Meet the Houston Team
We’re a team of community organizers, clinicians, and explorers committed to helping close the digital divide and increase access to healthcare.
Meet the Team
Dr. Alister Martin
Founder and Managing Director
Dr. Alister Martin is an ER physician and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Kennedy School and was a former Chief Resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was a former Biden Administration appointee serving as an advisor in the Office of the Vice President under Kamala Harris as an appointed White House Fellow.
He is the founder of Vot-ER, a nonpartisan voter registration organization that has organized over 26,000 healthcare providers and 300 hospitals to help non-urgent patients register to vote. Also, the founder of Get Waivered, a program that is converting our nation’s ERs into the front door for opioid addiction treatment, was instrumental in the organizing efforts resulting in the removal of the X waiver provision. Co-founded GOTVax, an initiative aimed at leveraging a get-out-the-vote framework to deliver vaccines directly to vulnerable communities via hyper-targeted vaccine pop-up clinics.
Dr. Martin currently serves as CEO of A Healthier Democracy, a nonprofit healthcare organizing incubator which leverages healthcare workers and healthcare settings as a place to build programs and movements that serve the needs of vulnerable patients and helps oversee strategy at Link Health.
Ar’Sheill Monsanto
Houston Program Leader
Ar’Sheill Monsanto has worked in advocacy, public policy, and community organizing for 15 years where she has been responsible for implementing evidence-based strategies to create environmental change through public policy.
In the past, she has spearheaded advocacy campaigns for organizations including the Illinois Dept. of Public Health, American Heart Association, Texans Standing Tall, Texas YMCAs, and Leadership for Educational Equity. Ar’Sheill is also the author of Kids in Cuffs: Striving for Equity and Empathy in Education. She wrote this book because she is passionate about creating meaningful change through public policy in the education space.
When Ar’Sheill is not working you can find her binging on reality shows, searching for the perfect cupcake, or complaining about exercising. For more information, you can connect with Ar’Sheill Monsanto on Instagram or on LinkedIn.
Melissa Martínez
Director of Operations
Melissa, is a Civil Engineer currently serving as Director of Operations and brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, project management, and logistics optimization. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to efficiency and customer-centricity, and she actively engages in community projects advocating for equality and justice, both for people and animals. Her analytical and problem-solving skills have consistently propelled her to excel in various roles, positively influencing her field and team. Beyond her professional pursuits, Melissa enjoys hobbies such as reading, yoga, and crocheting, reflecting her passion for balance and creativity.
For more information, you can connect with Melissa on LinkedIn.