Program Manager coordinating the Wisconsin branch of a nationwide study at the Waisman Center. This study focuses on developmental disabilities, specifically autism, in cooperation with a number of other states and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.