Please join me in welcoming Verella Olguin to SUPR. She has taken on the role of Illinois Statewide Opioid Settlement Administrator (SOSA) and will oversee the Office of Opioid Settlement Administration within SUPR. Verella brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our organization, and I am confident she will be a great asset to our leadership team and our overall mission!
Message from the SOSA, Verella Olguin
I am thrilled to join the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention & Recovery, as the new Statewide Opioid Settlement Administrator. With over 15 years of experience in promoting health equity for underserved populations, I have had the privilege of leading teams, developing innovative programs, and collaborating with community partners to improve health outcomes for all.
My educational journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Community Health from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, followed by a Master's in Public Health from Chicago State University. I am also on track to receive my Doctorate in Public Health from the University of South Florida this year.
Prior to this role, I served as the Deputy Director of the New Orleans Health Department, where I worked closely with diverse populations, including individuals and families experiencing homelessness, at-risk youth, and minority communities. My role was to oversee the health department's core priority divisions, including behavioral health and domestic violence, and quality performance management and equity programs. Before that, I spent over five years as a Grants, Outreach, & Quality Performance Manager at the New Orleans Health Care for the Homeless, a federally qualified health center within the city's health department. I helped to lead the implementation of the Medication-assisted treatment program and behavioral health clinic expansion. These experiences have given me a deep understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable populations and a passion for developing solutions tailored to their unique needs.