Position Priorities
- Improving access to health care coverage
- Health policy consumer education
- Public-health policy evaluation
Education
- Bachelor's degree in sociology from SUNY at Binghamton, N.Y.
- Master’s degree and doctorate in sociology from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison
Previous Professional Experience
Roberta has been with Cooperative Extension and UW-Madison in the Department
of Consumer Science since 1993. Prior returning to UW, Roberta she spent four
years teaching medical students and conducting research in the Department of
Community and Preventive
Medicine at SUNY at Stony Brook. She then worked six
years at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill researching public health
issues. When she first returned to UW she worked as an associate scientist in
preventive medicine at UW-Madison.
Highlights of Current Assignments and Programs
Roberta Riportella serves as Project Director for covering kids & families-Wisconsin, a coalition-based Medicaid outreach organization. As part of covering kids & families, she is involved with several outreach and research projects including:
- REACH BC+: Retention and Enrollment to Achieve Children's Health and Build Capacity, Wisconsin Partnership Fund for a Healthy Future, UW School of Medicine and School of Public Health (northeast andsoutheast Wisconsin); Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment
- Outreach work covering kids & families. Helen Bader Foundation
- Contracted to complete BadgerCare+ on-site enrollment for state’s CHIPRA (federal Children’s Health Insurance Program
Reconciliation Act) commitment. Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Roberta is a Professor in the Department of Consumer Science, School of Human Ecology, UW-Madison and a Health Policy Specialist, UW Extension. Roberta is also currently contracted to identify ways for Wisconsin's School Food Authorities (SFAs) to increase their capacities to consistently run the federally required Direct Certification process (school lunch programs) as efficiently and as frequently as possible. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Relevant websites:
Roberta's Extension Health Reform public blog
Health Families and Communities Extension team page
Contact Roberta at:
Department of Consumer Science
School of Human Ecology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Health Policy Specialist
Family Living Programs
University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension
1305 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706
(608) 263-7088
rriporte@wisc.edu
