In this episode, Sujani sits down with Glenn Laverack, a seasoned public health professional whose career has spanned continents and been shaped by his diverse experiences. His early years engaged with grassroots initiatives laid the foundation for a deep understanding of the local context, an asset that would become invaluable as he navigated the complex world of global health. They explore the significance of community empowerment in making a meaningful impact and touch upon the multifaceted nature of public health careers that are often characterized by an ongoing process of learning, adapting, and seizing opportunities explore the significance of community empowerment in making a meaningful impact. This episode not only serves as a compass for those looking to forge a career in global health but also highlights the collective mission of improving community health and shaping policy. You’ll LearnGlenn’s first experience volunteering in Sri Lanka and how that has led to a lifelong passion and a career in international healthThe lifestyle choices inherent in a global career that demands international mobility and the enriching experiences it can offerHaving direct experience in field work and using your assets to provide a competitive edge in the public health fieldFactors to consider when thinking about continuing postgraduate studiesEmpowering communities to have more voice and authority about projects that will influence their livesUnderstanding what it is you want to achieve in public health to figure out how you can make the most impactThe pivotal role that personal connections and networking play in professional developmentToday’s GuestDr. Glenn Laverack is a social scientist and an international leader in health promotion and empowerment with a distinguished career for 40 years as a practitioner, an academic, researcher and consultant in more than 50 countries. Dr Laverack has been an advocate for the value of ordinary people at the centre of health promotion and has developed several innovative solutions to co-create successful programs in different cultural contexts. He formerly worked as a Coordinator (Empowerment) in neglected tropical diseases at WHO, Geneva and as a research fellow at Flinders University, Australia. Dr Laverack has managed several large-scale health programs including in Ghana and India and worked as a consultant on more than 100 contracts worldwide. He has a wide range of publications including 26 books, 12 in English and 14 in other languages including in Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, French, Farsi, Italian, Chinese and Thai. Dr Laverack has been a visiting professor at 6 universities in Denmark, Italy, the UAE and the UK and was the Director of Health Promotion, University of Auckland, New Zealand. His PhD investigated the collaborative role of communities in health promotion programs in Fiji and is presently an independent adviser with the UN, governmental and international development agencies.ResourcesConnect with Glenn on LinkedIn and find his work on ResearchGateLearn more about Glenn’s book, ”Health Promotion Practice: Power and Empowerment”Learn more about Global Health Mentorships Support the Show.Join The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This week, our guest Christie VanHorne shares her career trajectory into public health from a background in history and involvement in humanitarian efforts.  From working as a health educator to creating her own public health consulting business and teaching at Vassar College, Christie's story highlights how hard work, staying true to yourself, and having a solid network are all crucial to building your dream career. Her  journey emphasizes the dynamic nature of professional and personal evolution, encouraging listeners to embrace change and growth. You’ll LearnChristie’s path into public health through a passion for human rights and social justiceHer work in South Africa with the Peace Corps and international health Building a strong network to open up doors to new opportunitiesDealing with toxic workplaces and how Christie founded her consulting businessHow education has been a common factor throughout all of Christie’s career and how her love for teaching led to a decision to pursue a DrPHDeciding between a DrPH and PhD and figuring out which path is best for youFinding your niche in public health, staying true to yourself, and traversing your journey at your own paceToday’s GuestChristie is a seasoned public health consultant with 20 years of experience. In 2015, she founded CVH Consulting, LLC., offering services to create impactful health education and training experiences for her clients. Christie has worked with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the New York State Department of Health, the Hemophilia Federation of America, and many more organizations to design, develop, and update programs. She is also a subject matter expert on the social determinants and health equity for many continuing education projects for community-based organization staff and healthcare professionals. From her time in the Peace Corps in South Africa to teaching at Vassar College and all the career experiences in between, Christie's dedication to public health shines. Last year, she was recognized with the prestigious ATHENA Award, an international honor for women who demonstrate excellence in their profession, community service, and mentorship of future leaders. One of her current volunteer roles is serving as the Vice-Chair of the National Women’s Health Network Board of Directors. In August, Christie will start her Doctor of Public Health degree at Tulane University, specializing in Equity, Leadership, and Advocacy. She resides in the Hudson Valley, NY, with her beloved pups and husband.ResourcesFollow Christie on LinkedIn and Instagram Learn more about CVH ConsultingSupport the Show.Join The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In our latest podcast episode, we delve into a story of transition, courage, and the unwavering human spirit as our guest, Yasir Essar, swapped his dentistry scrubs for a career in public health amid the chaotic backdrop of a global pandemic and geopolitical turmoil. Yasir shares how visualizing achievements can provide a push to overcome challenges and demonstrates the powerful role mentors and community support play in guiding career paths, particularly for international students and professionals in new environments. His career transformation teaches us that with resilience, the right mindset, and community support, we can navigate through uncertainty and emerge with renewed purpose and aspirations.You’ll LearnHow the COVID pandemic led Yasir to public and global health and steps he took to transition into the field from dentistryYasir’s experience continuing his education and career as a refugee in Canada, how he persevered through the uprooting of his life, and how his background shaped his current interest in refugee and global healthBuilding and relying on a social support group and mentors to achieve your dreams and other ways to visualize your goalsTips for international students and remembering to take the time to care for yourself in a new countryUsing LinkedIn with intentionality as a tool to network, facilitate advocacy, tell stories, and make an impactToday’s GuestYasir is a former refugee from Afghanistan who holds an MSc in Global Health from McMaster University.Prior to moving to Canada, he lived as a refugee in Tajikistan after fleeing Afghanistan. During his time as a refugee, he continued to share his lived experience of refugee life.Currently, he works as a Research Assistant at Western University in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and as a Community Scholar at the University of Calgary. Additionally, he holds a visiting academic position with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton. Yasir’s professional journey is marked by an unwavering commitment to knowledge and a passion for making a real-world impact. His scholarly work has been published in prestigious journals such as The Lancet, BMJ, and PLoS. He is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®) and holds multiple certificates from Wayne State University, the University of Geneva, McGill University, and the LinkedIn Learning Academy.During his tenure as a Research Assistant at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, he focused particularly on tuberculosis research, further enriching his expertise in infectious disease research.Yasir is always eager to connect with like-minded professionals, share insights, and explore collaborative opportunities. He is open to guest lecture invitations on the topics of refugees, mentorship, and global health.ResourcesConnect with Yasir on LinkedIn  Support the Show.Join The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani delves into her personal struggles with speaking in public and how it affected her career in public health. She reflects on her initial reluctance to speak in various settings and her journey of self-improvement through the creation of her podcast.  Sujani shares that by creating opportunities to practice speaking, she was able to progressively build confidence and improve her communication skills. She emphasizes the importance of small, consistent steps toward facing and overcoming fears. Her transformation led to better engagement in conversations, more profound connections with colleagues, and the ability to speak up in meetings, which were once daunting tasks. By sharing her story, Sujani hopes to inspire listeners to embark on their own journeys of self-improvement and career advancement, proving that the challenges we face can become the catalysts for our triumphs.Support the Show.Join The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today's episode features Dr. Charlotte Huntley, a public health entrepreneur and leader. We peel back the layers of her dynamic journey from a liberal arts and microbiology background to an influential career in epidemiology and entrepreneurship.  Our dialogue uncovers her dive into the pharmaceutical industry and how the entrepreneurial flame was kindled within her. As we pivot towards the impact of her work during a global pandemic, Dr. Huntley delves into the importance of communication in public health and the gratification of specializing her consulting services to aid BIPOC organizations. Join us as we draw inspiration from Dr. Huntley's narrative, illustrating the power of readiness for opportunities and the joy of a career intertwined with core values.You’ll LearnDr. Huntley’s work in microbiology and healthcare and her pivot into epidemiology and community healthGlobal health and the pharmaceutical industry Dr. Huntley’s start in podcasting and how it grew into a thriving businessCOVID’s impact on Dr. Huntley’s new company and how it has evolved since then to primarily serve BIPOC communitiesGlance into the making of Dr. Huntley’s upcoming book on public health entrepreneurshipToday’s GuestDr. Charlotte Hughes Huntley, MPH is a public health entrepreneur and recognized leader in the public health industry. She has over 20 years of experience as an accomplished epidemiologist, microbiologist, consultant, and podcaster. Dr. Huntley is the CEO at DrCHHuntley, LLC, a public health and epidemiology consulting firm supporting large nonprofit organizations and government agencies that serve black, indigenous, and people of color commonly referred to as BIPOC communities. Her team is often invited to support tribal organizations and are always humbled and honored to serve. Through another arm of her business, Dr. Huntley and her team also provide resources and support to public health entrepreneurs.ResourcesConnect with Dr. Huntley on LinkedInLearn more about DrCHHuntley Consulting and listen to the Public Health Epidemiology Conversations podcast  Learn more about Public Health Entrepreneurs, the Mastermind program, and listen to the Public Health Entrepreneurs podcast  Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Welcome to the Public Health Career Club. From sitting down with accomplished public health professionals who will spill the beans on making the most of your degree, to personalized career advice during our office hours – it's all happening here. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. We've packed our calendar with monthly resume clinics, mentorship sessions, and social mixers to spark lifelong connections. Stay tuned for our weekly workshops and special talks that promise to keep your professional growth on a constant upswing. If you're listening from April 10th to 12th, 2024, don't miss this golden opportunity to become a part of the Public Health Career Club. Let's roll up our sleeves and make a difference together!Featured on the Show:Connect with Sujani on LinkedInEmail us at: [email protected] us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and  TwitterSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This week Sujani unveils the transformative power of weaving relationship-building into the very fabric of your daily life. From striking up a conversation with a colleague to reaching out to a professional you admire online, I'll demonstrate the omnipresence of networking opportunities. Whether you're taking your first steps in public health or you're a seasoned expert, this episode promises to revolutionize your approach to building relationships and expand your professional network in ways you never imagined. Let's get ready to transform the way you think about networking in public health. Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Have you ever found yourself at a career crossroads, contemplating a leap into uncharted territory? Join us as we navigate the captivating realm of public health careers with Dr. Vinu Ilakkuvan. She shares her remarkable shift from engineering to public health, shedding light on the serendipitous ways that one's professional journey can unfold. We discuss the strategic reframing of skills that allow for such shifts, and the interplay between work experience and academic learning. Our dialogue unveils the empowering process of aligning personal values with professional ambitions, leading to a career that's not just a job but a calling.  You’ll LearnVinu’s experience transitioning from biomedical engineering to public health early in her career vs. pivoting from one role to another later on Vinu’s various job roles and what she learned from each oneHow Vinu’s passion for working in an interconnected public health environment and bridging policy and ground work led to the creation of PoP HealthWhat PoP Health is and how they improve public health by collaborating with coalitions to facilitate community accessReflecting on your own career experiences and gaining confidence to form your own story and work towards your dream jobToday’s GuestVinu Ilakkuvan, DrPH, MSPH, is passionate about strengthening community-driven efforts to address the upstream, root drivers of health (pophealthllc.com/tedx). She is Founder and Principal Consultant of PoP Health, a public health consulting practice that partners with community coalitions and collaboratives to transform health in their communities through policy and systems change (pophealthllc.com). PoP Health helps coalitions engage in community collaboration, action planning, participatory evaluation, and effective storytelling. PoP Health also issues a biweekly newsletter, Community Threads, with tools and strategies for anyone seeking to improve community health (pophealthllc.com/newsletter). Vinu received her DrPH in Health Behavior from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health as a Milken Scholar, a Master’s degree with a concentration in Health Communication from the Harvard School of Public Health, and Bachelor’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Economics from the University of Virginia. She currently serves as a Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University. Vinu began her public health career coordinating the Virginia Department of Health's bullying and youth violence prevention program and later, evaluating the national truth antismoking campaign and managing policy and communications projects at Trust for America’s Health.ResourcesConnect with Vinu on LinkedIn Learn more about the Truth Initiative Learn more about Trust for America's Health Learn more about PoP Health Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Unlock the code to public health job success with Zoila Reina of Public Health Hired, who graces our podcast with expert tips on mastering the language of the sector. If you've ever felt lost in a sea of job applications, Zoila's creation, the Public Health Key Terms Guide, is your beacon. We zero in on the power of terms and how they're not just buzzwords but keys to your next career move. From decoding job descriptions to enhancing your resume and shining in interviews, our conversation is the guiding light for public health hopefuls ready to make their mark.You’ll LearnWhat the Key Terms in Public Health Guide is and how it came to beHow understanding terms can help you envision yourself in certain jobs and reflect on your skillsUnderstanding key terms to show off your public health knowledge in job applications and interviewsElevating your language in everyday work to advance your careerUsing key terms to expand your job search beyond traditional public health rolesToday’s GuestThe founder of Public Health Hired, Zoila Reyna MPH, has single-handedly, with no outsourcing, helped secure over 240 public health job offers and internships through her virtual presentations, online masterclass, tailored mentorships, and social media content. Zoila's unwavering dedication to the diverse public health workforce is evident through the Public Health Hired's mission to demystify the public health employment process and help others master best practices and proven techniques to be successful in the job search. She has a full-time job in healthcare as a consultant for community health and loves spending time in her Los Angeles home with her baby girl Jhara, her son Giovanni, dog Lulu, and spouse Jimmy. ResourcesConnect with Zoila on LinkedIn Get the Key Terms in Public Health guide and check out what else Public Health Hired has to offer Listen to the previous episode on personal brandingSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Our guest this week, Angeza Mohammed, is a testament to the power of aligning one's passions with their profession. Follow her strategic yet dynamic career path and learn how mentally and physically envisioning her ideal life, strategic networking, and taking risks led to her creating The Consulting Nest and  How did you learn to do that?, The Successful Candidate. You’ll LearnHow Angeza was first introduced to public healthWhy Angeza pivoted from her dreams of becoming a doctor to public healthAngeza’s career journey and how she was able to move closer to her dream job by taking risks, strategic networking, and envisioning her next stepsFiguring out what you want from a career, knowing your worth, and not letting fear hold you back from changeWhat The Consulting Nest is and how it connects organizations to individuals offering their skillsToday’s GuestAngeza Mohammed is the CEO and Founder of How did you learn to do that?, The Successful Candidate and The Consulting Nest Inc.With over 10 years of professional experience, Angeza brings a unique and strategic approach to creating the career you want, feeling fulfilled and knowing how to take the next step in your growth!Angeza’s career has taken her through and into all aspects of the health care system in British Columbia, Canada and it all began before she even graduated from her undergrad, all thanks to her unique strategy which has been instrumental to her success!Angeza’s purpose in life is to share and inspire you to create the life that you wish existed for yourself. In addition to her successful healthcare career, Angeza coaches recent graduates and professionals to help them discover what fulfills them, how to align that with their career and how to take action every single day towards creating the life they always wish existed for themselves!Angeza’s biggest piece of advice to you is to always remember that investing in yourself has the ability to catalyze your life from ordinary to extraordinary.ResourcesConnect with Angeza on LinkedIn Learn more about How did you learn to do that?, The Successful Candidate and The Consulting Nest Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, we lift the veil on public health salaries and discover how transparency in salary discussions can pave the way for more informed career decisions in public health. Sujani walks us through her own career, from initial salary to current earnings, and discusses starting income ranges of other public health professionals collected from a  LinkedIn post and how factors like sector, region, and experience play pivotal roles in shaping your earning potential.  