Jo Porter, MPH, has over 20 years’ experience in public health, program development, grant management, and organizational leadership. She currently serves as a Senior Consultant at Helms & Company, Inc. In that role, Jo provides Executive Director support for the ASAP Alliance and is on the leadership team supporting the NH Community Behavioral Health Association Rural Health Transformation HUB.
Jo most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer for the NH Center for Justice and Equity, where she was a key contributor to the organization’s initial development, starting there at NHCJE’s launch in 2022. She participated in all aspects of the NHCJE programmatic and operational development and decision-making. Through this work, she has been able to establish relationships with a broad cross-sector set of partners working on issues. Prior to NHCJE, Jo spent over 15 years with the Institute for Health Policy and Practice (IHPP) at the University of New Hampshire, serving as the Director for over seven years. She co-chaired the All-Payer Claims Database Council (APCD Council), a partnership program of the National Association of Health Data Organizations and IHPP. Jo served on the United States Department of Labor State All Payer Claims Databases Advisory Committee (SAPCDAC). She was an active participant in the Academy Health State-University Partnership Learning Network (SUPLN) and served as chair of that group’s steering committee. Jo also served on the UNH Analytics Steering Committee and State of New Hampshire’s Governor’s Commission for Medicaid Care Management. Prior to UNH, Jo spent time in state government and in the private sector, developing disease management programs and market forecasts for health and pharmaceutical clients.
Jo currently sits on the Board of Directors for the NH Fiscal Policy Institute, the NH Children’s Health Foundation, Point32 Health Foundation, and Human Services Research Institute, and the Leadership Team for the NH Food Alliance. Jo earned her Master of Public Health degree with dual concentrations in Epidemiology/Biostatistics and Social/Behavioral Health from Boston University, with honors. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a minor in Health Management and Policy.