Welcome Nora Miller

We are excited to welcome Nora Miller to our staff as the new Director of Gardening and Wellness Programs. She brings a wealth of knowledge about gardening and health, along with a lot of enthusiasm, to Alliance Medical Ministry.
Nora began working on farms in high school, where her primary customers were middle-class. She graduated from NC State with a major in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems last May; through her classes, she learned about food insecurity, especially in Raleigh. She became focused on sustainable gardening and making fresh produce accessible to everyone. In regard to her new role at Alliance, she says: "it is quite literally my dream job."
Her main goals for Alliance are to help people understand where their food comes from and to get patients more involved in the garden and their health. She also wants our patients to have access to a therapeutic garden; she plans on clearing the unused areas around the garden to create 'green spaces' for therapy and counseling.

Welcome Mandy Horner

Meet Mandy Horner, Director of Nursing and the newest member of the staff at Alliance Medical Ministry! She brings a wealth of knowledge about nursing and healthcare. She has diplomas in Licensed Practical Nursing, Certified Nursing Assistance, and Registered Nursing; along with hospital, nursing home, group home, and volunteer experience. She most recently worked at the Urban Ministries Open Door Clinic. 

Mandy is excited to return to her clinic roots--she wanted to work hands-on with patients again, and to educate and teach them about their health. As the Director of Nursing at Alliance, she has the opportunity to get back to face-to-face nursing.

Mandy’s main goal for Alliance is to engage patients in their own healthcare. She believes that every interaction with patients is an opportunity to help them take control of their own health. She says, “I want to individually change the views of patients to be healthy for themselves. This will create a ripple effect - into their families, the community, the public, the population.”

Welcome Pablo Escobar

We are so excited to have Pablo Escobar join our staff as our new Clinic Director. He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and talent to our nonprofit. Pablo retired as the director of Urban Ministries' Open Door Clinic several years ago. After spending the last two years traveling with his wife, and taking care of things around his house, he decided he had enough of retirement and joined the AMM team.

Pablo says that he has two main goals for Alliance. One: to get recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for being a Patient-Centered Medical Home. That would make AMM one of the first free and charitable clinics in North Carolina to receive this important designation. Two: Pablo wants to work on the quality of care at Alliance. He plans to support the providers in any way he can to improve our patients' experience.

Pablo is already proud of his workplace. He is most excited about Alliance's capacity for growth. He says, "Alliance is a key player in community health. There are so many people that fall through the cracks, who do not have health care because they make too little money, or they don't have access to insurance through their employer, or they decide not to have insurance for some reason or other. And so, Alliance and the free and charitable clinics like it fill that gap. They provide an incredible service to the community in avoiding expensive hospitalizations by providing care here, in this clinic."

Volunteer Spotlight: Zumba Instructor, Sandra Herrera

Sandra leading a group of volunteers and patients in a Zumba routine outsider during our 2019 Garden Launch!

Monday nights at Alliance look a lot livelier thanks to our volunteer Zumba instructor, Sandra Herrera. Beginning in October 2018, Sandra began teaching our weekly Zumba class that is free for patients. This 60-minute dance exercise class is a perfect way for our patients to get moving, build community, and relax from daily stressors. Sandra’s contagious joy and incredible energy make her a perfect fit for the Alliance volunteer team. She also connects easily with our Spanish-speaking patients as a bilingual instructor.

“When you come to Alliance, you instantly feel a connection. The environment is relaxing and the people inspire me to keep volunteering. I feel blessed to volunteer here.”

Zumba is one of the many ways Alliance approaches health in a compassionate, comprehensive way through our Healthy Steps Wellness Program. Healthy Steps offers hands-on, inspiring, and educational opportunities to help patients achieve their personal health goals. We are so thankful for our Zumba class and to have Sandra on the Alliance team!