Logo for Allie's in Health featuring a gold floral design and circular border.

Building Connections. Leading Action. Impacting Health.

Allies in Health is a women-led, bilingual (English/Spanish) public health consulting and training firm committed to supporting Tribal Nations, communities, and organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico.

We seek to improve health outcomes, strengthen systems, and promote long-term wellness through collaboration, capacity building, and strategic action.

We work alongside leaders to develop tailored approaches that reflect community priorities and create lasting, impactful change.

Our team brings deep expertise in outreach and education, strategic communication design, facilitation, partnership development, and end-to-end project design, implementation, and management.

We don’t just consult. We collaborate. We implement.

We transform vision into action. We empower leaders and drive solutions that are grounded in cultural awareness, guided by purpose, and carried out with integrity, advancing health in the communities we serve.

To foster cross sector collaboration, build community capacity, and implement community- and organizational driven solutions that transform health outcomes and create lasting impact.

Mission

Vision

We envision a future where all communities, especially those historically underserved, have the power, partnerships, and resources to transform their own health outcomes. When communities lead, lasting impact follows.

Core Values

Our work is grounded in these core values:

  • Collaboration: We believe meaningful progress happens through authentic partnership and shared vision.

  • Empowerment: We equip communities and organizations to lead change and sustain impact.

  • Integrity: We build trust through transparency, respect, and accountability.

  • Cultural Humility: We honor the unique cultures, languages, and voices of the communities we serve, recognizing that communities are the experts of their own experiences and needs.

A group of diverse people walking outdoors on a grassy field during a community event, with some people in the background near parked cars under a covered area.

Our Services

  • Environmental Analysis & Strategic Planning: Conduct asset and stakeholder mapping, needs assessments, and data-driven analysis to identify partnership and resource gaps, define priorities, and outline actionable steps for measurable impact.

  • Strategic Communication: Design and implement multilingual, multifaceted communication strategies, including outreach and education campaigns tailored to cultural and community contexts. Strategies span digital, print, broadcast, and community media.

  • Learning Collaboratives & Peer Exchange Models: Design and facilitate structured learning environments that foster the sharing of best practices, peer mentorship, and cross-sector dialogue. Collaboratives surface insights, align stakeholders, inform strategy and drive continuous improvement.

  • Program/Project Design, Implementation & Evaluation: End-to-end management of complex initiatives and projects, from concept development and collaborative design to outcome measurement and sustainability planning.

  • Grants & Contracts Management: Oversight and execution of multi-stakeholder grant-funded initiatives and contracts, anchored by shared accountability frameworks, coordinated timelines, and quality assurance processes.

  • Strategic Facilitation, Partnership & Coalition Development & Sustainability: Build and facilitate cross-sector partnerships, alliances, and formal coalitions that leverage collective strengths and resources for maximum systems-level impact through consensus-building, strategic alignment around shared goals, coordinated action plans, and sustained collaboration..

  • Training & Leadership Development: Customized educational programs and skill-building sessions to strengthen organizational capacity and executive leadership.

  • Community Engagement & Mobilization: Direct, on-the-ground engagement through forums, listening sessions, educational events, and culturally responsive outreach, building trust, activating networks, and driving participation..

Our Clients

We serve partners at all stages—from grassroots initiatives to large-scale systems.

  • Government Entities (Federal, State, Local) & Tribal Nations

  • Health Centers & Public Health Agencies

  • Health and Social Services Providers & Systems

  • Academic Institutions

  • Professional Associations

  • Community & Faith-Based Organizations

  • Nonprofits, Foundations, & Philanthropic Partners

  • Multisector Coalitions

  • Community & Grassroots Leaders

What Our Partners Say About Us

  • “Dear Melanie, I’ve been in awe of your leadership with the Hispanic ERG!  Continue to be a blessing to others, because I've seen the impact of your leadership upon your membership.

    Mary

  • “Nancy - Your dedication, passion and service has meant so much to so many people and organizations.  The legacy you created has been a pillar for public health.”

    Timothy Tesmer, MD, CMO, NE DHHS | Division of Public Health

  • “I had the privilege of working with Nancy Rios during her tenure at the CMS Regional Office in Kansas City, MO, while I was serving at my local tribal health facility. Nancy brought a deep understanding of the unique challenges tribal populations face when navigating both the Medicare system and Indian Health Services/Tribal Health programs. Her ability to interpret and apply complex policy while advocating for Native American beneficiaries made her an invaluable partner in our shared mission. Nancy’s integrity, insight and collaborative spirit were instrumental in resolving issues for patients and their families – often making a real difference in their care and experience.”

