Earlier this year, the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE), co-housed at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) and the Yale School of Public Health in partnership with the New Haven community was selected as one of five recipients of Campus Compact’s 2026 Excellence in Community-Engaged Partnerships Awards. This national award recognizes outstanding programs and initiatives that demonstrate meaningful partnerships with communities to address complex social issues and further equity, justice, and prosperity for all.
CARE received the award during Compact26, Campus Compact’s annual national conference, March 16-18, 2026, in Chicago.
Now, CARE will share the strategies behind its success and best practices on a national stage, as Campus Compact hosts a summer webinar series to shine a spotlight on the winners of these prestigious awards and give those interested in the field of civic and community engagement access to the teams behind these award-winning initiatives.
On Thursday, August 20, from 1- 2 p.m., members of the team from CARE in Action: Collaborative Approaches to Health Equity in New Haven will be presenting “Collaborative Approaches to Health Equity in New Haven,” a webinar that offers a chance for people to learn more, ask questions, get guidance on their own initiatives, and above all celebrate the success and impact of their peers. This event is free and open to all. Learn more and register here.
Based at the College of Health and Human Services at Southern Connecticut State University in partnership with the Yale School of Public Health and the New Haven community, the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE) is a community-engaged center dedicated to advancing health equity in New Haven, Connecticut. CARE works to improve health among residents most affected by inequities – particularly Black and Brown communities and low-income populations.
CARE carries out its mission through two major initiatives. The Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, implements policy, systems, and environmental changes that promote chronic disease prevention and address issues like food insecurity, healthy food access, breastfeeding, and active transportation. The CARE Health Leadership Programs train residents to become leaders and partners in shaping local health initiatives and research. With nearly two decades of trusted collaboration, CARE continues to build sustainable, community-driven solutions that move New Haven closer to health equity for all.
Speakers
Ayeisha C. Cole
Ayeisha C. Cole serves as the Director of Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE), within the College of Health and Human Services at Southern Connecticut State University. A native of Memphis, TN, she is immersing herself at SCSU and in the New Haven landscape. Ayeisha’s career in public health spans over a decade and has been marked by a strong focus on research and community engagement. Ms. Cole served as the Program Director for the Partnership to End AIDS Status. She later transitioned to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as the Lead Outreach Coordinator, specializing in community outreach and research. Her journey led her to Connecticut, where she served as the Project Manager for Perception Programs at the University of Connecticut. Ayeisha has extensive experience in community mobilization, advocacy, program development, and establishing community boards and coalitions. In her current role, Ms. Cole oversees the CDC-funded program REACH, which emphasizes chronic disease prevention by focusing on nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding.
Alycia Santilli
Alycia Santilli, MSW, is the Senior Director of Community Initiatives at the Southern Connecticut State University College of Health and Human Services, overseeing a variety of initiatives, including the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE), for which she was a founding staff member in 2007. In 2016 CARE merged with SCSU, where she transitioned to Director, serving until 2024. Under Alycia’s leadership, CARE has received funding and implemented activities through the CDC Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program, focused on reducing chronic disease inequities among Black and Latine residents through policy- and systems-level interventions. Alycia has also led the development of a set of health leadership programs intended to build a network of Connecticut residents who are engaged in community-based health equity interventions and research. At the College level, Alycia is now building out trainings on community-engaged approaches to research and policy and systems change. Alycia has served as principal investigator on more than 20 grants and contracts totaling more than $13M for projects with the CDC, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, CT Department of Public Health, the Yale Cancer Center, among others. Alycia received her Masters in Social Work with a concentration in Community Organizing from the University of Connecticut.
Alycia is a Connecticut native and has lived and worked in New Haven since 2004.
