National Program Office (NPO)

The NPO is responsible for:

• Oversight and direction of the program
• Technical assistance, including developing relevant linkages between grantees and necessary resources
• Assisting the Analysis Team and the PBRN Resource Center as needed
• Fostering collaborative learning among and within grantee organizations and other program constituents

Mailing Address:
Prescription for Health National Program Office
Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
P.O. Box 6508, Mail Stop F-496
Aurora, CO  80045-0508

Delivery/Visitor Address:
12474 E. 19th Ave, Bldg 402
Aurora, CO  80010

Phone: 303–724-9771
Fax: 303–724-9773
E-mail: healthy.behaviors@uchsc.edu
Web site: http://www.prescriptionforhealth.org

NPO Staff

Larry A. Green, M.D.
Director
Dr. Green is Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He is the Director of the Prescription for Health National Program Office in Aurora, Colorado, and a Senior Scholar in Residence of The Robert Graham Center: Policy Studies in Family Practice and Primary Care in Washington, D.C. Prior to his current position, Dr. Green was the Woodward-Chisholm Chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma, received his M.D. from Baylor College of Medicine, and completed his residency in family medicine at the University of Rochester and Highland Hospital. Before joining the faculty at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, he practiced in Arkansas in the National Health Services Corps. Much of his career has been focused on developing primary care practice-based research networks. Dr. Green practices as a certified Diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and the North America Primary Care Research Group, and The Institute of Medicine.

Maribel Cifuentes, R.N.
Deputy Director
Ms. Cifuentes is the Deputy Director of the Prescription for Health National Program Office. Prior to this role, she was Director of the Standardized Patient Program at the Center for Studies in Clinical Excellence and Assistant Director of the Primary Care Curriculum at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine. She holds a Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing from the University of Colorado and is finishing a Masters in Health Professions Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She holds the faculty position of instructor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Department of Family Medicine. Her past work has concentrated on performance-based assessment using standardized patients, communication in the health professions, and cultural awareness. She is a member of the Society of Teachers in Family Medicine, a faculty member of the Bayer Institute for Healthcare Communication, and a past member of the National Board of Medical Examiner’s Clinical Skills Exam Task Force.

N. Michelle Shiver, B.S.E.
Program Manager
Ms. Shiver is the Program Manager of the Prescription for Health National Program Office. Prior to this role, she served as office manager for the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and as Assistant Director of Medical Student Admissions at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. She holds a Baccalaureate of Science in Business Education from Truman State University. She has sixteen years of experience in medical education, with eleven of those years in medical student admissions. Her past work has focused on human resources/relations, fiscal management, admissions/interviewing/selection processes, marketing, recruiting, and program management.

Linda Niebauer
Network Associate
Ms. Niebauer was one of the earliest leaders in the development of PBRNs and has more than 20 years experience with the opportunities and challenges associated with these networks. She has provided consultation for multiple networks and continues to participate in practice-based research projects in her role as Network Associate for the Prescription for Health National Program Office and Communications Coordinator for SNOCAP (State Network of Colorado Ambulatory Practice and Partners) which includes three networks: the Colorado Research Network (CaReNet), High Plains Research Network (HPRN), and Building Investigative Practices for Better Health Outcomes Research Network (BIGHORN). She is also a member of a group working to develop an interdisciplinary Primary Care Research Unit at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Douglas Fernald, M.A.
Research Associate and Principal Investigator of COMBO Study
Mr. Fernald is an Instructor with the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He has worked on several large- and small-scale evaluations and PBRN efforts. He holds a Master of Arts in Medical Anthropology from the University of Colorado at Denver and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Colorado College. Mr. Fernald is working on several other PBRN projects using interactive technologies. He has additional expertise in qualitative methods, analysis, and data management. He is a member of the North American Primary Care Research Group.