CORVALLIS, Ore. — From youth mental health to aging care, the two newest members of the Oregon State University Extension Service’s Family and Community Health program are helping strengthen Oregon’s public health systems.
For Ivan Ali Estrada, growing up in Umatilla and Morrow counties in Eastern Oregon instilled in him a passion for giving back to the Oregonian communities.
Estrada, who graduated from OSU in 2015, returned last fall as an assistant professor of practice in the Family and Community Health Extension program. His focus is on behavioral health, a broad field that includes mental health, substance use and addiction. He’s especially interested in supporting youths in rural communities, where mental health resources are often limited.
Despite their different backgrounds, both Estrada and Spurgeon are motivated by the same belief: that community relationships are the foundation of public health.
“Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among youths,” Estrada said. “If we can equip youths with the internal coping mechanisms and support structures they need, I think we can really make a positive impact across their lifespan.”
Estrada didn’t start his career in public health. He graduated with a degree in exercise and sports science, intending to become a physical therapist. But after spending time in clinics and earning his master’s and doctoral degrees in public health, he discovered a deeper calling in mental health and substance use prevention.
His current work takes him to Malheur County, where a community needs assessment revealed widespread concerns about youth substance use. OSU Extension stepped in to help by launching Community Conversations about Behavioral Health, an initiative to spark local dialogue and community action. During community conversations, residents voiced a need for more positive youth engagement outside of school. So, Estrada and his team got to work — not by prescribing a program, but by listening.
They invited youth representatives from area schools to hear their interests and needs to tailor the extracurricular program design. They implemented the pilot program, Skill Up for Life, in mid-July.
“We don’t see it as a one-off opportunity,” Estrada said. “We want to build something that lasts multiple years. It shows how we try to nurture relationships and leverage existing partnerships to create long-term impact.”
Estrada believes effective youth development starts with empowering adults.
“Adults in the community are the gatekeepers,” he said. “So we spend time working with parents, educators and decision-makers to create opportunities for youth to thrive.”
Building a future for aging care
In an office across Ballard Extension Hall, Steve Spurgeon is working on how to support the future of aging in Oregon.
Spurgeon stepped into his role as outreach coordinator for the Family and Community Health program in December 2023. Originally from Cincinnati, Spurgeon served as a medic in the U.S. Army in Iraq. He brings a unique blend of experience as a veteran and a former communications professional with a deep commitment to public health.
Before this role, he was working with veterans and community members as a peer support specialist. That experience sparked his interest in the bigger picture — systems, education and long-term care infrastructure.
He earned a second bachelor’s degree in public health management and policy from OSU in 2022 and interned at OSU’s Center for Health Innovation, where he focused on veteran health outcomes.
“Every single aspect of my life has come into some form here,” Spurgeon said. “This position is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that pulls together everything I thought would never fit.”
This year, Spurgeon led the Oregon State University Gerontology Conference, a long-running public health event at OSU. Held annually at the OSU Alumni Center, the conference attracted approximately 250 participants in April, providing practical and interdisciplinary education on aging.
Spurgeon hopes to grow it back to pre-pandemic size — around 450 attendees — and expand its impact.
“The conference used to be more academic, but now we’re focusing on the practical,” he said. “We want to bring in nurses, social workers and health providers who work directly with seniors. We want people to walk away with resources they can actually use.”
That means outreach. A lot of it. Spurgeon made more than 150 phone calls to secure sponsors this year, eventually partnering with 20 organizations. And while he has big plans for the conference’s 50th anniversary in 2027, he’s most proud of how the event builds community.
“My role is to go out and say, ‘Hey, I know things are tough, but it’s still safe to gather. It’s still safe to be with people,’” he said. “We’re all caregivers, we’re all family. The point of this conference is to have everybody learn something to take back to their work and discuss how we can bring change.”
He said Oregon’s aging population is growing rapidly. According to the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, this year Oregon seniors outnumber children for the first time, and over the next decade, the state is expected to have 40% more seniors than kids.
“How are we going to care for them?” Spurgeon said. “What’s OSU’s role in that?”
Despite their different backgrounds, both Estrada and Spurgeon are motivated by the same belief: that community relationships are the foundation of public health. They said they feel that they’ve been able to achieve and thrive in their new positions.
“I can feel that professional growth is a huge piece that’s pushed here,” Spurgeon said. “We’re like a family. We work together, care about each other, and help each other grow. You don’t get that everywhere.”
