Yvonka Marie Hall, MPA, RA, CTTS, GRMS is the Executive Director of the nationally recognized Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition. NEOBHC is the first organization in the State of Ohio dedicated to addressing disparities in the black community. Our mission is to create equity in the African American community addressing the cumulative impact of racial, economic, environmental and social justice inequities in education, employment, housing and health by working to educate, advocate for and empower the community. 

 

She received a Master of Public Administration from Texas Southern University and a Bachelor of Arts from Notre Dame College. She is a proud graduate of John Marshall High School in Cleveland, Ohio and a 2019 inductee into the Alumni Hall of Fame. The Cleveland Plain Dealer named her the HomeGrown Hero for her work addressing food insecurity. The 1974 murder of her mother Yvonne Boston Hall dramatically changed her life; her childhood promise to use her life to help others has lead to the creation of cutting edge programs and impacted thousands of people’s lives. She was named as 100 Women to Know in America. 

 

She is a mother, grandmother and activist deeply impassioned and involved in social justice activities locally and nationally. Her efforts will save many children from the lifelong impact of lead poisoning. She is currently working on a number of initiatives including a ban on menthol products, healthy menu options and implementing anti racism in hospital settings policies. Her work is designed to address equity issues in the community and highlight the need for policy in calls to declare racism a public health crisis. She was honored as a Black Green Woman in 2021. 

 

She was named to the National Environmental Protection Agency National Justice Advisory Committee where she serves as the chair for the Farmworkers and Pesticides Workgroup. In 2023, WEWS News Channel 5 she was named one of fifty Everyday Heroes Making a Difference in Cuyahoga County. She is a member of numerous local and national organizations. She is a nationally recognized Congressional award winning health disparities expert. 

 

She speaks all over the country about effectively engaging the African American Community the Art of Community Engagement.