08/28/2026
Happy Friday!
We are so excited to introduce you to the newest member of our NCRHP Staff, Dr. Mina Tanaka! There's no better way to help us get to know her better than by sharing her NCRHP Staff Bio with you all. Without further ado, please read more about Mina!
Name: Mina Tanaka, MD, MPH
Degrees/Training:
BA in Comparative Literature and minor in gerontology (UCLA)
MPH - Public Health and Aging track in the Department of Sociomedical Sciences (Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health)
MD from UICOMR - RMED!
Internal Medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital
Position at the NCRHP (Since Year):
Associate Director of Rural Health Policy and Practice since August 2026!
Primary Duties of your Position:
Somewhat TBD but one of my primary goals is to strengthen the Native American Pathway Program. I have worked in different settings in Indian Country, and I have a particular interest in increasing access and improving quality of care for rural Indigenous communities. I'll be going back to New Mexico intermittently during the year to work clinically on the Navajo Nation, where I was working as a general internist before I transitioned to my job at NCRHP. I hope to be able to take trainees and staff on future trips so that people can see not only the challenges experienced by people living on rural reservation settings, but also the beauty of the area and the strengths of the community. I will also be working as the medical director for the Winnebago County Jail and as a faculty member for the UICOMR Family Medicine, so you may see me rushing around town!
Favorite thing about working in the NCRHP:
As a proud RMED grad, it feels like a homecoming to be back in Rockford and working at NCRHP. So many people at NCRHP and the UICOMR campus continued to provide mentorship and encouragement to me even after I left Rockford. I feel very lucky that an opportunity opened up for me to work at NCRHP whose mission so closely aligns with mine. And to be surrounded by such passionate and dedicated go-getters is very energizing. I'm also excited to be working with students and to provide support and insight from my experiences going through medical training and practice in rural settings.
Which RMED event do you most look forward to every year and why?
As a student, I really enjoyed the Southern Exposure trip because it not only gave us an opportunity to interface with stakeholder and changemakers in the communities, but we got to experience a part of Illinois that I usually don't have a change to explore.
Talk about the photos you’ve shared with me! Tell me why they are important to you:
Before we moved back to Rockford, I was living and working on the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners region (where NM, CO, AZ, and UT meet). I have 2 boys — a 3 year old and an infant-- and my husband and I loved to take them out hiking and camping as we were surrounded by natural beauty. Although we are not as outdoorsy as many of our friends in NM—we're at least outsidey.
My oldest son and husband in Shimoda, Japan (my dad's hometown) and at a summer festival in Tokyo. My entire extended family lives in Japan, as well as my mother now, who moved back to Japan during the pandemic (my parents immigrated to the US via Canada in the late 1960s/early 1970s). We try to spend time in Japan every year so that my kids can feel connected to the culture and to see their extended family.
Obligatory pet/animal picture: Our rez cat officially named Red Lobster Unlimited Cheddar Bay Biscuits (aka Cheezy for short). She seems a bit undecided about how she's feeling about grass thus far (she's a high desert feline).
Thank you, Mina, for taking the time to help us get to know you a little better! We are thrilled to have you join us as an important addition to our NCRHP team!