Sujani also guides you through a range of resources, from government pages to platforms like PayScale and Glassdoor, offering a realistic perspective on what new grads and seasoned professionals alike can anticipate in terms of compensation. By encouraging transparency, we aim to empower our community with the knowledge needed to make empowered career choices.Featured on the Show:Learn more about Canada's EC agreementLearn more about public health salary ranges on PayScale and GlassdoorListen to the previous episode on consulting and entrepreneurshipSchedule a mentorship call with SujaniSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today, unlock a world of innovation at the crossroads of entrepreneurship and public health consulting with Leah Roman and Vinu Ilakkuvan. They bring to light the motivations behind a groundbreaking survey on self-employed public health professionals, revealing the often hidden sides of self employment. Through candid conversations, we learn about the economic prospects of consulting and the pressing need for more academic training and support networks to arm future public health entrepreneurs with the tools for success.You’ll LearnWhat prompted Leah, Vinu, and Laura to collaborate on “The self-employed public health consultant and entrepreneur workforce in the United States” and the method behind conducting the surveyKey findings from the survey including demographics and formal training in skills related to entrepreneurshipBreaking down the financial aspects of consulting and salary transparencyThe gap in support networks for self employed public health professionals and brainstorming how to bridge itWhat Leah and Vinu hope to achieve next with the results collected from the surveyToday’s GuestLeah A. Roman, MPH, MCHES is the Owner & Principal Consultant for Roman Public Health Consulting LLC, where she helps public health organizations design effective e-learning solutions. She has 18+ years of experience providing training and technical assistance, health education, and project management services. Leah has a BA in Psychology (University of San Diego), a master of public health degree (Boston University), a certificate in e-learning instructional design (University of Washington), and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES). Leah lives in the Philadelphia, PA area (USA) with her husband and two children.Vinu Ilakkuvan, DrPH, MSPH, is passionate about strengthening community-driven efforts to address the upstream, root drivers of health. She is Founder and Principal Consultant of PoP Health, a public health consulting practice that partners with community coalitions and collaboratives to transform health in their communities through policy and systems change. PoP Health helps coalitions engage in community collaboration, action planning, participatory evaluation, and effective storytelling. PoP Health also issues a biweekly newsletter, Community Threads, with tools and strategies for anyone seeking to improve community health ResourcesConnect with Leah on LinkedIn and read her blog post on how much to charge for consulting services Connect with Vinu on LinkedIn and learn more about PoP HealthRead more about the results from the The self-employed public health consultant and entrepreneur workforce in the United States surveyListen to previous episodes with Leah on public health consulting and designing public health trainingSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Imagine catapulting your career to new heights by harnessing the transformative power of personal branding. That’s exactly what we're unpacking today with leadership coach Richa Bansal, whose insights into professional presence are nothing short of game-changing. Our conversation delves into the nuances of how you're perceived and the pivotal role of aligning your self-image with external perspectives. And for those just starting out, we lay out a blueprint for building a strong personal brand that paves the way to leadership and innovation.You’ll LearnWhat personal branding is and why it is important to understand your brandHow to figure out your brand and use the POWER framework to shift it to advance towards your career goalsAdvice for early professionals on building your personal brand and envisioning where you want to beWhen perceptions can limit progress and tips on starting fresh How having allies in the workplace can help with shaping your personal brand and learning to “box the ask” for help Today’s GuestRicha Bansal is a leadership and job search coach with a decade of experience excelling in the corporate world on her own terms. She previously worked with Amazon, leading large-scale programs to help the company hire the best talent on earth, and with Schlumberger, leading a large engineering team to deliver multi-million dollar projects for global oilfield clients like ExxonMobil, Shell and BP.  As one of the only women in the room for most of her career, Richa has seen first-hand the struggles of women as they navigate the corporate ladder. In 2019, she founded Pinkcareers to deliver actionable, no-fluff career advice to ambitious professionals and accelerate their career growth. Richa has partnered with over 20 Fortune-500 companies, universities, and the Government of Canada to deliver her leadership programs, and coached 100s of high-potential professionals on how to ditch limiting beliefs and leverage the power of personal branding to 2X their career, compensation and impact.  Richa earned a Bachelor’s from IIT Delhi in India, a Master’s from Purdue University, and an MBA from Rice University. When she is not working on Pinkcareers, she loves to travel the world with her husband and two little boysResourcesConnect with Richa on LinkedIn and read more about the POWER framework  Learn more about Pinkcareers Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Embark on a transformative journey with Tasha Whitaker, a seasoned Community Health Worker whose heart beats for public health education and advocacy. From her initial dreams of trauma nursing to becoming a beacon of hope and change within her community, Tasha's story is a testament to the power of passion and persistence. Uncover the nuanced dynamics of Community Health Workers, the unsung heroes who bridge gaps between healthcare systems and the people they serve. Our conversation is a deep dive into how these trusted liaisons navigate complex webs of resources, while also highlighting the serendipitous nature of career opportunities that can arise from the most unexpected of places.You’ll LearnWhat a community health worker (CHW) is and how they work to better community health through building relationships within the communityTasha’s experience with landing a job as a CHW right out of undergrad The skillsets needed to be successful in community health workQualifications needed to become a CHW and how they differ depending on where you’re locatedOther pathways that are available for CHWs such as in research, clinical roles, and management and how skills learned from being a CHW prepare you for other rolesTasha’s transition from ground work to training others to starting her own professional development company and the work she does now with Crew Wellness LLCToday’s GuestTasha Whitaker is the CEO of Crew Wellness LLC, a Wellness Education Training & Professional Development Company which she founded after a decade of work experience leading in healthcare roles that have impacted federal, state and local public health organizations. Tasha has been featured on ABC 25, KYTX, CBS DFW and highlighted in magazine and print articles for her community engagement and public health expertise. She is sought after for her ability to improve community engagement outcomes through wellness interventions, strategic processes, and training thousands of Community Health Workers to deploy health education for  communities nationally. Through her company Crew Wellness she is impacting not only the communities being served, but also the Crew (staff) providing the services to ensure wellness is prioritized so they can continue to contribute to the positive health outcomes for communities. Tasha regularly consults for companies wishing to gain deeper connections with communities by providing relevant, fun and engaging  professional development training to the crew so they can serve equitably and provide a stellar service to the communities they serve. ResourcesConnect with Tasha on LinkedIn  Learn more about Crew Wellness LLCFor Americans, learn more at the National Association of Community Health WorkersFor Canadians, learn more at the Community Health Workers Network of Canada Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani discusses the launch of the Public Health Career Club, a membership-based community dedicated to empowering public health professionals.  The Career Club, which opened its doors in October 2022, has quickly become a hub for professionals seeking personalized support, job opportunities, networking, and guidance on their career paths.Sujani shares her personal journey, highlighting a period of reflection during her maternity leave, which led to the realization of the community's need for individualized support in a scalable way. This led to the birth of the Public Health Career Club, inspired by her experience with a community she joined.The club has seen an impressive growth, with 200 members joining since its inception. It offers a range of benefits, including tailored onboarding, regular live training, mentor office hours with industry experts, and social events. Featured on the show:Join the club or get more info here: phspot.org/clubSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani breaks down the different places you can look for public health jobs. She breaks down the following four categories with specific places (20 in total) to look for opportunities:Generic Job Search EnginesPublic Health Job BoardsStraight to the SourceHidden Job MarketHappy job searching!BONUS: Before the episode wraps up, Sujani shares a convo with Allie (one of the first members of The Public Health Career Club) to talk about her experience. We're opening up the doors to the club so what better way to help you decide to join, than to share insider info ;) Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Have you ever caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and noticed something new? That's what happened to Sujani when she revisited the Gallup Clifton Strengths Finder Test 10 years later. Years of nurturing a public health career have surprisingly added strategic thinking to my skill set, alongside my core abilities in execution and relationship building. Join Sujani as she reveals how personal strengths are not set in stone but evolve over time, and how recognizing this can significantly shape your professional journey.Featured on the Show:Clifton Strengths FinderFollow PH SPOT on LinkedInFollow Sujani on LinkedInJoin our communitySupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Navigating the ever-evolving landscape of public health, Sujani reflects on the past year's growth and anticipates the exciting new horizons that await in 2024. This episode is a celebration of the milestones achieved and a teaser of the novel ventures on the horizon for PH SPOT. It's a narrative that intertwines personal growth with professional development, underlining the importance of taking a step back when needed and returning stronger. The community is invited to join in this celebration and look forward to the new opportunities that 2024 promises in the world of public health.Key messages from this episode:The year 2023 was a period of significant growth for PH SPOT, one marked by the phspot.org platform reaching over 43,000 global users in 2023. Among the most sought-after pages on the website were the Public Health Career Club, a downloadable comparison of Canadian MPH programs, and a popular blog post comparing MPH and MSC degrees.Sujani also candidly shares the pressures that come with managing a growing platform while balancing the demands of motherhood and a full-time job. She extends her gratitude to the dedicated team members, Lis, Stephanie and Janice, who have been instrumental in keeping PH SPOT thriving, emphasizing the collective effort behind the platform's success.Looking ahead, PH SPOT aims to continue its trajectory of growth with ambitious goals, including increasing the reach of its weekly public health newsletter to over 10,000 subscribers. The podcast, which has published 47 episodes in 2023 and boasts over 22,000 downloads, will take a more intentional approach to programming, seeking to cover a diverse range of topics and stories that resonate with the public health community.The LinkedIn network has also seen remarkable expansion, quadrupling in size to over 10,000 members. This surge in engagement is a testament to the power of community and the shared passion for public health that brings individuals together from around the world.The Public Health Career Club, which celebrated its first anniversary, has been a cornerstone of PH SPOT's offerings. With 190 active members participating in weekly virtual talks, training events, and in-person meetups, the club fosters a supportive environment where public health professionals can grow and thrive. Guest mentors and speakers contribute their expertise, further enriching the experience for club members. Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani shares 5 reminders for anyone applying for jobs, especially during this period of economic uncertainty.What You’ll Learn from this Episode:The five reminders when applying to jobs:Network. Start today. Having a community around you on this journey will be key.Keep an eye on industry trends. Be informed on changes and developments in the public health field. Be flexible. Consider all types of experience (part-time and contract work), work on expanding your skillset, and think outside of the box when searching for jobs.Don't be afraid to negotiate. When you do receive a job offer, have a conversation about a higher salary or other benefits. This is where your community can help you. Stay positive.  Reignite the passion and excitement that got you into public health. Economic uncertainty, or not, job searching is tough. Use these reminders to keep you going.Today’s Guest:Sujani Sivanantharajah is the founder and CEO of PH SPOT. She is a public health professional/Epidemiologist and entrepreneur. She has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Saskatchewan and an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto. Sujani's passion lies in building relationships and using these relationships to create and cultivate spaces where more meaningful partnerships that serve communities are formed.Featured on the Show:Follow Sujani on LinkedInJoin our community.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Peter Singer, the Former Special Advisor to the Director General of the WHO and cofounder of Grand Challenges & UofT Joint Centre for Bioethics. They walk through Peter’s careers as a professor, cofounder of various organizations, and work in the WHO, using your lived experiences to find problems, and steps to take to solve these problems.You’ll LearnHow finding problems and solving them drew Peter into public healthTaking risks at the beginning of your career and rethinking your narrativesPeter’s three careers as professor of medicine, cofounding University of Toronto’s Joint Centre for Bioethics, and cofounding Grand Challenges Canada and how each career cascaded on to the nextWhat Grand Challenges Canada is and how it came to beSocial entrepreneurship and steps to take once you have found a problem and are now stuck on how to solve itBeing ok with failure and learning from your mistakes Using your lived experience as an asset to become a great leaderHow Peter became the Special Advisor to the Director General of the World Health Organization and his experience working in global healthToday’s GuestDr Peter Singer has dedicated his career to improving the lives of people by building innovative institutions with high social impact.  Between 2017 and 2023, Singer was Special Advisor to the Director General of the World Health Organization, supporting Dr Tedros to transform WHO into an Organization focused on measurable impact in countries. He co-chaired the transition team; was the architect of WHO’s strategy and its “triple billion” target; and supported strategy implementation of initiatives to speed up the Sustainable Development Goals using data and delivery, innovation, and partnerships. During the pandemic, he was a passionate advocate for vaccine equity.From 2008-2018 Singer was Chief Executive Officer of Grand Challenges Canada, raising CAN $450M to support 1000 innovations in more than 90 countries, which have the potential to save ~1 million lives and improve ~20 million lives by 2030.  From 1996-2006 he was Sun Life Financial Chair and Director of the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics. ResourcesConnect with Dr. Peter Singer on LinkedIn Learn more about the University of Toronto's Joint Centre for Bioethics Read Peter’s career advice series on finding a problem and solving it, mentorship, and hopping aboard a rocket-ship and his blogpost Replace the SDGs with the GSDs Learn more about Grand Challenges Canada and read the paper that contributed to the formation of organization  Learn more about the WHO's Thirteenth General Programme of Work Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with McKenzie Schrank to discuss how her experience with leishmaniasis influenced her path, incorporating personal interests into public health and vice versa, and using every little experience to shape your journey. You’ll LearnHow McKenzie first discovered the field of public healthMcKenzie’s experience contracting leishmaniasis on a study abroad trip and how this experience shaped her education and career pathHealth communication is the cornerstone of public healthHow snowboarding has made McKenzie a better public health professional Integrating your passions with public health and how McKenzie is incorporating public health into snowboarding and vice versaMaking your own space in public healthToday’s GuestI earned my Master of Public Health at the Colorado School of Public Health in community and behavioral health and global health. I believe in strengthening communities by engaging community members with clear communication and connection and I hope to continue to foster positive change in health communication. I have previously worked with the Peruvian population during a study abroad to the Madre de Dios region in 2017. From this experience I found a passion for working with and providing information to under resourced communities after contracting leishmaniasis during this trip. I took the experience of being infected as an opportunity to share my experience and educate future travelers about the difficulty of treating a neglected tropical disease and the risk of infection. Additionally, I used this opportunity to highlight inequalities in the healthcare system in regard to cost and access. My published manuscript entitled "Leishmaniasis Through the Lens of the Host" won a King Award of Academic Excellence for its innovative and creative additions to the existing body of knowledge on leishmaniasis. The insight I gained from these experiences prepared me with compassion and enthusiasm for the communications work I am currently doing.ResourcesConnect with McKenzie on LinkedIn Buy the book "The Story of the Human Body" Learn more about leishmaniasisLearn more about the Center for Creative Leadership Read the blog post mentioned on today’s episodeLearn more about the Snow Pool project Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Darla Bishop to talk money in relation to public health. They discuss how Darla’s relationship with money contributed to her education and career path, reshaping perspectives and tools to help manage personal finances, and how a public health degree can expand your financial opportunities. You’ll LearnHow Darla first discovered public health and how early financial experiences shaped her education and career pathUnderstanding that budgeting is a tool to improve and not limit your lifestyle and the importance of knowing your budget when looking for job opportunitiesWhat the magic number is and how to use it to plan and reshape the influx and outflow of your moneyRethinking and learning how to speak differently about finances to improve your relationship with moneyHow a degree in public health and a flexible mindset expands career and financial opportunitiesKnowing your work values and finding and negotiating job opportunities to suit these valuesToday’s GuestDarla Bishop is the Director of Member Engagement for AmeriHealth Caritas DC, there she is responsible for the leadership, direction, and implementation of the strategic vision for all services that impact or interface with enrollees. Darla earned her MPH at University of Michigan and DrPH from George Washington University. As a self-proclaimed generalist she wears many hats: Managed Care Leader, Researcher, Professor, and Personal Finance Enthusiast. Her book How to Afford Everything is due out December 2023. ResourcesConnect with Darla on LinkedIn  Learn more about the services Darla offers on her website and listen to the FinanSIS Podcast  Save 20% on Darla's book "How to Afford Everything" when you use the code PHSPOT Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Asad Naveed to talk about his work with the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, using social media as a platform for health education and mentorship, and providing guidance for those getting started in public health research.You’ll LearnAsad’s on the ground work with management and prevention of Ebola in Sierra Leone and how he first became involved in community healthHow Asad’s field work led to a career in research and what his goals were when returning to schoolPerspective and making changes in global health systemsSocial media and the responsibilities that public facing figures and users haveTips on getting started and climbing up for those interested in public health research and social entrepreneurshipToday’s GuestResourcesConnect with Asad on LinkedIn Read and subscribe to Asad’s guides and newsletter Read the article about Ebola Virus in Children in Sierra Leone Listen to the previous episode with Jennifer MontiPurchase the book, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Quisha Umemba, the CEO of Umemba Health. They discuss what Umemba Health is and its mission to improve the public health workforce, Quisha’s experience with consulting work and creating her own company, and talk tips on entrepreneurship and taking the first step to create your own business.You’ll LearnHow Quisha discovered public health and her transition from working as a nurse to working in public healthTips on entrepreneurship and starting work as a consultant Where to go to gain more business senseSocial engagement and choosing your social media to build your company’s imageWhat Umemba Health is and how they are undertaking their mission to improve the public health workforceHow the pandemic shed light on areas for growth within public health work Staying connected to current and relevant public health topics as a consultant or someone not “working on the ground”What a day in the life of and how her role has changed since she first founded the companyToday’s GuestAs the CEO of Umemba Health, Quisha Umemba (pronounced "Kwee-shuh oooMEMbuh") brings over 20 years of diverse experience to her roles as a Registered Nurse, Public Health Consultant, and Entrepreneur. Boasting multiple certifications and an impressive work history, Quisha has developed, implemented, and overseen numerous health initiatives and community collaborations throughout her career. Quisha has worked as a Disaster Response Nurse Leader for the American Red Cross, a Clinic Coordinator for an outpatient endocrinology clinic, a Chief Nurse and Program Manager for a local health department, a Diabetes Nurse Consultant for a state health department, an RN Care Manager for a Federally Qualified Health Center, and a Clinical Programs Training Specialist for a value-based care consulting agency. A nurse with a public health background, Quisha has a multifaceted, blended expertise that enables her to design unique curricula and training programs with multi-level interventions. Specializing in Workforce Training and Development, her