As the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, Anthony Taula-Lieras serves the community as a facilitator of change. His work centers the advancement of justice through influencing systems and narratives.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Anthony served the Sacramento Native American Health Center as Community Health Director, where his teamwork was awarded an Innovative Program Award from the California Mental Health Advocacy for Children and Youth (CHMACY). For over a decade, Anthony concentrated his work efforts on serving urban American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous youth and their families. His work focused on the reduction of disparities in health and in its determinants, including social elements. His commitment to health equity pushes him to strive for the highest possible standard of health for all people, giving special attention to the needs of those at greatest risk of poor health based on social conditions.
Anthony has directed over $20 million in programs that have increased protective factors and has increased funding invested in under-resourced communities by $15 million. He has also trained hundreds in health equity and conversations about narrative change. The community is at the heart of Anthony’s work; he values partnership and community voice. He demonstrated this value while working for Yolo County as the manager of the Mental Health Service Act where he founded the Community Engagement Workgroup and increased stakeholder planning participation by 400%.
Anthony believes culture is prevention and participates in Pow-Wows and ceremonies with his family. Anthony’s intersectional identity includes being an Urban Native (Navajo/Comanche/Chicano) Father. He is proud of his multicultural family (Nez Perce, Umatilla, Samoan). Beyond his work at the Foundation, Anthony can be found gardening, tinkering with technology, volunteering, skateboarding, cooking, reading, writing, listening to music, and spending time in nature.