The Central New York Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Alliance wel-comes Elizabeth Balfour as its new education coordinator.
Balfour was an instructional specialist with the Catholic Charities of Onondaga County and brings more than 10 years of experience working with diverse students, adults and families across Central New York. She delivers extensive knowledge in supportive health resources, education and counseling to clients and families, plus connections to community and government-backed programs.
“Elizabeth’s expertise is the pillar of our innovative educational programming needs,” said Executive Director Royale Scuderi. “I am thrilled to work alongside her educating the community about Lyme and tick-borne diseases.”
Balfour attended Onondaga Community College before graduating from SUNY Cortland with a Bachelor of Arts in adolescence education and English, summa cum laude. With the alliance, she will create and refine educational programs, opportunities and partnerships to prevent and identify tick-borne diseases.
The hiring has been possible thanks to grant funding from the Central New York Community Foundation and the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.
Central New York is an epicenter of tick-borne disease, with most recent data indicating a 439% increase in Central New York between 2008 and 2018. On the verge of a health crisis, the alliance is working to advance solutions in four key areas: clinical, education, research, and the environment.