work focuses on equipping the public health workforce and her training approaches blend conventional, experiential, and transformational methods to create engaging educational content, delivered across various platforms. These distinctive training approaches have earned her the moniker "The Trainer's Trainer." As the CEO and Owner of Umemba Health, Quisha helps public health organizations and healthcare systems to educate their frontline workforce, empower their leadership, and expand their community presence. As the Principal for Quisha Umemba Consulting, she teaches "helping professionals" to monetize their skillset so they can build, launch, and scale a profitable public health consulting business using her proven step-by-step system. In addition to being an expert facilitator and trainer, Quisha is a devoted servant leader and health equity advocate. Her life's mission is to empower, educate, and transform the lives of others. ResourcesConnect with Quisha on LinkedIn  Learn more about Umemba Health and Umemba Health Academy Learn more about the Certified Bank Training ProgramSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Jan Carney, the Associate Dean for Public Health and Health Policy and Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont. They discuss Jan’s reflections of the relationship between public health and healthcare, her work in pulling together UVM’s graduate public health program, and ways we can work to expand and integrate public health into new fields.You’ll LearnWhen public health first became a topic of interest during Jan’s clinical practiceJan’s experience transitioning from direct patient care to community based healthPatience and seeing impact and results from public health work Jan’s experience working as the Commissioner of Health in Vermont and her transition into academiaThe work and team that went into creating the University of Vermont’s graduate public health programWhat edupreneurship is and how it can be used to improve educationThe conversations and steps needed to expand public health into nontraditional health fields and what this means for population healthToday’s GuestDr. Carney is Associate Dean for Public Health and Health Policy, and Professor of Medicine, at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM). She earned an AB from Middlebury College, MD from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Harvard School of Public Health. She previously served as Vermont’s Commissioner of Health under three gubernatorial administrations. In this role, she developed and implemented Vermont’s first outcome-based approach to improving public health, modeled on the national Healthy People initiative, combining clinical and community-based prevention.Dr. Carney’s areas of expertise include building and sustaining community-academic partnerships, translational research, and reducing disparities in rural areas. She serves as Core Director of the Community Engagement and Outreach Core for the Northern New England Clinical and Translational Research Network (NNE-CTR), working to advance rural health research and community engagement. Her current work focuses on developing and implementing the Vermont Rural Health Communication Network (RHCN) to promote two-way health communication in rural areas, strengthen access to health and social services, and improve health and scientific literacy. She is a member of the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health, serving on academic public health practice and advocacy committees, and serves as a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Physicians.ResourcesConnect with Jan on LinkedIn  Learn more about Health People 2030 Listen to the previous episode with Sue Griffey Read the Institute of Medicine’s writing on The Future of Public HealthLearn more about edupreneurship Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Sue Griffey of SueMentors. They go on a journey through the four acts of Sue’s life and discuss her relationship with public health, mentorship, and ways in which you can take control of your career. You’ll LearnHow Sue’s nursing career and global work led to her public health careerSue’s experience working in various fields of public health and how the perception of “job hopping” is changingTips on taking control of your professional development The different types of mentorship and what is most appropriate in each situationThe value of finding support and relying on your peers as informal mentorsFour actionable steps to pulling together your career threadsToday’s GuestSue Griffey, DrPH, BSN, has been SueMentors for more than a decade, giving professionals the HOW to get to their next career path step. She focuses on building and using professional presence and professional branding. Sue has a global mentoring practice for all levels of professionals in transition. Her hallmark is using real-world examples to demonstrate her practical advice for professional presence. Sue has mentored for 10 different global public health and other programs. She has worked with more than 600 mentees individually and directly influenced more than 2000 through her short courses, guides, materials, webinars, and workshops. She had a 3+-decade of career leading global health and program evaluation research, working and living globally. ResourcesConnect with Sue on LinkedIn Learn more about Sue’s mentorship courses Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Terry-Ann Lynch who is the current Stakeholder and Patient Advocacy Lead at Sanofi Pharmaceutical. They discuss the role that public health professionals play in the pharmaceutical industry, skills needed to break into the industry, and how the impact of the work compares with more traditional public health paths.You’ll LearnHow Terry-Ann first discovered the field of public health and her first public health jobs of being a health inspector and a nutrition educatorWhat made Terry-Ann interested in working in the pharmaceutical industryThe role that public health professionals play in the pharmaceutical industry and how the pharma environment is changing to favour the integration of public healthWhat skills are valuable when breaking into pharmaWhat a day in the life of a public health professional working in the pharmaceutical industry can look likeComparing the impact of work in the public industry vs in pharmaTips on how to smoothly transition into the field and where to find mentors in newer fieldsToday’s GuestTerry-Ann Lynch has over 17 years of unwavering dedication to Public Health and has traversed a dynamic path that spans clinical research, advocacy, and program management. Currently positioned as the Stakeholder and Patient Advocacy Lead at Sanofi Pharmaceutical, Consumer Healthcare., Her work has transcended boundaries and left an indelible mark. She has worked at several pharmaceutical companies including Merck and Pfizer as the Patient Advocacy and Health Equity Lead across disease states. Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, Terry-Ann worked in the clinical research, program management, and data analytics arenas managing various studies funded by private and governmental agencies.In her current role, she has the privilege of collaborating with patient advocacy organizations across a spectrum of disease states. Her mission is to address unmet needs, particularly focusing on health inequities in marginalized communities. Drawing from an extensive background in clinical research, she forges collaborations with public health departments, non-profit organizations, and medical societies to unveil educational gaps and facilitate interventions that tangibly enhance patient outcomes.Terry-Ann obtained a master’s degree in public health from West Chester University of Pennsylvania where she is also pursuing excellence in her current Doctoral program in Public Policy. Her area of focus in Public Policy and Administration is a testament to her resolute commitment to dismantling access barriers that hinder the pursuit of health equity. This journey is driven by an unshakable belief in the power of policy to reshape the landscape of healthcare and uplift lives.Terry-Ann has a relentless dedication, innovation, and a fervent desire to foster change. As she continues to navigate the intricate tapestry of Public Health, she is motivated by the promise of a future where health disparities are history and every individual's well-being is a priority.ResourcesConnect with Terry-Ann on LinkedIn Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with public health physician Dr. Arunah Chandran. They discuss Arunah’s clinical work and how she became interested in the field of public health, her work at the Ministry of Health of Malaysia and experience moving to France to work with the IARC, and share job application tips for those interested in working with international organizations. You’ll LearnThe clinical encounters that led Arunah to becoming involved in the field of public health What additional training Arunah went through to become a public health physicianArunah’s research and work in noncommunicable diseases and women’s health with the Ministry of Health in MalaysiaFinding different job opportunities within the same company or systemAdvice on how to figure out if you should seek an additional degree or notArunah’s work with the IARC and her experience moving to a different country for workTips on applying for jobs with international organizations and the benefits of keeping a log of values and responsibilities you have had at every positionToday’s GuestPublic health medicine specialist, with experience in clinical medicine, health systems, NCD policies, public health operations, and clinical research. Led national policy response for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancers in Malaysia. Currently, focused on implementation and evaluation of affordable and equitable integrated multi-cancer early detection package to improve cancer outcomes in resource-constrained settings. Initially trained as a physician, I have a double Masters in Public Health and Medical Aesthetics/Anti-aging as well as a doctorate in Public Health (Epidemiology).ResourcesConnect with Arunah on LinkedIn Learn more about the International Agency for Research on Cancer Listen to the previous episode on the Public Health Resume and CVSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Jennifer Monti, a physician and healthcare innovator. They talk about how Jennifer first became interested in public health and health tech, the benefits that public health professionals bring to startups, and how to use your expertise to break into other sectors. You’ll LearnHow Jennifer discovered public health during her time in medical school What food deserts are and Jennifer’s work and research with food justice during her school yearsJennifer’s passion for cardiology and her innovations in this field including the Helos deviceWhat the most important things are for public health professionals looking to integrate technology or use other forms of services and products to solve health issuesWhere public health professionals can play a role in healthcare technology and bring benefit in other sectorsAdvice for public health professionals on how to break into health tech and other sectors of workJennifer’s experience working at Meta and what she has learned about creating products and services for the general populationToday’s GuestDr. Monti is a cardiologist with interests at the intersection of medicine, public health, and entrepreneurship. She has expertise across the product development pipeline and is deeply interested in low cost scalable projects that solve discrete clinical or public health problems with a razor sharp focus on product market fit. She received her undergraduate degree with honors from Harvard College and her medical and public health degrees from Case Western Reserve University.ResourcesConnect with Jennifer on LinkedIn Purchase the book, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid Learn more about Forerunner and Circa Listen to the previous episode with Josh TrautweinSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Leah Roman, an expert in instructional design and owner and principal consultant at Roman Public Health Consulting LLC. They discuss where in the process an instructional designer may fit into, common issues seen when implementing training, and what foundational things are key to facilitate learning and development.You’ll LearnHow Leah first became interested in consulting and instructional design What kind of work an instructional designer may be hired to doWhat common issues or problems Leah encounters when creating and refining training programsWhat is foundational to designing a good program and why it is always important to know the audience and the main problem you want to solveWhen training is and isn’t the best answer to a problemAdvice for creating learnings and trainings if you aren’t able to consult a dedicated expertWhat changes in instructional design Leah is seeing in the workplace and in academiaWhat resources are available if you are interested in doing similar workToday’s GuestLeah Roman is the Owner and Principal Consultant at Roman Public Health Consulting LLC, where she helps public health organizations design effective e-learning solutions. She has 15+ years of experience in public health providing training and technical assistance, health education, project management, and consulting services. Leah has a BA in Psychology (University of San Diego), a master of public health degree (Boston University), certificate in e-learning instructional design (University of Washington), and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES).ResourcesConnect with Leah on LinkedIn and visit her website Listen to the previous episode featuring Leah Learn more about e-Learning designer Tim SladeAccess the book Guide to Digital AccessibilityListen to the Lecture Breakers Podcast  Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Shantanu Mishra, a biomolecular engineer and a current MSc Public Health for Development candidate. They discuss Shantanu’s work in public health after completing his engineering degree, his current experience as a Chevening Scholar at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical, and advice for gaining public health work experience for those considering a career in this field. You’ll LearnShantanu’s early interest in biology and how he went from chemical engineering to biomedical engineering to public healthShantanu’s work in health education with Teach for India and TriggeriseAdvice on landing public health or health adjacent jobs without previous public health education or experienceTips for effective networking and being diligent in your everyday tasksShantanu’s experience as a Chevening Scholar at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and what he is working towards in his public health journeyToday’s GuestShantanu Mishra is a Biomolecular Engineer, currently a MSc candidate pursuing Public Health for Development as a UK government Chevening Scholar at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. With over 5 years of work experience prior to graduate school he was working as an Assistant Consultant within the Public Sector Governance portfolio at Oxford Policy Management in New Delhi at the intersection of governance and health systems strengthening with a focus on Bihar. He has worked on evaluations and big data across cross-cutting themes of WASH, Climate adaptation and business reforms during his time in the non-profit space.ResourcesConnect with Shantanu on LinkedIn Learn more about Teach for India Learn more about Triggerise Learn more about the Chevening ScholarshipSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Firdosi Mehta, an adjunct professor at York University. They discuss his previous work at the WHO, the eradication of smallpox and polio, and his current work with mentoring and educating students and young professionals along their public health journeys. You’ll LearnWhat motivated Dr. Mehta to pursue public health after his time in medical schoolDr. Mehta’s memories of the WHO’s work in eradicating smallpox and his own work towards eradicating polioHow kindness, compassion, and empathy is at the root of public healthNetworking and reputation building tips for job seekingDr. Mehta’s mentoring experience and advice for students and young professionalsToday’s GuestDr Mehta has over 30 years of Public Health experience, more than half of which were with the WHO. He has worked in several countries and regions of the world. Dr Mehta completed his medical education in India after which he served in the Indian Navy Defense Services. He then served in the Ministry of Health, Sultanate of Oman in various capacities for 10 years, the last being Director of Surveillance and Disease Control. Dr Mehta then joined the World Health Organization and worked in Somalia from 1998 – 2002, where he was responsible for supporting the control of TB and all other communicable diseases in a complex emergency situation. He moved from Somalia to Indonesia in 2002 in the capacity of Country Advisor Tuberculosis Control program (Mega High burden country) for seven years. Dr Mehta subsequently moved to Sri Lanka in 2009 as the WHO country Representative until 2014. His experience in emergency and humanitarian action, communicable disease control, health system issues, mental health and a keen focus on addressing non communicable diseases in Sri Lanka have been well recognized and acknowledged. He is an Adjunct Professor at York University and University of Toronto in Canada, as well as a senior Mentor on several mentoring platforms. In recognition of his contributions to the Global Health Program at York, a Global Health student prize has been named after him in 2022. He is a member on the Governance and Advisory committee on Human Trafficking at the Peel Institute on Violence prevention, Family services Peel Toronto. Also a member on a Lived experience Advisory committee on research at the Centers for Addictions and Mental health (CAMH) Toronto. Member on the Steering Committee on Research for Mental Health Equity in the Asia Pacific – Digital (REMAP-D) based at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Advisor on “The Young Innovation Leaders Fellowship” Nigeria, which is a platform created by Hutzpah Centre for Innovation and Development - a social enterprise aimed at promoting innovation across sectors in AfricaResourcesFollow Dr. Mehta on LinkedIn Read more about Ali Maalin, the last man with smallpoxMultiPod Mentoring Learn more about Family Services of Peel Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Lynniece Warren, the Executive Director of Risk Management at California State University, San Bernardino. They discuss Lynniece’s career journey, what environmental health and safety is, and tips on finding your niche in public health.You’ll LearnHow Lynniece discovered public and environmental healthTips on how to find opportunities for job shadowing What the role of an environmental health and safety specialist may entailThe importance of building relationships with the community and those you are trying to influence or educateHow COVID changed the responsibilities and technology needs for environmental health and safetyThe importance of being financially and legally aware in this role and how to gain these skillsWhat a day as an Executive Director of Risk Management looks likeToday’s GuestHi, my name is Lynniece! My passion for public health has evolved into a dynamic international twenty-year career! Collaboration, analyzing, problem-solving, and measuring progress are what I enjoy professionally!My administrative leadership at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) facilitates student, faculty, and staff success through the Offices of Risk Management and Environmental Health & Safety. It's such a pleasure to oversee programs that prioritize the well-being of everyone on our campus and work with partners to protect the University's assets. Our teams work tirelessly to provide a safe environment for more than 23K students, faculty, and staff at our San Bernardino and Palm Desert campuses. Let's talk about, ERM, insurance, health and safety, change management, and shared governance when you have time!ResourcesFollow Lynniece on LinkedIn Learn more about the American Society of Safety ProfessionalsLearn more about the National Environmental Health Association Learn more about the American Industrial Hygiene Association Learn more about the Occupational Health and Safety chapter of the American Public Health Association Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Andrea Mantsios, the Founder and Principal Consultant of Public Health Innovation and Action. They discuss Andrea’s career journey, how to navigate through jobs and experiences in your career, and how social justice and focusing on the human voice has been central through Andrea’s life. You’ll LearnHow the concept of social justice was instilled on Andrea from an early age and how she found her way into public health Andrea’s various job experiences and research interestsAndrea’s experience doing global health in Tanzania and how it helped her connect theory to reality in health educationThings to consider if you are thinking about pursuing higher education to open up job prospectsTips on crafting your career around your passions and personal lifestyleWhy Andrea created her own public health consulting company to pursue her passions in public healthToday’s GuestAndrea Mantsios, PhD, MHS, is Founder and Principal Consultant of Public Health Innovation and Action (Phia), a public health consultancy focused on amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities to promote equity in health research and programs. Her career has included working in government, academia, and healthcare institutions in settings around the world including the U.S., Latin America, Africa, and Europe. Andrea has a passion for qualitative research and focuses her work on the role of social and structural factors in shaping health outcomes. She has worked extensively on community-empowerment approaches to addressing HIV among female sex workers in Tanzania and conducting qualitative research in the U.S. and Spain on patient and provider experiences with long-acting injectable anti-retroviral therapy to inform programmatic rollout. Andrea's previous work includes research on risks for HIV, tuberculosis, and syphilis among people who use drugs in Tijuana, Mexico, and large-scale program design for New York City’s jurisdictional efforts to scale up routine HIV screening in health care and community settings. Andrea received her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Master of