    Jennifer Wofford

  • “Melanie - Gracias a usted logré conectar con personas claves y promocionar el programa de una manera mucho más efectiva. Su apoyo fue invaluable e hizo una gran diferencia..”

    Mariana D. Padilla Velázquez, DrPHc, MPH, Program Coordinator, Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting, Puerto Rico Department of Health

  • “Nancy - The Carl T. Curtis Health Education Center and the Omaha Tribe will be eternally grateful for all you have done to better our health services and quality of life here on the Reservation.”

    Wehnona Stabler

  • “Working as Nancy’s Senior Advisor at HRSA was one of the most meaningful experiences of my career. She leads with clarify, compassion, and purpose, and always creating the space for others to grow. Her ability to navigate complex systems, build trust across diverse stakeholders, and design equity-driven solutions makes her an extraordinary leader and a trusted partner in any consulting role.”

    Veronica Roa

  • " Melanie and Nancy bring so much passion, commitment, and creativity to their work. For the past several years, I have seen them leverage their broad knowledge of health and social service programs to help communities navigate complex systems and secure additional resources. They always strive to make sure all voices are heard. When I worked with them on projects, I was always impressed by how thoughtful and organized they both were; every meeting was productive. This will be a great resource for communities."

    Diana Espinosa, Former Deputy Administrator, HRSA

About the Cofounders

Allies in Health is led by Melanie Deal and Nancy Rios—bilingual, mission-driven public health professionals with over 40 years of combined experience in federal leadership, public health strategy, and cross-sector collaboration. Their work spans maternal and behavioral health, community health, primary care, rural and tribal health, health workforce development, and the integration of social and health-related needs to drive systems transformation. Every effort is rooted in a shared commitment to community empowerment, leadership development, and sustainable impact.

A woman with brown curly hair smiling, wearing a pink button-up shirt, in front of a stone wall background.

Melanie Deal

Melanie brings over 18 years of experience designing and leading federal initiatives in stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, and public health education. At the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), she developed and facilitated national webinar series reaching thousands, expanded outreach across Puerto Rico, and advanced public health programs in underserved communities. Her work has earned multiple federal honors for innovation and service.

She led HRSA’s bilingual public education campaign on organ donation—earning a Telly Award—and managed digital communications for the Bureau of Health Workforce, receiving the Administrator’s Citation Group Award. Earlier in her career, as a Public Affairs Specialist at the U.S. Census Bureau, she directed national media relations and appeared on Telemundo, Univision, and CNN en Español, earning the agency’s Bronze Medal for her role in the America by the Numbers program on C-SPAN.

Close-up of a woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a striped shirt and a gold necklace with a pendulum, outdoors with palm trees and greenery in the background.

Nancy Ríos

Nancy is a retired senior federal executive with more than 25 years of distinguished service at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including as Acting Associate Administrator for HRSA’s Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs. She led the design and implementation of high-impact national and regional education campaigns and programs at both HRSA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), advancing access to care through technical assistance, strategic partnerships, and targeted, culturally responsive outreach. Her leadership helped strengthen health systems serving Tribal Nations, rural communities, and other underserved populations.

Nancy has been widely recognized for her visionary leadership and commitment to public service, receiving numerous federal, community, and Tribal awards throughout her career.

A respected strategist, leader, mentor, and collaborator, she continues to work directly with communities to connect people, activate cross-sector partnerships, and carry out local strategies that improve access to care and supportive services.

Together

Melanie and Nancy bring cultural humility, strategic insight, and a deep-rooted belief in the power of collaboration. They partner with organizations and communities to drive meaningful, sustainable change, grounded in respect, shared purpose, and lasting impact.

Ready to Create Lasting Impact?

Partner with Allies in Health to activate your vision and drive meaningful, sustainable change. Whether you are designing or launching a new initiative or implementing a grant-funded project, we bring the experience, insight, and collaborative spirit to help you succeed every step of the way.

Fill out the form, call or email us and we will be in touch soon to schedule your 30-minute strategy conversation to explore how we can support your goals.

We can’t wait to hear from you! Let’s work together to empower your organization and the communities you serve.

Our Contact Information

Melanie Deal, MBA | Cell #: 202-510-6943 | Email: Melanie.Deal@outlook.com

Nancy Rios | Cell #: 816-807-9760 | Email: Nancy.Y.Rios@outlook.com