Meet The Team
Patricia Turner
Tobacco Education Coordinator
Bio coming soon!
Nancy Cripe, M.A.
Executive Director/Coalition Coordinator
Nancy Cripe, M.A. has been a member of Tobacco Free Allen County (TFAC), based in Fort Wayne, IN since 2004. Since 2015, she has served as Director and Coalition Coordinator for this coalition of community advocates working to build a healthier community through smoke-free air policies, prevention education, cessation promotion, legislative advocacy, and raising awareness of tobacco industry targeting of youth.
Nancy previously worked with pregnant patients for ten years, as a prevention and tobacco cessation specialist at a Federally Qualified Health Center. She has also worked as an Events Coordinator and Prevention Educator for an HIV/AIDS service organization and an Educator/Trainer for a women's organization, serving incarcerated women, TANIF recipients, and women in drug and alcohol recovery. Earlier in her career, Nancy taught English as a Second Language, in the U.S. and abroad, as well as undergraduate French and English.
Nancy loves working with diverse populations and thrives on learning and sharing information that empowers people and changes lives. Her passion for fighting tobacco use stems from seeing far too many friends and loved ones fall prey to industry's addiction trap and endure so much suffering that could have been prevented.
You can reach Nancy at:
Lynda Nguyen
Youth Coordinator for Allen County VOICE Initiative
Lynda Nguyen, the leader of Allen County's Voice Initiative, was raised in Fort Wayne, IN and attended Shawnee MS and Northrop HS. Born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and immigrating to the U.S. when she was 7 years old, she always knew that she wanted to help others. Having graduated from Indiana University with a BA in Informatics with a cognate in Public Health and a minor in Epidemiology, she found her place here at Tobacco Free Allen County as the Youth Coordinator for Voice.
You can reach Lynda at:
dlnguyen@tobaccofree02.org or (260) 797-8025.
Taylor Bowser
Tobacco Cessation Coordinator
Taylor Bowser joined the team in February 2021. She attended ISU where she completed her Master of Public Heath (MPH). Her diverse background includes behavioral health, population health, patient advocacy, and wellness. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist, Tobacco Treatment Specialist, and Certified Health and Well-Being Coach.
Taylor cannot wait to connect with healthcare providers, community organizations, and employers in Allen County.
You can reach Taylor at:
tbowser@tobaccofree02.org or (260) 705-8560