Health Science (MHS) degrees from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. When she's not working, Andrea can be found in the kitchen making family recipes with her kids.ResourcesFollow Andrea on LinkedIn Learn more about PHIA ConsultingSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Reena Anthonyraj, a public health professional coming from a background in dentistry. They discuss Reena’s transition from dentistry to public health, how to tell if an MPH is right for you, and how you can work to better public health without necessarily having a dedicated degree.You’ll LearnHow Reena found her way into public health from her time working as a dentist at a public hospital in MumbaiQuestions to ask yourself to determine why you want to work in public healthFactors to consider when choosing which program or school to complete your degree inA brief overview of the Cooperative MPH program between Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Indian Institute of Health Management and ResearchWays you can work in public health without having a dedicated degreeWhy keeping an open mind is just as useful as knowing which specific area in public health you want to work inToday’s GuestReena Anthonyraj is a dedicated public health professional with a Master's in Public Health and a background in Dentistry. With a span of 6 years, she has gained significant international experience in community engagement, applied research, and the development as well as management of evidence-informed programs. Her passion lies in addressing health inequities and social determinants by fostering collaboration with diverse stakeholders, to uplift marginalized communities and enhance their access to care, ultimately improving overall health outcomes. She was awarded the prestigious Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship in 2017 for a research fellowship at the University of Montreal, to develop an evidence-informed framework for tobacco prevention in Indian urban schools, based on Canadian best practices in school health promotion. Since then, her experience encompasses various projects with community-based organizations, international donors, and healthcare providers in the Global South, spanning multiple thematic areas including Sexual and Reproductive Health, Menstrual Equity, HIV, Adolescent Health, and Primary Healthcare. Majority of her work has revolved around qualitative research, project design, strategic planning, knowledge synthesis, program management, and utilizing evidence to drive impactful and sustainable programs. Reena’s multifaceted experience, coupled with her unwavering commitment, exemplifies a public health professional who continuously strives to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities in underserved communities.ResourcesFollow Reena on LinkedInSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Bernard Toney Jr., a former White House Medical Officer and US Army Veteran. They talk about Bernard’s time in the military and the White House and what led him to pursuing a career in population health.You’ll LearnHow an event in Bernard’s early years led to an interest in medical sciences and how his experiences serving in the military later on cemented his passion for population health How Bernard was able to gain experience in the medical field while not officially in a healthcare positionWhat to consider if you are thinking of pursuing a new degreeHow Bernard got his role as a White House Medical Officer and what duties and responsibilities it involvedHow the COVID pandemic changed these roles and his interestsBernard’s experiences with racial discrimination and other hardships throughout his career and how he has dealt with these issuesToday’s GuestBernard Toney Jr. is a Former White House Medical Officer and US Army Veteran.He is currently completing his Master of Public Health Degree at The George Washington University in May and currently works at the National Institutes of Health.While serving in the White House Medical Unit during the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided to transition into the field of public health after seeing the inquiries that led to significant morbidity and mortality for marginalized populations while traveling in support of the President, Vice President, and First Lady.ResourcesFollow Bernard on LinkedIn  Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani shares a bit about how much she’s invested in herself, followed by a conversation with Marissa about why she built the 5-week course “Not Your Average Productivity Course”. Enrolment closes August 3, 2023Thank you to McKool Coaching for sponsoring this episode. Marissa McKool helps women in public health stop overworking and get more REST. What You’ll Learn from this Episode:How much Sujani has invested personally in her personal/professional development ($9000!), and why she continues to do soWhy Marissa McKool built this courseWhat people get within the courseHow to get support from your employer for this course Today’s Guest:Marissa McKool, MPH, is a former public health leader turned career and life coach who helps public health professionals eliminate their burnout without quitting their job. Marissa received her MPH from Emory University and held several leadership roles in government and academia working on sexual violence prevention and reproductive health, before finding herself burning out. Through coaching, she was able to eliminate her stress without anything outside of her changing and now helps others do the same. She is also the host of the Redefining Rest Podcast for Public Health Professionals, where she helps listeners reduce their workload, create more time, get more rest, and feel better. Featured on the Show:Not Your Average Productivity Course: Get more done in less time, without hustlingA 5-week course for women in public healthContact Marissa: [email protected]’s Social Media Pages:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/publichealthcoachLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-mckool-a9701892/Episode #76 with Marissa – Redefining Rest For Public Health Professionals, With Marissa McKoolSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This episode walks through Sujani’s first 10 years of her public health career, as well as the highs and lows. This episode is inspired by a LinkedIn post that Sujani wrote that crossed 14,000+ views. Thank you to McKool Coaching for sponsoring this episode. Marissa McKool helps women in public health stop overworking and get more REST. What You’ll Learn from this Episode:Sujani walks through her public health career (education, jobs, side projects, etc.) starting from 2011 to 2021!She talks about her MPH degree, public health jobs she had, interviews she failed, launch of her not-for-profit organization (the Tamil Health Association) and the birth of this company (PH SPOT).The ups and downs of these 10 years. What she did and didn’t do through these 10 years (for example, no formal education or certification, 55% increase in salary, the HUGE community she’s built around her, and more!)About The Public Health Career Club, PH SPOT’s membership community.Today’s Guest:Sujani Sivanantharajah is the founder and CEO of PH SPOT. Sujani Sivanantharajah is a public health professional trained in Epidemiology. Her gift and passion lie in building relationships and using these relationships to create and cultivate spaces for people to find meaningful partnerships that can serve their communities. In 2017, this passion led her to build PHSPOT.org, a platform and community for public health professionals around the world to build their dream careers.Sujani holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of Saskatchewan and an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto.Featured on the Show:Sujani’s LinkedIn PageTamil Health AssociationThe Public Health Career ClubNot Your Average Productivity Course: Get more done in less time, without hustling - A 5-week course for women in public healthSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This episode is from inside PH SPOT’s membership community: The Public Health Career Club.You’ll get to listen in on a training session where career club members got a chance to ask Sujani questions. In this episode, we share one of those questions: How did you start PH SPOT? / How can I start a side hustle?What You’ll Learn from this Episode:How Sujani started to see herself as someone who could build solutions to solve problems.The story of the first side hustle she launched: a not-for-profit organizationHow and why PH SPOT was builtWhy PH SPOT is incorporated federallyHow to get started with your ideaAbout The Public Health Career Club, PH SPOT’s membership community.Today’s Guest:Sujani Sivanantharajah is the founder and CEO of PH SPOT. Sujani Sivanantharajah is a public health professional trained in Epidemiology. Her gift and passion lie in building relationships and using these relationships to create and cultivate spaces for people to find meaningful partnerships that can serve their communities. In 2017, this passion led her to build PHSPOT.org, a platform and community for public health professionals around the world to build their dream careers.Sujani holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of Saskatchewan and an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto.Featured on the Show:The Public Health Career ClubNot Your Average Productivity Course: Get more done in less time, without hustling - A 5-week course for women in public healthThank you to McKool Coaching for sponsoring this episode. Marissa McKool helps women in public health stop overworking and get more REST.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Josh Trautwein, the co-founder and CEO of About Fresh. They discuss what sparked the creation of About Fresh, Josh’s experience with bringing the company to life, and how About Fresh has been evolving and broadening food access to improve the health of more and more communities. You’ll LearnWhat About Fresh is and what sparked the company’s conception What About Fresh’s mission is and how it aims to improve the health of communitiesWhat the early stages of starting About Fresh looked like and tips on navigating finances and other barriers with a new project or startupWhat services About Fresh offers and how Fresh Connect has evolved over time to incorporate technology and improve food access to even more communitiesWhat steps Josh took to identify a public health issue, brainstorm a solution, and successfully bring the solution to lifeThe importance  of drawing from similar pre-existing programs and engaging with the communities you want to serve How you can support or partner with About FreshToday’s GuestJosh is the co-founder and CEO of About Fresh, a Boston-based company that combines food retail, technology, and community- driven activism to empower people to access and afford healthy food. He was inspired to start About Fresh in 2011 while serving as a community health worker at Mass General Brigham where he often encountered food insecurity among his patients. Josh is responsible for leading his team and board through mission-driven growth grounded in About Fresh core values. Outside of work, Josh plays and coaches soccer, grills, skis, and surfs. Josh grew up with his mom, grandmother, and a small extended family in Milford, MA, and currently lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kate.ResourcesFollow Josh on LinkedIn  Learn more about About Fresh and read their 2018 annual report here Learn more about Community Servings Learn more about the Rockefeller Foundation's Food Is Medicine initiative Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This episode is from inside PH SPOT's membership community: The Public Health Career Club. You'll get to listen in on a training session where career club members got a chance to ask Sujani questions. In this episode, we share one of those questions: how did you get started in public health?What You'll Learn from this Episode:How Sujani got interested in public health, and her undergraduate experience.How to get work experience early in your public health career journey (part-time, casual, volunteer).How to use all of your experiences (whether they are paid or unpaid) to tell a story about your abilities, skills, and knowledge to prospective employers.About The Public Health Career Club, PH SPOT's membership community.Today's Guest:Sujani Sivanantharajah is the founder and CEO of PH SPOT. Sujani Sivanantharajah is a public health professional trained in Epidemiology. Her gift and passion lie in building relationships and using these relationships to create and cultivate spaces for people to find meaningful partnerships that can serve their communities. In 2017, this passion led her to build PHSPOT.org, a platform and community for public health professionals around the world to build their dream careers.Sujani holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of Saskatchewan and an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto.Featured on the Show:The Public Health Career ClubSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Jennifer Mandelbaum, a healthcare economics consultant at Optum and lecturer at Tufts University. They discuss job search and application tips for public vs. private sectors and what factors to consider if you are thinking about pursuing a postgraduate degree. You’ll LearnHow Jennifer found her way into public healthWhat personal and professional factors you should consider when thinking about pursuing a postgraduate degree Job search tips for those interested in the private sector of public health including how to navigate networking in the digital ageHow applying for jobs changes in the public, private, and academic fields and how to tailor your resume and cover letter for each fieldJob search tips for new graduates and things to start considering even as you are finishing your degree including:Being open minded about potentially not landing your dream job right awayBuilding a mentorship network around you and joining professional organizationsDeveloping transferable skillsHow academic work can differ between institutions and determining where you would fit bestWhat a day in the life of a healthcare economics consultant looks likeToday’s GuestJennifer Mandelbaum, PhD, MPH is a public health researcher and healthcare economics consultant at Optum whose work focuses on chronic disease prevention and mental health care across the life course. Dr. Mandelbaum has experience working across sectors (e.g., academia, government, industry) to understand and address root causes affecting issues of health care access and equity. In recognition of her efforts to improve chronic disease outcomes, she received the Rising Star Award from the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (2022) and the Dr. Rick Foster Leadership Award from Live Healthy South Carolina (2020). She serves as a Governing Councilor for the Public Health Education and Health Promotion (PHEHP) section of the American Public Health Association (APHA) as well as a member of APHA’s Education Board. Cultivating the next generation of public health professionals is important to her, and she is currently a part-time faculty member in Tufts University’s Department of Community Health. Dr. Mandelbaum holds a BA from Brandeis University, an MPH from Yale University, and a PhD from the University of South Carolina.ResourcesFollow Jennifer on LinkedIn  Learn more about Optum Learn more about the American Public Health Association and the Society of Behavioural Medicine Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Marissa Robinson, coordinator of the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative at the US Department of Health. They discuss Marissa’s education and career, her interest in HIV and the Black community’s access to health, and harnessing charisma in your professional life. You’ll LearnHow Marissa’s personal experiences shaped her interest in the social determinants of health, specifically with HIV and the Black community’s access to healthMarissa’s experience at Spelman College, a historically Black college for women, and what factors she considered when making choices about educationTips on dealing with rejection, self doubt, and other barriers in your careerHow charisma is essential in leadership and public health and why it is especially important for women of colour to develop this skillToday’s GuestDr. Marissa Robinson is a strategic-leader, visionary, and disruptor within the field of Infectious Disease. She focuses on HIV/AIDS research, educating the need to increase opportunities and diversity amongst the public health workforce. She currently leads as the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative Coordinator at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health within the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy.Dr. Robinson is a DMV native and is trained in infectious disease epidemiology. She has conducted extensive HIV/AIDS research for over a decade. She began her federal career when she joined the United States Peace Corps as a Community Health and Malaria Prevention volunteer in Togo, West Africa. After returning to the US, Dr. Robinson worked at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) on global infectious disease surveillance supporting the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative. Following her time at HRSA, Dr. Robinson joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) where she conducted and maintained data analytics for a Nursing and Midwifery initiative on behalf of PEPFAR for 13 African countries. After her time at CDC, Dr. Robinson joined the CDC Foundation on the Teens Linked to Care pilot program with the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health which focused on substance use and sexual risk among youth in rural populations.Dr. Robinson completed her Doctor of Public Health degree as a Goldseeker Scholar at Morgan State University’s School of Community Health and Policy. Her dissertation was entitled “A Qualitative Exploration of Preexposure Prophylaxis Among Black Women Attending a Historically Black College and University in the Northeastern United States”. Dr. Robinson completed her doctoral fellowship training at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Pre-Doctoral Clinical Research Training Program. Dr. Robinson received her Master of Public Health with a concentration in global health, infectious diseases, and a certificate in socio-contextual determinants of health from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and her Bachelor of Arts in psychology and public health from Spelman College.ResourcesFollow Marissa on LinkedIn or Twitter or send her an email Learn more about Spelman College Listen to The "It" FactorSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dawn Hunter, a public health lawyer and Director of the Southeastern Region of the Network for Public Health Law. They discuss Dawn’s career journey and experiences, what public health law entails, and combining instincts and strategy to get your dream job. You’ll LearnHow Dawn found her way into public health and lawHow public health law differs from health lawTips on how to tell if a career is right for youTips on following your instincts and making career changes to find what suits you bestDawn’s experience pursuing a JD and MPH at the same time and what motivated her to do bothWhat a role as a public health lawyer may entailWhat the Network for Public Health Law is and what kind of work they doCareer advice on interviewing, drawing strengths from professional and personal experience, and thinking with intentionToday’s GuestDawn Hunter, JD,MPH, CPH., is Director of the Southeastern Region of the Network for Public Health Law. Dawn’s work focuses on research, analysis, implementation, and capacity building related to the use of law and policy to improve health outcomes and advance racial equity. She is particularly interested in the development of racial equity action plans and implementation strategies at the state and local level and leads an ongoing assessment of declarations of racism as a public health crisis and related efforts to address health inequities. In the past year, she has been collaborating with partners in the Collaborative for Anti-Racism and Equity. Dawn also focuses on strategies to improve health outcomes through civic engagement and served as the lead author of the Health & Democracy Index. She also conducts training on equity in public health messaging through the Becoming Better Messengers initiative. ResourcesFollow Dawn on LinkedIn  Learn more about the The Network for Public Health Law Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Alexandra Bhatti, a public health attorney who is currently director of US Vaccine Public at Merck & Co. They discuss what led Alexandra to pursue public health law, her experience working in the public sector vs private sector with a pharmaceutical company, and her work in vaccine policy.You’ll LearnWhat led Alexandra to public health and then later public health lawWhat events led to Alexandra finding her niche in public health lawAdvice on overcoming anxiety when it comes to networking and connecting with othersHow the pandemic helped to emphasize the importance of public health policy and lawWhat a day in the life of the Director of US Vaccine Public Policy at Merck & Co. looks like How both the private and public sector have intertwining roles and the importance of interprofessionalism in advancing public healthThe value of having direction while remaining open to opportunities in your careerAdvice for those in search of growth in their careerThe importance of building a community and supporting your peersToday’s GuestAlexandra Bhatti is a public health attorney with a decade of diverse vaccine programmatic and policy experience across the government and private sector. She is currently Director of US Vaccine Public Policy at Merck & Co. Inc, where she leads US state and federal vaccine policy development and research as well as federal vaccine policy advocacy to advance evidence-based policy solutions that can help achieve and sustain high vaccination rates. She concurrently has served as faculty at Arizona State University in the School for the Science of Healthcare Delivery over the last 7 years. Prior to Merck, Ms. Bhatti was a public health attorney at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where she led vaccination law research.  Her roots are in state public health where she was previously  a manager within the Arizona Department of Health, Immunization Program Office as well as a Senior Public Health Scientist within their state laboratory. ResourcesLearn more about Alexandra and follow her LinkedIn  Learn more about the Network for Public Health Law and American Public Health Association Learn more about the CDC's Presidential Management Fellows program and Public Health Assessment Training Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Heidi Berthoud, the founder of Heidi Berthoud Consulting. They talk about Heidi’s career journey, what led her to creating her own company, and how to successfully build a network and run a business.You’ll LearnHow Heidi became interested in public health through frontline work as an EMT and other personal experiences Advice on breaking into public health for those who may not have a formal public health or science backgroundHeidi’s experience with balancing school and a full time jobHeidi’s experience with research and her areas of interestAdvice for those looking to get into consulting work including networking tips, building a client base, and figuring exactly what kind of work you want to do What resources such as business coaching are availableWhat Heidi has learned from running her own businessToday’s GuestHeidi is an experienced leader who began her public health and social service career at a large non-profit county hospital supporting training teams in the nursing education department. She received her Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Washington and concurrently completed a Global Health Masters Certificate. Heidi has more than 20 years of knowledge and experience in health care research, evaluation, technical writing, public health initiatives, qualitative data collection and analysis, and patient advocacy. Her experience includes working with government, academia, and non-profit organizations and she has been invited to work with Indigenous communities developing and delivering surveys and evaluations. She is the founder and principal consultant at Heidi Berthoud Consulting, LLC where she works with Public Health departments and health and social service organizations conducting community health needs assessments, program evaluations, and helping teams collect data they can actually use to improve their work. ResourcesLearn more about Heidi Berthoud Consulting Follow Heidi on LinkedIn and learn more about her research Listen to the previous episode with Stephanie Moxley Listen to the previous episode with Maudra Brown Learn more about the book "Company of One" by Paul Jarvis Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Sarah Hoehnen, an infectious disease physician who is passionate about improving health systems. They discuss what drew Sarah to community health, her experience with leadership and expanding her work to include medical administration, and what Sarah has learned about marrying healthcare with other public health services.You’ll LearnHow a medical school rotation drew Sarah into public healthWhat made Sarah interested in social systems and the way they impact healthHow western healthcare systems differ from others around the world and what we could learn from themHow we can start changing systems to better connect individual clinical care to the health of the communityThe value of playing to your own strengths and perspectives in healthcareSarah’s experience transitioning from a clinical role to a directorial/management roleWhy it’s important for Sarah to continue her clinical work along with her administrative workThe biggest challenges Sarah has come across in her experience working on both sidesWhat additional training Sarah has gone through or considered to succeed in her administrative roleWays to successfully lead a team and have everyone work in their own zones of geniusToday’s GuestDr. Sarah Hoehnen is a practicing infectious disease physician who is passionate about improving access to infectious disease screening, treatment, and prevention through integrated care and harm reduction models. Dr. Hoehnen partners with behavioral health and primary care providers to implement innovative systems of care that improve patient outcomes.ResourcesFollow Sarah on LinkedIn Learn more about the Health Resources and Services Administration Learn more about 360 degree feedback Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Doug Taylor, the Director of Operations and Finance for Fact Forward. They discuss Doug’s career journey, how public health and health education has changed over the years, and the different paths that public health can take you.You’ll LearnHow Doug became interested in health and wellness after serving in the military health corps and a medical event in the familyDoug’s experience with his undergrad and graduate degree and what extra value an MPH provides How public health in the 90s differed from today’s environmentHow sexual health education evolved as a result of the HIV pandemicThe importance of being engaged in public health communities and societies and making connections Why Doug pivoted from working in government to nonprofitDoug’s experience stepping into a leadership and management roleHow to deal with the more abstract nature of getting results and making change in public health Today’s GuestDoug Taylor is the Director of Operations and Finance for Fact Forward, a statewide non-profit in Columbia, SC, focusing on adolescent reproductive health. His role includes ensuring operational efficiencies, compliance with federal, state, and foundation rules and regulations, and collaborating with the CEO and Directors to secure financial resources that support the agency’s mission. He joined Fact Forward in June 2011 as the Director of Community Programs and Evaluation and oversaw all community-focused programming and the agency’s research and evaluation activities. The Department managed over 3 million in federal and private foundation funding to support youth-serving professionals in providing age-appropriate, medically accurate sexual health education to teens. Previously, Doug worked at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), where he coordinated the implementation of DHEC’s Health Services statewide performance management system and led quality improvement teams in process improvement projects. Doug also served six years active duty in the United States Army, and six years with the Texas Army National Guard. Doug has a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Education from the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Education from the University of North Texas. ResourcesFollow Doug on LinkedIn  Learn more about Fact Forward and follow them on Twitter and Instagram Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Inyang Uwak, an environmental epidemiologist with a background in medicine. They discuss Inyang’s experience with her MPH and DrPH program, how to succeed in environmental epidemiology, and how Inyang’s clinical background has helped her in her current career. You’ll LearnHow Inyang found her way to public health and specifically epidemiology and environmental from a clinical backgroundWhat considerations and support she used to make her decision to switch to public healthHow her clinical experience has helped her in her public health careerInyang’s experience with the Johns Hopkins MPH program and juggling school work with family life and motherhoodWhy Inyang chose to pursue a DrPH over a PhD How she was able to incorporate an interest in research work into her programWhat a day in the life of an environmental epidemiologist looks likeWhat skills are necessary to succeed as an environmental epidemiologistWhat opportunities there are in different sectors for environmental epidemiologistsToday’s GuestDr. Inyang Uwak is a Senior Epidemiologist with the CDC Foundation, an independent nonprofit created by Congress to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s critical health protection work. Dr. Uwak provides her expertise in the field to the City of Houston Health department’s Bureau of Pollution Control and Prevention. She received her DrPH from Texas A&M University in Epidemiology and Environmental Health, her MPH from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and her Medical Degree from the University of Calabar, Nigeria. She currently serves as the APHA’s Environment Section Program Planning Co-Chair. When she is not working, she enjoys running in the park with her family and creating healthy treats in the kitchen.ResourcesFollow Inyang on LinkedInLearn more about Inyang’s research Learn more about the CDC Foundation Learn more about the American Public Health Association Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

 In this episode, we're talking about the New York State Public Health Corps (NYSPHC) Fellowship program - an opportunity for you to get hands-on public health experience. Whether you are a public health student, a new grad, or transitioning into the field, and are looking to gain hands-on public health experience, this fellowship program is something worth looking into. In this episode, Sujani sits down with 2 fellows currently in the program to give you a glimpse of what you can expect in this paid fellowship program and to hear about their journey. After hearing from the two fellows, Sujani and the Assistant Director of the program discuss the fellowship in more detail and cover frequently asked questions.We hope this episode inspires you to explore the NYSPH Fellowship Program further and take action - whether that's reaching out for more information or submitting an application. What You'll Learn from this Episode:About Rachel Jagger and Shani Fields' public health journey. Why they chose to apply to the fellowship, how they discovered the program, and their application process.A day in the life of both Rachel and Shani - what they do on a day-to-day basis in their role.What is a fellowship? What is the New York State Public Health Corps Fellowship Program?   Erin tells us that the NYSPHC Fellowship program is a paid training program.How someone would get involved with the program if they’re interested, and the application processThe types of opportunities available for interested candidates; where fellows are placed.Who can participate, and what are the qualifications to become a Fellow?The type of training Fellows are required to complete.Some of the projects Fellows can get involved in.Who are mentors and how do they get involved? Featured on the Show:Fellowship Program OverviewThe FAQ PageApplication linkCounties that are currently hiring (PDF updated regularly)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Adrian Leung, a public health pharmacist currently working with the province of Ontario to advance digital health. They discuss pharmacy and the current state of healthcare, the role of pharmacists in public health, and how pharmacy and public health can further intermingle to advance community health.You’ll LearnWhat drew Adrian towards pharmacy and then public health later in his careerAdrian’s experience working in a long term care facility and how frustration with the current health system and a want to learn led to him pursuing a Masters in Health AdministrationWhat a day in the life of a public health pharmacist looks likeThe work Adrian did with the COVID vaccine roll outHow the role of pharmacists in public health is still evolving and the advancements in care that may come from merging the private and public sectors of healthHow digital health and technology further advances health and outreach to communitiesToday’s GuestInitially trained as a pharmacist, Adrian spent the first eight years of his career specializing in pharmacy service delivery for seniors living in congregate care settings including long-term care. He later pursued a masters in health administration to broaden his knowledge and skillset, and subsequently joined York Region's public health unit to help advance their COVID-19 vaccination campaign. In that role as a Public Health Pharmacist, he served as the COVID-19 team's pharmaceutical expert to advise internal and external stakeholders on appropriate vaccine inventory management (including proper storage, handling, and distribution) and promote vaccine effectiveness and patient safety. Adrian is currently part of a team that advances digital innovation and transformation initiatives in the province of Ontario.ResourcesFollow Adrian on LinkedIn Read more about pharmacy's role in managing COVID and opportunities for further integration into public health  Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Anita Balan, a project director at the American College of Preventive Medicine. They discuss Anita’s journey through grad school and the pit stops she took along the way, and ways to add to your skills toolkit by seizing opportunities outside of formal education.You’ll LearnHow Anita discovered public health through a peer education opportunity on campusHow politics and public health are closely intertwinedThe importance of being open to different opportunities that may not necessarily be in your direct field of workAnita’s experience and reflections on taking a break in between grad schoolHow you can upscale your school without needing formal educationHow volunteering is a valuable way to add skills to your toolkitHow to cope with failures and feelings of low self esteemWhat’s next for Anita and how she is gathering information for her future career path through informational interviewsToday’s GuestAnita Balan is a Project Director at the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM). Currently, she is responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of multiple grants funded through a cooperative agreement between ACPM and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, aimed at to strengthen public health systems and improve population health through national partnerships. Three of her projects focus on building the capacity of physicians, health systems and collaborating organizations to prevent diabetes, reduce hypertension and address COVID-19 among disproportionately affected populations. She provides staff support for the preventive medicine residency program directors and the Graduate Medical Education Subcommittee. Ms. Balan is a strong advocate for health promotion and disease prevention, investing in public health, public health law, addressing structural barriers and eliminating health disparities. She earned her MPH in Prevention and Community Health from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES). She serves on the boards of the National Capital Area chapter of the Society of Public Health Education (NCA SOPHE) and the South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA). She is a believer in life-long learning and enjoys being a student of Indian Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance.ResourcesLearn more about the Emerging Leaders in Public Health Program Learn more about becoming a Certified Health Education SpecialistLearn more about Vote SmartLearn more about the American College of Preventive Medicine Listen to the previous episode with Joanna Suder and Gwyneth Eliasson Listen to the previous episode about informational interviews with Shanna Shulman and the previous career tips for informational interviewsLearn more about the Society for Public Health EducationSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Gwyneth Eliasson, an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health. They discuss how public health and law intersect, Gwyneth’s experiences in academia and teaching, and advice for anyone interested in health policy and these fields.You’ll LearnHow Gwyneth found her way into public health from working in public interest law and consultingThe differences between public health law, healthcare law, and public health practice and what opportunities are available for those interested in these areasWhat a day in the life of Gwyneth looks like as a professor How the pandemic has affected Gwyneth’s role as a professor and what changes she has seen in students’ learningsGwyneth’s teaching style and how she incorporates her own experiences and education in projects and assignmentsThe importance of good writing and clear communication in public healthWhat advice Gwyneth has for those interested in the intersection between law and public healthToday’s GuestGwyneth M. Eliasson is an Assistant Professor of Health Systems and Policy in the Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy at the Rutgers School of Public Health (RSPH). Before joining the RSPH faculty, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the School of Public Health - SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University. She received her JD from Brooklyn Law School and her MPH in Health Systems and Policy from RSPH. As a social justice attorney, she advocated for low-income New Yorkers facing systemic health inequities at administrative proceedings and in Federal courts. As a public health practitioner, she managed CDC-contracted projects with the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University Beasley School of Law and consulted for Rutgers School of Law on grant-funded projects to develop a medical-legal partnership (MLP) program in Camden, New Jersey. Her case study on MLPs for older adults is in HEALTHY AGING THROUGH THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (APHA Press, 2021). ResourcesFollow Gwyneth on LinkedIn and Twitter Learn more about Camden's Medical-Legal Partnership Learn more about Temple University's Center for Public Health Law Research Learn more about CDC's Public Health Law Program Buy the book "Teaching Public Health Writing" by Jennifer Beard Listen to the previous episode about informational interviews with Shanna Shulman and the previous career tips for informational interviewsSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Garry Aslanyan, the Manager of Partnerships and Governance with the World Health Organization and host of the Global Health Matters podcast. They discuss what the TDR is, how the Global Health Matters podcast came to be, and advice for anyone thinking of starting their own podcast.You’ll LearnWhat the TDR is and how they are helping to connect and advance public health around the worldHow the “Global Health Matters” podcast came to beHighlights and topics of interest that have been covered on the podcastThe advantages of using podcast as a medium for knowledge dissemination What skill sets and team members may be needed to run a podcastWhat costs and resources should be taken into considerationAdvice on pitching a new podcast projectOther advice for anyone thinking of starting their own podcastToday’s GuestAs Manager of Partnerships and Governance, Dr Garry Aslanyan is responsible for TDR's wide range of engagements with global health stakeholders, including mobilizing programme resources and TDR's governing bodies. TDR has a unique relationship with co-sponsors: UNICEF, World Bank, UNDP and WHO. This includes applying research evidence in global health programming of the co-sponsors and collaborating with six regional WHO offices which is overseen by Dr Aslanyan, including the highly successful impact grants tackling public health challenges in those regions. In addition, Dr Aslanyan is the Head of the ESSENCE on Health Research Secretariat that provides support to its Steering Committee and funding agencies which are members of ESSENCE to move forward on various activities.Garry is also the host of the highly popular Global Health Matters podcast and leads its production team.Dr Aslanyan is Canadian, with a background in dentistry, public health, research/innovation management, health policy/systems as well as global health diplomacy. Prior to joining TDR, Dr Aslanyan has taken on various roles that allowed him to lead various organizational and technical innovations and is a recognized leader in global public health. As well as holding senior executive positions within Canada’s federal government and as the past President of the Ontario Public Health Association, Dr Garry Aslanyan has experiences living and working across the world including in Brazil, South Africa, Armenia, Barbados and Vietnam.ResourcesListen to the Global Health Matters podcast and learn more about the TDR Contact Garry via Email: [email protected] Follow Garry on LinkedIn and Twitter Learn more about Garry’s research Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Krysta McKenna Luzynski, a district epidemiologist at the Virginia Department of Health. They discuss gaining perspectives on different healthcare systems around the world, the responsibilities of a rural epidemiologist, and McKenna’s experience working through the COVID-19 pandemic. You’ll LearnHow McKenna found her way into public health through a youth leadership camp and an interest in healthcareHow the pandemic has altered the public perception of public healthWhy McKenna chose to pursue higher education abroad to gain new perspectives on public healthHow her experiences abroad impacted her career opportunities back homeA brief overview of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s MSc in Public Health programWhat a day in the life of a rural epidemiologist looks likeHow working in a rural setting differs from urban settings and what unique challenges may ariseMcKenna’s experience working through the COVID-19 pandemic and what she has learned from itWhat skills are essential to succeed in applied epidemiologyMcKenna’s goals and where she hopes to take her career in the futureToday’s GuestA native of Roanoke, VA, McKenna Luzynski is a magna cum laude graduate of Furman University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Spanish and a minor in Latin American Studies. She attended the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine for her Master of Science in Public Health. McKenna has been employed by the Virginia Department of Health as the Senior District Epidemiologist for Southside Health District since October of 2019. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors for VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. McKenna resides in South Hill, VA.ResourcesFollow McKenna on LinkedIn Learn more about the National Youth Leadership Forum: Medicine program Learn more about London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's MSc in Public Health program Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Deepti Joshi, the oncology quality program manager at MultiCare Health System. They discuss what quality improvement and management is, what tools and skills can help you succeed in this field, and her experiences as an international student. You’ll LearnHow Deepti discovered the field of public health through an interest in healthcare and managementThe role of exploring through internships and other work experiences in finding your passionWhat health and quality management is and what career opportunities are available for those interested in itWhat soft skills are advantageous for those interested in this fieldWhat additional certifications are useful for program management rolesHow teamwork between multiple disciplines is essential in maintaining quality services and systemsWhat a day in the life of a quality manager at a health system looks likeThe biggest challenges Deepti faced as a student/worker coming from a different country and how she overcame these challengesToday’s GuestI am currently working as an Oncology Quality Program Manager at MultiCare Health System in Washington. I have previously worked in Quality Improvement in the area of HIV/AIDS. I have a Master of Public Health degree from UNT Health Science Center, TX, and a Master of Hospital Administration degree from India. I also have a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification. I am pursuing my interest in both quality management and public health by working in positions that allow me to combine them, and work towards my ultimate goal of contributing to the betterment of our society. ResourcesFollow Deepti on LinkedIn  Learn more about Certified in Public Health certification Learn more about the Lean Six Sigma Certification Learn more about the Google Data Analytics Certificate Find other courses on Coursera Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Neelam Bhardwaj, a healthcare professional with decades of international experience. They discuss Neelam’s research interests, the projects she has led around the world, and what she has learned from her extensive career.You’ll LearnHow Neelam found her way into public health through her medical and clinical trainingNeelam’s research interest and her work in women and children’s health Neelam’s experiences working with international organizations such as UNICEF and the United NationsThe various projects and initiatives Neelam has led around the worldWhat she has learned working with different cultures in the worldWhere to start if you are thinking of working at the international levelHow to focus and work towards your passionWhat Helplife Global is and what inspired Neelam to create it Today’s GuestDr. Neelam Bhardwaj has over 30 years of experience in the medical field. A highly skilled doctor, she currently works as a social obstetrician, wellness practitioner, and a global public health expert in the area of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH). She is driven by a passion to empower young girls and women from the underprivileged communities. Neelam has 20 years of her career working for international health, of which 15 years she spent as a technical expert for maternal and child health with UNICEF in number of Countries in remote and fragile settings, e.g., Indonesia, Sudan, Uganda, Malawi and India. She contributed to improving reproductive health of girls and women while at UNFPA, HQ NY. She worked with International Rescue Committee (IRC), in Sierra Leone, and PATH India in setting up the innovative approaches in remote areas of countries, and supported cultural practices, to save the lives of women and their newborn babies. She has been recipient of several national and international awards, and has many publications to her credit.Neelam earned postdoctoral degrees in medicine and healthcare management from universities in India, and received a diploma in Reproductive Health in Developing Countries from the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. She is an active member of the Compassionate Birthing Network, & research that will preserve good cultural practices. She is known for her transformative leadership. She spent 15 years in researching disabilities in young women and girls, developed an innovative model of sustainability and development for the most vulnerable sections of the society.She is a motivational speaker for the most vulnerable who have lost all hopes of living a life of dignity and self-esteem. She is a great storyteller for women living in adversity. Her innovative business model for making young women and girls financially independent, and living a life of respectful citizen is attracting many other partners. She saved many young women and girls to be further pushed into poverty during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Her workshops, “innovating minds” are becoming very popular for motivating young people especially with disabilities. ResourcesFollow Neelam on LinkedIn Learn more about Neelam’s research Learn more about Helplife Global Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Patrice Sirmons-Davis, the founder of PSD Consulting Group. They talk about Patrice’s journey from working in direct clinical care to public health, the values of gathering other perspectives when reflecting on your skills and career, and how PSD Consulting Group came to be. You’ll LearnHow Patrice found her way from patient advocacy to nursing to public healthHow Patrice’s experience in direct clinical care shone a light on frustrations she had with the current healthcare systemWhat difficulties Patrice encountered when transitioning from a clinical role to a public health roleTips for those in clinical roles who are thinking of changing professionsHow to recognize your skills and joys and the values of having outside perspectives affirm your skill setsHow PSD Consulting Group aims to integrate traditional healthcare with public healthWhat motivated Patrice to create her own consulting companyPatrice’s experience with creating her own companyHow Patrice’s own career journey motivated her to also do career coaching for early professionalsTips for those in the early stages of building their careers on overcoming financial barriers and where their sets of skills could bring changes in healthcareToday’s GuestPatrice Sirmons is the Owner and Principal Consultant at PSD Consulting Group. She started her career in public health in 1999 as a patient advocate in a community clinic. Since then she has worked at community health centers, ambulatory surgical centers, a county health department, and a nationally ranked hospital system, however, her true love is public health.She now works as a consultant and healthcare operations strategist. In this role, she works with community and healthcare organizations to create operational and program solutions that improve outcomes for the organizations and the people they serve.Her interests include addressing health disparities and barriers, integrating public health into traditional healthcare practices, and community health planning and policy development. She has demonstrated areas of expertise that include program development and evaluation, clinical operations and process improvement, and project management.Patrice holds a Master of Public Health from Des Moines University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ohio University. She is a licensed Registered Nurse and a Board Certified Nurse Executive - Advanced. ResourcesFollow Patrice on LinkedIn Learn more about Patrice and the  PSD Consulting Group Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Kristi Sprowl, the Community Impact Director at the American Heart Association. They talk about finding your niche in public health, building from your experiences, and ways to champion and innovate the profession of public health. You’ll LearnHow Kristi found her way into public health through nursingWhy Kristi decided to pursue a Doctor in Public Health degree and how a doctorate can offer more flexibility and opportunityTips on how to find the right career path for you including exploring as much as you can and finding the right mentors and communityHow knowing your “why” and centering yourself helps you avoid burnout and accomplish your goalsInterviewing tips and how to springboard from prior jobs and experiences to a new positionThe importance of servitude and taking action outside of the workplaceHow the workplace is changing and where innovation can take place in the public health fieldToday’s GuestKristi Sprowl is a Los Angeles native, health enthusiast, and Public Health Practitioner through rigorous academic training. She received her Bachelor of Science degree at California State University, Dominguez Hills in Community Health and her Master in Public Health degree at the University of Arizona where she received numerous awards for her research efforts related to public health issues affecting women. Kristi moved to Atlanta to pursue her public health career on a larger scale and joined Emory University conducting public health clinical research and worked as a Senior Health Educator at the Fulton County Board of Health where she planned and implemented community public health education programs, community outreach campaigns and public awareness initiatives with clinics, schools, and other stakeholders across Georgia’s largest county. Kristi now works as a Community Impact Director at the American Heart Association, leading and directing health initiatives in the Metro Atlanta region to drive local policy change. Kristi was recently accepted into the Doctor of Public Health program at the University of Georgia's 2021 cohort for working executives. She was awarded as a 2021 Health Equity Fellow at the University of Georgia and now representing as a 2022 Urban Leaders Fellow for Dekalb County in Atlanta’s metro region. Her future goals include teaching at the collegiate level, conducting research around leadership training and assessment for BIPOC professionals, and advancing programmatic efforts around social determinants of health and racial inequities. ResourcesFollow Kristi on LinkedIn Learn more about the American Heart Association Learn more about the McNair Scholars Program Read about the de Beaumount data about stress and burnout in public health professionals Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Shaniece Criss, an associate professor at Furman university and community leader. They discuss how Shaniece’s passion for media and performance led her to public health and how to incorporate your own interests in order to create a job that is fulfilling for you.You’ll LearnShaniece’s three spheres of influence and how they have affected her career How Shaniece found her way into public health through an interest in media and performanceShaniece’s experience going into an MPH straight from an undergraduate degree and the differences she saw between those who had previous work experience in the health fieldWhat made Shaniece decide to pursue further education after her MPHWhat the “golden handcuffs” are and how to take and incorporate aspects of certain professions/interests that bring you happiness to create your own perfect career What made Shaniece interested in academia and where she hopes to progress to in the futureThe importance of being involved in boards and councils and how that can further public health in your communityHow you can start to get involved in various boards and organizationsWhat a day in the life of an associate professor looks likeToday’s GuestDr. Shaniece Criss is a multifaceted, enthusiastic leader who works in the areas of higher education, research, government, and health media. In academia, she is an Associate Professor in the Health Sciences Department at Furman University and a community-engaged qualitative researcher addressing health equity and health communication. As a founding member of the Big Data for Health Equity Research Collaborative, she works with university researchers from across the U.S. to investigate how societal issues impact health. At Furman, she partners with the Institute for the Advancement of Community Health and serves as a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach.Dr. Criss is an elected official on Travelers Rest City Council and serves on the board of directors for Prisma Health and South Carolina Hospital Association. She also serves as a community advisor for the Jolley Foundation and Greenville County Schools. Most recently, she created the Dr. Shaniece Instagram account to educate others about public health. For her professional and community endeavors, she was recognized as one of eleven leaders from across the state with the “Women Vision SC” Award from ETV. In addition, she was named a “ChangeMaker” by Multiplying Good, inducted into the Greenville County Schools Hall of Fame, and received the UNCF Mayors’ Ball Community Award. With a passion to implement effective interventions and policies, she earned her doctorate from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she was awarded a Presidential Public Service Fellowship. She has a Master of Public Health from Emory University and an undergraduate degree in communication from Oglethorpe University. As a public health practitioner, Dr. Criss served as producer and host for a national television show for the Ministry of Health in Guyana during her Peace Corps service. She also held positions at ICF International, Centers for Disease Control, and CNN.ResourcesFollow Shaniece on Instagram Learn more about the Peace CorpsLearn more about LiveWell GreenvilleSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Akaoma Onyemelukwe to talk about the not for profit sector of public health. They discuss what tools are needed to succeed in public health, how to find your niche, and Akaoma’s own experiences working with various nonprofit organisations.You’ll LearnHow Akaoma found her way into public health from working with organisations such Unicef and Red Cross from a young ageWhy Akaoma pursued an MPH on top of her practical experience in the fieldHow having and declaring a strong desire, building connections, and finding a niche are all important in succeeding in the nonprofit spaceHow Akaoma found her areas of interest and specialisation in public healthWhat areas in public health have seen rapid changes in the recent years and which areas have seen little progressThe biggest challenges Akaoma has faced and what skills/resources she needed to overcome themThe most important learnings Akaoma has gained from working in the not for profit sectorWhat Right Proposals is and how it stemmed from Akaoma’s interest in helping organisations access funding and sustainability What a day in Akaoma’s life looks like and what tools and strategies to keep everything organised How volunteering, continuing education, and mentorship are all important steps in achieving your dream public health careerToday’s GuestNon-profit, global development and management expert/consultant and coach with 20 years experience; She comes with expertise in suite of health systems strengthening; policy and advocacy, business development (grants & proposals), strategic planning, policy development, curriculum development, gender and social norms, research and evaluation; organisational development and management; supported institutional capacity strengthening for NGOs, CSO, FBO, Networks and Coalition in Nigeria and Africa. Prepared tools, guidance and learning materials for trainings and technical documentation to inform reforms across various institutions and sectorsA leader in large and complex programmes in Health, Humanitarian, Education, Governance and Media sectors; advised governments of low- and middle-income countries, private sector organisations, INGOs and NGOs on policy and reforms; design, implementation and evaluation of programmes. Akaoma has considerable experience in developing, drafting, researching, and analysing strategies, policies, legislation, and regulations, action plans and operational guidelinesBeyond her expertise in new business development proposal writing, Akaoma has led researches in programming opportunities analysis, policy review, health reforms including the basic health care provision fund, support to state health insurance scheme work, human resource for health interventions’; developed a digital COVID -19 manual; series of capacity building initiatives for government, health workers, humanitarian workers and private sector players including communities’. Akaoma has worked in Nigeria, Malawi, and Ethiopia​ResourcesFollow Akaoma on LinkedIn Learn more about opportunities at the Red Cross, UNICEF, WHO Learn more about Right Proposals Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Monica Villarruel, a research scientist for the state of California. They discuss Monica’s experience working as a research scientist outside of academia and how Monica was able to overcome the various challenges throughout her academic and professional journey. You’ll LearnHow Monica found her way into the public health field from nutritionWhy Monica decided to pursue an MPH and the challenges she faced going back to schoolHow state research differs from research within academia and what a day in the life of a state research scientist looks likeMonica’s work with maternal and infant health and what other areas of research or opportunities are availableWhat skills may be beneficial to have for anyone interested in research outside of academiaMonica’s struggles with monotony in the workplace and how she was able to pull herself out of a rutHow surrounding yourself with mentors and a support network is essential in your career journeyWhat new developments are coming up for MonicaToday’s Guest​ResourcesFollow Monica on Linkedin Read more about the Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System and the Maternal and Infant Health AssessmentLearn more about the Women, Infants, and Children programLearn more about the Worthy Women organization   Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Thiv Paramsothy, an entrepreneur and founder of several companies including his newest startup, Hera Fertility. They talk about innovation in healthcare, Thiv’s experiences with creating his startups, and offer advice for public health professionals with ideas for change and an interest in entrepreneurship.You’ll LearnHow Thiv found his way into public healthWhere Thiv’s love for technology first startedThiv’s experience with promoting the adoption of electronic medical records in OntarioWhat challenges arise with implementing new changes in healthcareWhat opportunities in E-health are available for public health professionals and how sometimes, we have to create our own spacesAdvice for public health professionals with big ideas for change and an interest in entrepreneurshipHow a solid team and support network is essential in creating new products and servicesWhat Adracare is and what motivated Thiv to form the companyA quick peek into Thiv’s newest startup, Hera FertilityToday’s GuestHi  👋🏾 I'm Thiv. I love working with or founding startups to make real change happen in healthcare. My life's mission is to help patients, and providers get the care they need from the health system. The last startup (cofounded) was a telehealth practice management software (Adracare) that was sold to WELL Health Technologies. I'm on to my next startup - Hera Fertility - to revolutionize fertility financing. UWaterloo Alumni. When I'm not working, doing something with basketball or trying to be funny.​ResourcesFollow Thiv on LinkedIn Learn more about BlueDot Learn more about DoctorCareLearn more about AdracareLearn more about Thiv’s newest startup, Hera Fertility Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Kathryn Glendon, a public health specialist, professor, and life coach. They talk about Kathryn’s experiences working in the Chesprocott health district and academia, how to incorporate positive thinking in your life, and finding your way through all the twists and turns of your career path.You’ll LearnHow Kathryn found her way into public health and how the various internships and field experiences shaped her career interestsTips on how to land a job in public health with an undergraduate degreeWhy Kathryn decided to pursue a graduate degree The importance of experiencing many different things so you can better understand where your passion truly liesKathryn’s experience working with the Chesprocott health district and how her work has expanded and changed throughout the pandemicWhat a day in the life of a public health specialist looks likeHow Kathryn balances her work in the health district with academiaHow positive thinking changes your perspective and can lead to more open doorsThe biggest challenges Kathryn faced through her career and what – if anything – she would have done differentlyKathryn’s plans and goals for the futureToday’s GuestKate is a Certified Professional Coach who is dynamic and forward thinking.She hold a Master's degree in Public Health and has over 15 years of experience in community health promotion and prevention with a focus of total wellness, specializing  in Planning -  Policy Development - Media Relations - Community Mobilization - Program design and implementation and management. Kate assists communities, groups, and individuals to increase their quality of life.  ​ResourcesFollow Kate on LinkedIn Learn more about Glendon Life Coaching Learn more about becoming a Certified Health Education SpecialistLearn more about Drug Free CommunitiesSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani shares her two commitments for 2023 and encourages you to think about your own goals and commitments! What You'll Learn from this Episode:Two goals/commitments for 2023 that Sujani has set out: Bringing together 1,000 members into The Public Health Career Club to support them to show up as their authentic selves and take their careers to the next level!Exploring opportunities to pursue writing in my own public health career.Featured on the Show:Follow Sujani on LinkedInJoin The Public Health Career ClubDalla Lana Fellowship in Journalism and Health ImpactSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, I talk about this one question we often ask ourselves at the end of the year: "Where did the year go?". I offer a solution for not feeling this way: intentionally setting time aside to reflect on the year. This is something I have done over the past 10 years and it works so well. What You'll Learn from this Episode:The template I use to conduct my reflections, which includes reflecting in these three large buckets: Things I am most proud of/happy about this past yearNew relationships I have made (or strengthening of existing ones)Books I have readI tell you the three things I am most proud of this year with PH SPOT The launch of The Public Health Career ClubOptimizing the process behind publishing these podcastsConsistently showing up on LinkedIn and writing (reaching over 300,000+ people!)Featured on the Show:Follow Sujani on LinkedInSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Gwendolyn Roberts Francavillo, a professor at the School of Health Sciences at Marymount University and an active leader and member of the American Public Health Association. They talk about mentorship, the various paths into academia, and how Gwendolyn is working with the APHA to support the education and professional development of public health professionals.You’ll LearnHow Gwendolyn found her way to public health through her sociology degree and her experience working as a peer health educatorHow Gwendolyn’s 24+ years of work experience in public health has influenced the way she teaches and mentors studentsGwendolyn’s research interests including women’s health, public health ethics, and holistic wellnessThe importance of taking care of yourself and Gwendolyn’s work with the APHA to help public health professionals connect and growWhat led to Gwendolyn forming the Learning and Professional Development Committee of APHA’s Public Health and Health Promotion SectionWhat a day in Gwendolyn’s life looks like and how she balances her work in academia and with the APHAHow collaboration, social support, and mentorship can help you learn and expand your career opportunitiesThe biggest challenges Gwendolyn faced through her career in academia and advice she has for others considering a career in academiaThe different nontraditional ways to enter into academia and teachingToday’s GuestDr. Gwendolyn Roberts Francavillo is an experienced, tenured Associate Professor of Public Health in the School of Health Sciences at Marymount University. She has taught and conducted research at universities since 1998 with expertise in holistic stress management, public health ethics, wellness, sexuality, and global health. Dr. Francavillo has an interactive teaching approach to make any topic fun and engaging! A professional endeavor of hers is to establish an interest among her students in research methods and theoretical foundation. She was recently elected President-Elect of Marymount’s Faculty Council. Dr. Francavillo has a PhD and Master’s degree in Public Health, and is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). One of her passions is teaching yoga to varied populations for over 20 years and is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT). She has received funding, published findings, and presented at national conferences. For APHA, for the PHEHP section, Dr. Francavillo is a Governing Councilor, Founding Chair of the Learning and Professional Development Committee, and Vice-Chair of the Membership Engagement Committee. Dr. Francavillo feels her calling is to help others embrace positivity, feel empowered to take responsibility for their own health, and be the best selves they can be!ResourcesFollow Gwendolyn on LinkedIn and learn more about Gwendolyn and her research Learn more about the APHA's Public Health Education and Health Promotion Section and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to keep up with their upcoming events Learn more about the AmeriCorps organization Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Brittaney Jenkins, the founder and CEO of Jenkins Public Health Consulting. They talk about working in public health without a graduate degree, job application advice for early career professionals, and Brittaney’s experience with entrepreneurship and creating her own business.You’ll LearnHow early experiences with volunteering and job shadowing led Brittaney to pursue public healthThe pros and cons job shadowing vs. volunteering with an organizationJob application advice for early career professionals who may not have a lot of paid work experiences or a graduate degree in their field of interestHow the desire for independence led to Brittaney forming her own consulting company focusing on community outreachHow Brittaney balanced running her own business in earlier stages with working a corporate position What prompted Brittaney to move into full time work with her own businessThe biggest challenges Brittaney faced with running her own business Tips on attracting and retaining clientele for those interested in entrepreneurship and the importance of social media in this ageWhat a day in Brittaney’s life as a public health consultant looks likeToday’s GuestBrittaney Jenkins is a Public Health Practitioner, Consultant, Certified Health Education Specialist, and Mentor. She obtained a BS in Public Health from Ball State University, has over 10+ years of experience in public health, and went from NPO to CEO. Brittaney is the Founder of Jenkins Public Health Consulting, LLC, helping clients develop innovative community outreach strategies to increase awareness and engagement of public health & wellness programs, ultimately improving health outcomes. She also runs a Public Health Mentor program for current and aspiring public health professionals. Brittaney is originally from Indianapolis, IN, now residing in Birmingham, AL.ResourcesFollow Brittaney on LinkedInLearn more about volunteering with the Red CrossVisit the Jenkins Public Health Consulting website and follow them on YouTube and InstagramSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Luis Torres, a public health tech professional. They talk about what product management is, how to break into product development as a public health professional, and how health tech will become essential to progressing in the field of public health.You’ll LearnHow Luis became interested in public health and subsequently product management and health techWhat product development and management is How health tech is apparent in healthcare beyond tangibles such as telemedicineHow health tech directly supports the major goals of public health such as education, communication, and sharing of resourcesHow to be involved in health tech and product management without having a background in technologyWhat kinds of different members can make up a team in tech developmentHow having someone with public health expertise is vital in developing new health tech How you can involve health tech and innovative practices in your current organizationWhat skillsets are important and transferable from public health to product managementWhat additional skills or training may be helpful for someone looking to enter the health tech fieldWhat a day in Luis’s life as Associate V.P. of Product at Partnership to End Addiction looks likeToday’s GuestLuis Torres focuses on improving patient access to treatment and strengthening the substance use treatment system through clinical quality improvement, practice change implementation, and clinical provider trainings. He aims to promote best practices among treatment providers and remove barriers to care for those with substance use disorders. Luis received his Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences from Virginia Tech and his master’s degree in public health from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.ResourcesFollow Luis on LinkedIn Learn more about the courses available on General AssemblyLearn more about The Partnership to End AddictionSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Nakia Bolden, a full time MPH student, certified health education specialist, and entrepreneur. They talk about what the CHES is and how to obtain it, working in public health with an undergraduate degree, and Nakia’s experiences starting her own health education business. You’ll LearnHow Nakia became interested in public health and what motivated her to pursue a MPHHow to start working in public health without a having a MPHWhat benefits can come out of being engaged in your profession’s community and how you can connect with these communities and networksTips on how to balance your school, work, and personal lifeWhat a day in the life of a vaccine demand strategist looks likeHow social media and infographic design skills can be fundamental to health communicationWhat a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) is The process to becoming certified and maintaining certificationWhat opportunities being certified can open for youHow Nakia experiences and handles imposter syndromeNakia’s experiences with starting her own business and her goals for I Am Health EducationWhat kinds of resources are available through I Am Health EducationToday’s GuestI am a Certified Health Education Specialist, CHES®. I have a bachelor's degree in health sciences and I am currently pursuing my Master of Public Health from Indiana State University. I have 3 years of experience in managing infectious disease programs to improve health outcomes and health equity. I am also a consultant at I Am Health Education, our vision is to "Promote and advocate for health equity and the Certified Health Education Specialist, CHES®, Certification"ResourcesVisit Nakia’s website, I Am Health EducationLearn more about The Black Ladies in Public Health Organization Learn more about The Certified Health Education Specialist Certification and the Companion Guide for Health Education SpecialistsBuy the book 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You ThinkSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Jeff Button, a public health emergency preparedness specialist. They discuss Jeff’s career journey from working as a personal trainer to working in public health, what inspired him to pursue public health, and what public health emergency preparedness encompasses. You’ll LearnJeff’s experience as a personal health trainer and what led him to the public health fieldWhat made Jeff choose to pursue public health over physical therapyHow to find what your passion is and signs/indicators that you may not be working in the right fieldHow work experiences can inspire you and better help you understand your field of interestsAdvice on how to start making connections in a new professional fieldThe importance of making connections and how they can open doors in your careerWhat public health emergency preparedness isWhat a day in the life of a Public Health Emergency Preparedness Planner looks likeJeff’s current work in addressing health disparities that have been exacerbated by COVID and his experience working in a newly established teamHow intraprofessional and interprofessional collaboration come in to play in public healthToday’s GuestJeff Button is an early-career public health professional who discovered his passion for health promotion and disease prevention during his time working in the fitness and healthcare industries. Upon graduating with his Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in December 2019 from the UTHealth School of Public Health in Dallas, Jeff was determined to find a job in the public health field that focused on improving population health and well-being. Currently, he is employed with a local health department within Collin County, Texas, where he was selected to serve as the first Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Planner for a state-funded COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant. In Jeff’s current role, he provides leadership on a team that analyzes the root causes of pandemic-driven health disparities and builds multi-sector partnerships with community stakeholders to improve the health of vulnerable populations. Jeff is passionate about reducing health disparities and addressing social determinants of health that affect health outcomes among high-risk and underserved communities. Jeff is a proud member of the American Public Health Association (APHA) who enjoys networking with other like-minded public health professionals and sharing his unique journey in the field of public health.ResourcesFollow Jeff on LinkedIn  Learn more about the The Medical Reserve Corps and Administration for Strategic Preparedness and ResponseSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Maudra Brown, the founder and CEO of MRB Public Health Consulting. They discuss Maudra’s various work experiences in public health, her transition from working in government to creating her own consulting firm, and how taking risks and believing in her passions has led to Maudra finding success in entrepreneurship. You’ll LearnHow Maudra found her way to the public health fieldA brief overview of the public health and tropical medicine program at Tulane UniversityTips on how to find your niche in public health and the importance of trying new and unique experiencesMaudra’s experience leading a new public health program right out of graduationWhy Maudra moved from her directorial role in government to creating her own consulting firmHow Maudra’s passion for caring for children and communities of her interest led to pursuing entrepreneurship How Maudra has found success with her company and creating sustainable partnershipsHow exploring non-traditional partnerships has helped communities and clients that Maudra has worked withWhat a day in the life of a chief health strategist looks likeAdvice for students and early professionals and why believing in yourself is at the core of building a fulfilling careerToday’s GuestCombining over a decade of public health expertise with lived experiences internationally and domestically, Maudra champions public health in innovative ways, focusing on non-traditional partnerships and incorporating best practices with independent thought leadership. Maudra holds a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance from The College of Charleston, in Charleston, South Carolina and a Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in International Health and Sustainable Development from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.  She is certified and credentialed in both health systems and public health arenas, a unique and specialized expertise that not many in this industry have.As MRB's Chief Health Strategist, Maudra helps communities effectively integrate and practically navigate public health.ResourcesLearn more about MRB Public Health Consulting on their website or contact them by email Follow MRB Public Health Consulting on ​​Instagram, Youtube, LinkedIn, Twitter, and FacebookLearn more about Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical MedicineSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Brock Turner, a health and human sciences educator at Purdue University. They talk about transitioning careers, Brock’s passion for health and education, and where continuous learning fits in your career.You’ll LearnBrock’s career journey from working in construction, project management, to health educationHow Brock’s passion for bettering the lives of others led him to the field of public healthHow having children and building a family changed Brock’s perspective on his careerBrock’s experience transitioning from a well established career to going back to school and working in a new fieldHow to make this transition smoother How skill sets can transfer even across seemingly different occupationsWhat a day in the life of a health and human sciences extension educator looks likeHow the Certified Health Education Specialist credential has helped Brock in his careerWhy continuous learning is important for educators in this constantly changing environmentWhy it was important to Brock to be involved in university committees that influence change that impacts students and others on campusToday’s GuestBrock Turner is a Health and Human Science Educator for Purdue University Extension in Indiana. He holds a Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Health Education degree from Purdue University Global. He is also a NCHEC-Certified Health Education Specialist and NFPT-Certified Personal Trainer. As a Health and Human Science educator, Brock strives to improve the lives and livelihoods of those within his community by bringing evidence-based education from Purdue University to the people. He focuses his educational programming in areas of nutrition, financial resource management, human development, and health and wellness. Brock transitioned into the Health Education field after spending 15 years working in project management, project sales, procurement, and retail sales. He loves to connect with people in order to make a lasting and positive impact on their lives.ResourcesFollow Brock on LinkedIn Learn more about Purdue UniversityLearn more about the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credentialLearn more about the course Moving Past Change Fatigue to the Growth Edge Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Sarah Labuda, a physician and medical epidemiologist focusing on global health. They discuss Sarah’s passion for both global health and clinical practice, how Sarah found her way to public health, and advice for students who are mapping out their own career paths.  You’ll LearnSarah’s experiences working in pediatrics and global healthWhat inspired Sarah to pursue a career in global healthAdvice for students who are interested in pursuing a career in global healthWhat learning resources are available for gaining skills needed in public healthWhat a day in Sarah’s life looks likeThe importance of asking questions and speaking to others working in fields that you are interested inThe importance of self reflection and determining your core values and goalsHow you can gain more experience in global health Today’s GuestDr. Sarah Labuda is a physician and medical epidemiologist with a passion for global health and public health practice, clinical medicine, and helping students and trainees planning for satisfying and impactful careers in global health. She has practiced urgent care and full-scope general pediatrics in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Lousiana; provided specialty care to children with sickle cell disease in Angola; and worked in public health at the state, national, and international levels focusing on HIV, Tuberculosis, Hansen’s Disease, and malaria control. She completed both her undergraduate and medical degrees at Texas A&M University; Pediatric Residency at the University of Arkansas for the Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas; Masters of Public Health degree with certificate in global health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship at Tulane University in New Orleans.ResourcesVisit CourseEraRead Dr. Lawrence Loh's blog post about the global health gambleFollow Sarah on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedInSubscribe to Sarah's website Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Alice Simniceanu, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the World Health Organization. They discuss Alice’s career journey and current work, the importance of mentorship, and advice on how to land your dream public health job. You’ll LearnHow Alice became interested in the field of public health and more specifically, infection prevention and controlAlice’s career journey from working in a hospital setting to a global setting How reaching out can help you find your passion and open doorsTips on how to sell yourself in interviews even if you may not have extensive experienceWhat a day in Alice’s life looks atAlice’s experience working in infection control during the COVID pandemicThe biggest challenges Alice has faced through her careerThe importance of finding good mentors in your careerToday’s GuestAlice Simniceanu is a public health professional in global public health and epidemiologist in infectious and emerging diseases, outbreak preparedness and response at WHO. She has experience in hospital epidemiology and infection prevention and control in diverse health care organizations working at international, national and sub-national levels. She holds an MPH from Queen’s University in Canada and is currently doing her PhD in Global Health at the University of Geneva. ResourcesFollow Alice on LinkedIn Read Alice’s blog post: Public Health Vs. Infection Control Learn more about OpenWHO Learn more about GEMSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Stephanie Verna, a former physical education and health teacher and current public health professional. They discuss Stephanie’s career journey, how she took the leap of pursuing public health, and the importance of living without regret.You’ll LearnStephanie’s experience as a teacher and a coach and her passion for educationWhat motivated Stephanie to change career paths and pursue public health Stephanie’s interest in sports health and preventing injuryHow the pandemic impacted Stephanie’s education and careerStephanie’s experience going back to school, the biggest challenges that she faced, and how she managed themThe importance of fully utilizing resources available to you in educational institutes, such as career centersHow networking can open doors for you to get to your dream careerAdvice for others who are thinking about taking the next step in their career pathToday’s GuestStephanie Verna is a Program and Research Manager at one of the CDC’s currently funded injury control research centers-Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory University located in Atlanta, Georgia. Stephanie’s research interests include a multitude of injury topics such as traumatic brain injuries, concussions, and transportation safety. In addition, she is working on a phase 3 national exercise clinical trial, SPARX3 that investigates the effects of moderate and high-intensity aerobic exercise on disease progression in untreated patients with Parkinson’s.Previously, Stephanie was a middle school Physical Education and Health teacher for over a decade and a women’s lacrosse coach at the middle/high school levels for 18 years. She left her wonderful education and coaching position at a middle school to attend graduate school at Emory University during the pandemic in the fall of 2020. She graduated in May 2022 with a master's in public health from the behavioral, social, and health education sciences department with an injury prevention certificate. Additionally, she acquired her certified health educational specialist (CHES) certification. Stephanie’s passions include educating, mentoring, and coaching other graduate and undergraduate students. She hopes to continue working within the space of injury and violence prevention but hopes to reach her goal of participating in sports related TBI/concussion research in the future. ResourcesFollow Stephanie on LinkedIn Watch the documentary Big Hits Broken DreamsBuy the book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly DepartingSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Since the launch of PH SPOT in 2017, we've been working to answer this question: How do we support and guide you in building your dream public health career?What we've learned over the years is that the answer lies here: PEOPLE. NETWORK. COMMUNITY.As much as career strategies, job application tips, and job preparation are important in building your dream career, the number one thing that's THE KEY to career success and satisfaction is having the right people around you. This then ultimately puts you down the path to building your dream career.This holds true regardless of whether you are a student, a new grad, early in your career, mid-career, or feel pretty established.By leveraging the power of community, we are launching The Public Health Career Club on October 19, 2022!Listen to this episode as Sujani tells you more about how the Club was born and everything that led up to the creation of this new experience.Our mission is to create the largest and most supportive global community for public health, focused specifically on building your dream career. Learn more here: FAQs about the ClubSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Ritika Tiwari, a lecturer in Public Health at the University of Greenwich. They discuss Ritika’s education and career journey, her research interests, and her work in various countries around the world.You’ll LearnRitika’s education journey and what pushed her into the field of public healthRitika’s work and research in various areas of the worldHow Ritika’s background in business management and human resources connect to her work in public healthHow the pandemic has affected the public health systemWhat a day in Ritika’s life looks likeRitika’s experience with teaching and how her work experience has helped herThe importance of mentorship for students Tips for listeners who may be thinking of pursuing an education or career in another part of the worldRitika’s goals and plans in social entrepreneurship in public healthCareer advice for early career professionals and studentsToday’s GuestRitika Tiwari is a Lecturer in Public Health at University of Greenwich, United Kingdom. Ritika is teaching on the BSc in Public Health and MSc in Global Public Health courses, including modules such as Introduction to Public Health, Behaviour Change, Public Health, Policy, & Politics and Poverty, Inequality & Social Exclusion. Ritika’s research mainly focuses on health workforce estimation and forecasting. She joined University of Greenwich in 2022 and previously worked at the Stellenbosch University (Cape Town, South Africa) and Public Health Foundation of India (New Delhi, India). She earned her Ph.D. degree in Health Management from Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India.ResourcesFollow Ritika on Twitter and LinkedIn  Learn more about Ritika's researchLearn more about the Public Health Foundation of IndiaWatch Arunachalam Muruganantham's Ted TalkOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcastNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set upBe notified when new episodes come out and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT communityContribute to the public health career blogUpcoming course on infographicsLearn more about The Public Health Career ClubSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Deborah Thomson, the founder of One Health Lessons. They discuss the various titles Deborah has held, Deborah’s areas of interest in public health, and the vision and mission of One Health Lessons. You’ll LearnDeborah’s career journey from teaching, to practicing as a veterinarian, to working in public healthWhat a day in Deborah’s life looks likeTips on time management How Toastmasters helps with communication skills,What One Health isHow One Health Lessons came to beThe goal of One Health LessonsHow listeners can help with this missionWhat's next for One HealthAdvice for others passionate about starting an initiativeDeborah’s experience writing “The Art of Science Communication”Deborah’s career goals for the futureToday’s GuestDr. Deborah Thomson is author of The Art of Science Communication and the Chair of the World Veterinary Association's One Health Education Subgroup. In addition, she founded an organization that inspires children and adults around the world to value the interconnection between human health and the health of the environment, plants, and animals (called One Health Lessons). She has served as a Science Policy Advisor in the United States Congress and is also a clinical veterinarian and award-winning public speaker. Her articles have been printed in multiple publications, including The Lancet Planetary Health.ResourcesLearn more about Deborah and follow her on LinkedIn Learn more about One Health LessonsLearn more about ToastmastersBuy The Art of Science Communication: Sharing Knowledge with Students, the Public, and PolicymakersFollow One Health Lessons on Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and FacebookOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcastNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set upBe notified when new episodes come out and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT communityContribute to the public health career blogUpcomSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This is a QUICK CAREER TIPS episode: short podcast episodes spotlighting a career tip for public health professionals.Today’s career tip is on how to create and sustain your network of public health professionals.Whenever people talk about career growth, the word “networking” is bound to come up. It’s become a standard part of our career culture, but it’s not always a straightforward process: it tends to require a lot of work, especially building and maintaining that network. In today’s Quick Career Tip episode we’ll be talking about what it takes to do exactly that, and how you can do so in a way that eventually pays off.What You'll Learn from this Episode:How to create a public health network through the spaces and people you already knowWhy the key to strengthening your public health network is to “give before you receive”Featured on the Show:Quick Career Tips – Here Are The Questions You Need To Ask At Your Next Informational InterviewABC’s Of Informational Interviews In The Public Health World, With Shanna ShulmanThe Public Health Career Club 🌟Leave us a reviewOn SpotifyOn Apple PodcastOther Resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Ted Witek Jr., the director of the DrPH program at Dalla Lana. They discuss Ted’s diverse career journey, his research work, and Canada's first DrPH program.You’ll LearnTed’s career from pharmaceutics to directing the DrPH at Dalla LanaTed’s research interests and achievementsHow building relationships is important in your careerThe value of seizing opportunities and keeping an open mindWhat Ted has learned in his position from directing the DrPH programA brief summary about Dalla Lana's DrPH programWhat’s next for the DrPH programToday’s GuestDr. Witek served Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals for nearly 25 years where he held various pharmacology and clinical research positions, including Director of Respiratory and Immunology Clinical Research leading to his roles as President and CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Canadian and Portuguese operations. He led the Global Operating Team for Spiriva serving as Co-Chair of the Global Alliance with Pfizer.Dr. Witek also was Chief Scientific Officer & Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, at Innoviva (Formerly Theravance, Inc.). He also served on the Board of Directors of Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D) including Chair of the Health Technology Assessment and Public Relations Committee. He was appointed to the Ontario Health Innovation Council and advisor to the Design for Health Program at OCAD University. He is currently  an Adjunct Professor & Senior Fellow at the University of Toronto’s School of Public Health & Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. He serves as Director of the DrPH program. Dr. Witek is the author of more than 100 scientific papers as well as several chapters and books.Dr. Witek holds a Doctor of Public Health from Columbia University and a Master of Public Health from Yale University and an MBA from Henley Management College in the UK.ResourcesConnect with Ted on LinkedInFollow Ted on Twitter Learn more about Ted Learn more about Dalla Lana’s DrPH programListen to the previous episode about the DrPH program with Erica Di RuggieroOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Pegeen Walsh, the former Executive Director for the Ontario Public Health Association. They discuss her 43 year long career, her accomplishments in the public health field, and how to take initiative and seize opportunities in your professional journey.You’ll LearnPegeen’s path from her political science degree to her roles in government and nonprofit organizationsThe various public health projects Pegeen has been involved inWhat tools are available to find your talents to guide your careerThe importance of having diverse perspectives in furthering public health Advice for new professionals on taking initiative in their workWhat Pegeen would have done differently in her career pathHow Pegeen is involved in public health even in her retirementToday’s GuestPegeen Walsh recently retired as the Executive Director for the Ontario Public Health Association where she oversaw advocacy efforts in public health, training, capacity building and knowledge transfer and exchange initiatives within the province and beyond. Prior to OPHA, Pegeen led the design and delivery of a wide range of programs, policies, partnerships, and research that supported individual and community health and well-being as an executive with the federal, provincial and non-profit sectors. As Ontario Regional Director with Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Director of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, she oversaw various health promotion initiatives focussed on seniors, early child development, healthy eating, tobacco control, healthy communities, injury prevention and more. As Director of Public Policy at YMCA Canada, she developed government relations training and strategies. She now serves as an active OPHA volunteer supporting various initiatives including a bridging program for international medical graduates and some public health consulting projects.ResourcesConnect with Pegeen on LinkedInLearn about the Parliamentary Internship ProgrammeLearn about One Smart WorldBuy Promoting the Health of Older AdultsLearn about The Learning Enrichment FoundationLearn about the Public Health Ontario OrganizationOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Wubrest Bekele, a physician, health media producer, medical law and public health student amongst other titles. Wubrest takes us through a journey of her multiple careers and discusses how all of her experiences and perspective have led her to the field of public health.You’ll LearnWubrest’s start as a physician and the many detours she has taken to arrive at her MPH program in Yale. How volunteering in Wubrest’s early life played an important role in shaping her perspectives and goalsA brief overview of Ethiopia’s healthcare system and how it motivated Wubrest to work in community healthWhat lessons Wubrest learned from her various work experiences in different fieldsHow lessons can be learned from all experiences, whether good or badWhy Wubrest chose to pursue her graduate degrees in the US What factors Wubrest took into consideration when applying for schools as an international studentToday’s GuestWubrest Bekele is a Medical Doctor from Ethiopia currently enrolled in the MPH postgraduate studies at Yale School of Public Health and LL.M. Medical Law and Ethics at The University of Law. She is an Acumen Leadership Program Fellow, Board of Directors in philanthropy, and winner of the Ethiopian Medical Women Association’s ‘Celebrating Women in Medicine 2020 Award’. In her five years of work experience, Dr. Bekele led a newly built rural hospital to reach a commendable milestone of better patient care and efficient operations as a clinician and quality improvement head. She Co-founded the first health-focused media in Ethiopia, comprising 24- hour satellite TV, 24-hour radio, call center & online media, and created over 200 hours of educational TV & Radio content on COVID-19, reaching ~ 50 million population. Dr. Bekele worked in the national COVID-19 task force leading the Risk Communication and Community Engagement team at the Federal Ministry of Health. Currently, she is working as a summer intern at a healthcare VC firm and leading a research project on Childhood cancer in Ethiopia from the grant she won at Yale Collaborative Action Project. ResourcesConnect with Wubrest on LinkedIn For more information on international studies, listen to the previous episode with Nikita Sandeep Wagle Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training proSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This is a QUICK CAREER TIPS episode: short podcast episodes spotlighting a career tip for public health professionals.Today’s career tip is on how to get into the hidden job market! The reality is that not every job that’s available out there is advertised publicly by employers, which can make the job search all the more frustrating for those looking to break into a specific sector or role. If you want to gain access to hundreds of jobs that you might not have otherwise seen through traditional, online job boards, then today’s Quick Career Tip episode is for you.Specifically, you’ll learn:What the hidden job market is and how it can help you find your next jobHow you can access the hidden job market utilizing tools that you’re already familiar with  What to do once you’ve accessed the hidden job market!Mentioned in today's episode:Quick Career Tips – Here Are The Questions You Need To Ask At Your Next Informational InterviewABC’s Of Informational Interviews In The Public Health World, With Shanna ShulmanThe Public Health Career Club 🌟LEAVE A REVIEW! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify, please do leave us a review so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes!Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani is joined by Tara and Micaela to give a pep talk for all those who might be experiencing a slump in their education or career. They discuss how to overcome self doubt and the benefits of celebrating yourself.You’ll LearnHow every skill or experience can be valuable in a field as diverse as public healthTips on how to change your mindset to counter self doubt so you don’t sell yourself shortMicaela and Tara’s personal experiences with imposter syndrome and how they have been able to deal with itHow celebrating small wins and believing in yourself is important both personally and for the community and your peersWhy you should apply for jobs even if you may not meet 100% of the requirementsThe role that self reflection plays in overcoming self doubt and taking the next step forwardThe importance of building a support network who are invested in you and want to see you thriveHow career coaching can be useful for any public health professionResourcesListen to the previous episode with public health career and life coach Marissa McKool Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Neal Patel, a current MPH student and former teacher. Neal shares an inspiring story of what led him to pursue an MPH degree and how those in public health can take action in helping their communities of interest.You’ll LearnHow Neal’s experience as an educator inspired him to pursue public healthNeal’s experience of taking action and organizing community health projects What skills an MBA can provide for those who want to make changes in the health of their communityHow business administration plays a role in addressing health disparities in the communityAdvice from Neal on how to find your niche in public health Advice from Neal on how to move past contemplation and into actionHow Neal’s background as a teacher has helped and shaped his public health careerWhat teachers can learn from public health, and what public health can learn from teachersToday’s GuestI was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, but grew up in Charleston, SC. I graduated from Clemson University in May of 2017 with a BS in Genetics and a BS in Biochemistry. I was not super clear as to what direction I wanted to pursue post-graduation – I was thinking about medical school, but after speaking with several physicians about their experiences, I wanted to delay and try something new. So after college, I moved to Tulsa, OK to serve as a Teach For America Corps Member. I taught 7th/8th grade Math at Hale Junior High School. My experience in the classroom exposed me to the breadth of disparity in health outcomes/experiences for my students/families compared to many of my peers in college. As I transitioned to work as the Manager of Alumni Leadership for Teach For America, where I did a fair amount of organizing work for community health initiatives, I began to see how systemic these disparities were, so I decided to learn more. I'm currently at the Yale School of Public Health pursuing my MPH in Health Policy, where I have further developed my passions in data-driven solutions, health economics, policy evaluation, and health communications.As I continue on this path, I hope to connect with more folks in the healthcare world to ideate and reimagine health in our country. Happy to chat whenever! ResourcesLearn more about Teach For AmericaConnect with Neal on LinkedIn Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Kimberly Jocelyn, a Public Health Analyst at the CDC. They discuss Kimberly’s path into public health, how she has used networking throughout her career, and give advice on how to establish and build connections.You’ll LearnHow Kimberly discovered public health and what motivated her to pursue a combination MPH/MSW degreeWhat career opportunities are made possible by the MPH/MSW dual degree What kinds of jobs Kimberly has held and how she identified and landed those opportunitiesThe role that networking plays in navigating the public health realm Advice from Kimberly on reaching out and establishing professional relationshipsAdvice from Kimberly on maintaining new connections The importance of positivity in supporting a team and building connectionsToday's GuestKimberly Jocelyn holds a Master of Public Health and a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University. As a social worker and public health practitioner, she creates sustainable change and advances strategies to promote and strengthen human service delivery effectively. Her area of expertise lies in developing programs, setting metrics, and managing large-scale operations, teams, and federal grants at the state and local levels. As a Program Manager in New York City, she develops policies, operationalizes equity, protects and promotes safety and well-being, and eliminates the health and social barriers. It is her firm belief that networking and collaboration deliver results. ResourcesRead the NY Times article featuring Kimberly Connect with Kimberly on LinkedIn  Listen to the previous episode featuring Tieisha WaltersOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Marissa McKool, the founder and creator of McKool Coaching and the Redefining Rest Podcast for Public Health Professionals. They discuss burnout in public health professionals and how life coaching can be helpful in working through burnout.You’ll LearnMarissa’s journey from working directly in public health to life coaching Why Marissa decided to start McKool Coaching and the Redefining Rest Podcast for Public Health ProfessionalsWhat burnout is and why it is such a big issue among public health professionalsHow changing your mindset is the first step in working through burnout and other adversitiesActionable tips on how to start working through burnout and getting more restHow important it is for public health professionals to branch out and continue innovating through different fieldsToday’s GuestMarissa McKool, MPH, is a former public health leader turned career and life coach who helps public health professionals eliminate their burnout without quitting their job. Marissa received her MPH from Emory University and held several leadership roles in government and academia working on sexual violence prevention and reproductive health, before finding herself burning out. Through coaching, she was able to eliminate her stress without anything outside of her changing and now helps others do the same. She is also the host of the Redefining Rest Podcast for Public Health Professionals, where she helps listeners reduce their workload, create more time, get more rest, and feel better.ResourcesConnect with Marissa on LinkedIn and InstagramSign up for McKool Coaching’s Burnout Recovery Mini-course Listen to Marissa's podcast Listen to Kara Loewentheil's podcastLearn more about the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress CycleListen to the previous episode with Leshawn BenedictListen to the previous episode with Nitin Mohan.Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

 Today’s career tip is on informational interviews! Knowing what kind of career you want to one day have can give you a strong sense of control and peace of mind. It might not seem easy to conceptualize something that far into the future, but today's Quick Career Tips episode will help you do exactly that.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What a career vision isWhy it’s important that you draft a career visionHow you can get started with drafting a career vision that guides your next career move!Featured on the Show:Design your dream public health career: A career program to help you gain clarity and confidence in your career path and take action towards your goals.Leave us a reviewOn SpotifyOn Apple PodcastOther Resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani is back again with Kira Riehm, a psychiatric epidemiologist and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. This time, they talk about using Twitter as a tool for public health professionals and the benefits and opportunities the platform has in store. You’ll LearnWhy Kira first started to use Twitter for professional purposesWhat Kira mainly uses Twitter for and how she navigates through the platformHow Kira’s usage of Twitter changed since the pandemicHow others working in public health have used Twitter How Twitter can be used to find various career opportunities and build professional relationshipsHow Kira found her postdoc work through TwitterWhat challenges using Twitter professionally may presentHow Twitter differs from LinkedIn as a platform for public health professionals and researchersToday’s GuestKira is a psychiatric epidemiologist and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The primary aim of her research is to understand the causes, correlates, and consequences of mental health disorders among adolescents. Drawing on a wide variety of data sources, she designs research studies that involve the application of rigorous epidemiologic methods to answer pressing questions about youth mental health and substance use. