Janie Hamm is a bilingual public health professional with 40 years of experience in education, language access, community outreach, and public service. She has served with the Lake Cumberland District Health Department since 2008, where she developed and manages the district’s Language Access/LEP Program serving 10 counties.
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish from the University of Kentucky and specialized training in medical interpreting, Janie has dedicated her career to helping individuals overcome language and cultural barriers to accessing health services. She oversees, trains, mentors and supports a team of interpreters while developing policies, procedures, training programs, and operational practices that promote quality, efficiency and compliance.
Her work spans a broad range of public health programs, including WIC, HANDS, family planning, immunizations, tuberculosis, diabetes, education, environmental health, Ryan White, and community outreach.
Janie is passionate about health equity and ensuring that underserved and under-resourced communities receive respectful, understandable, and accessible health services.
Outside of her primary role, she has volunteered extensively as a medical and dental interpreter through community health initiatives, helping individuals who might otherwise struggle to obtain the health services they need.