Meet the Team
Patricia Turner
Tobacco Outreach and Education Coordinator
Patricia Turner is the Outreach and Education Coordinator for Tobacco Free Allen County and provides community education on tobacco-related health risks and cessation, conducts outreach and recruitment, and assists with community-based projects and legislative advocacy.
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She has worked in the nonprofit arena for the past thirty years with twenty of them involving combatting tobacco use. Patricia is an American Lung Association-certified Freedom from Smoking® and INDEPTH® (Intervention for Nicotine Dependence: Education, Prevention, Tobacco and Health) programs facilitator, as well as a certified Community Health Worker and Community Health Worker Trainer. She has directed projects for the Fort Wayne African American Cancer Alliance, Fort Wayne Women’s Bureau, Neighborhood Health Clinics, City of Fort Wayne, and Pathfinder Services, each of which has focused on issues of health and wellbeing or community development.
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A lifelong resident of Fort Wayne, Patricia’s commitment to the well-being of her community, including its most marginalized populations, is demonstrated in the depth and breadth of her community service. A graduate of Indiana University and Leadership Fort Wayne, Patricia currently serves on the Boards of the Office of Wayne Township Trustee (elected position) and Miss Virginia's Food Pantry. Previous Board service includes United Way of Allen County and the Fort Wayne Urban Enterprise Association, where she served as Board President. Patricia also currently serves as President of her Larez Neighborhood Association and is an active member of the Fort Wayne City Utilities Advisory Group and the Advisory Committee of Pontiac Street Market, a newly created, private-public partnership grocery and nutrition-education hub, created to address the food desert in south-central Fort Wayne.
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You can reach Patricia at:
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 Middle School and Northrop High School.
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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, Lynda found her place here at Tobacco Free Allen County as the Youth Coordinator for VOICE.
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You can reach Lynda at:
or (260) 797-8025
Taylor Bowser
Tobacco Cessation Coordinator
Taylor joined Tobacco Free Allen County in February 2021. Her primary role is to promote tobacco treatment and resources such Quit Now Indiana to healthcare providers, employers, and community-based organizations. She is also responsible for maintaining our website and creating our quarterly newsletter, Breathe Free.
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She completed her Master of Public Health at Indiana State University and has a diverse background in behavioral health, care coordination, patient advocacy, and wellness. She is a Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Certified Health and Well-Being Coach.​
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You can reach Taylor at: