Sonia has been in the public health field for 10 years. She joined the Health Department in in 2016 and serves as the Preparedness and Epidemiology Coordinator.
Sonia previously worked for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and for Health and Human Services (HHS) within the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response program. Her previous work at KDHE focused on the utilization and development of IT systems in public health preparedness, including serving as the state Health Alert Network project manager and the state volunteer registry project manager. With HHS, she provided training and technical assistance to developing and established Medical Reserve Corps units.
Sonia has a BA in sociology from Kansas State University and earned an MA in sociology from the University of Oklahoma in 2005. In 2015, she earned a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and is a certified IT Project Manager within the state of Kansas.
Sonia lives in Lawrence with her husband, James, their two sons Leo and George, and dog Scout. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, and going for walks. She loves living in Lawrence and enjoying the many places, activities and events the town has to offer.