About Us
The Utah Arthritis Program, in the Utah Department of Health, was created in 1999 to improve the quality of life for people affected by arthritis. The program receives money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administration on Aging (AoA) to track how many Utahns have arthritis, provide arthritis education and increase participation in programs proven to help people with arthritis.
Athena Carolan, MPH, CHES
Program Manager
acarolan@utah.gov
(801) 538-9209
Athena Carolan began as our Utah Arthritis Program Manager in September 2012. She has over 7 years of public health experience and has worked in a variety of governmental, non-profit, and international health settings. She provides fiscal and managerial oversite, and supports the expansion of evidence-based programs to help people with arthritis throughout Utah.
Rebecca Castleton, CHES
Program Coordinator
rcastlet@utah.gov
(801) 538-9340
Rebecca Castleton has been in the Utah Arthritis Program since November 2008. She administers arthritis self-management interventions throughout the state through program planning, implementation, and evaluation. She is involved with public outreach and building partnerships with other agencies to increase awareness of and participation in arthritis-related and chronic disease self-management programs. Rebecca received a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Brigham Young University and was CHES certified in 2009. She brings experience in infant mortality program services, nation-wide research on reduced tobacco use in Russia, and international micro-business and health education experience in El Salvador.
Christine Weiss, MPH, CHES
Program Specialist
cweiss@utah.gov
(801) 538-9458
Christine joined the Utah Arthritis Program in February 2011. Her duties include public outreach and building partnerships to increase awareness and participation in arthritis related programs. She helps with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a variety of evidence based arthritis exercise and self-management programs. She also oversees media and public relations. Christine received a Masters of Public Health from Brigham Young University and a Bachelors of Health Science from Brigham Young University - Idaho. She speaks Spanish and has international public health experience in Ecuador, South Africa, and El Salvador. Christine previously worked for the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program for the Utah Department of Health and has experience in implementing secondhand smoke policies, building community partnerships, and working with local health departments.
Randy Tanner, MPA
Evaluation Specialist
rtanner@utah.gov
(801) 538-9193
Randy is the Utah Arthritis Program's Evaluation Specialist and has been with the Utah Department of Health for over 30 years. Randy earned a Masters of Public Administration from Brigham Young University and a Bachelors of Science degree in Health Education from the University of Utah. As an epidemiologist his primary responsibility is to develop an arthritis surveillance system and evaluate existing databases. He is also responsible for analyzing the data to determine the prevalence of arthritis in Utah, medical costs associated with arthritis, provider practices, quality of life for Utahns with arthritis, and self-management practices of people with arthritis.