Dr. Cora Neumann

Founder of We Are Montana and Candidate for U.S. Congress from Montana

Dr. Cora Neumann is the founder of We Are Montana and a current candidate for U.S. Congress. Dr. Neumann’s family consists of several generations of Montanans and after growing up in the state, she committed her future to improving access to health care, expanding economic opportunities, and protecting access to public lands in Montana. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, received her Master of Public Health from Columbia University, and earned a PhD from the University of Oxford. Her professional background includes extensive experience in the non-profit and development sectors. Dr. Neumann founded Global First Ladies Alliance, an organization advancing the policy work of first ladies in political parties, and she also served in the State Department. 

Since 2015, Dr. Neumann has focused her efforts on public health and public lands projects in Montana and the Rocky Mountain West. When the pandemic began, Dr. Neumann recognized that local health leaders needed greater support in Montana. In May 2020, she organized and started the non-profit advocacy project, We Are Montana, that assists these leaders and their efforts to strengthen access to healthcare. We Are Montana fosters collaboration between rural and native health leaders, supports essential local organizations, facilitates distribution of COVID relief funding and supplies, and deepens health networks across the state. Additionally, We Are Montana established a public health leadership pipeline focused on recruiting and developing local talent committed to accessible and affordable health care.

Thinking about the future, Dr. Neumann pointed to the challenges that need to be addressed regarding the mental health crises, particularly among younger populations, stemming from experiences of the past two years. She further emphasized that the long-term structure of We Are Montana is meant to last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Neumann continues to serve Montanans and advocate for improved health outcomes. 

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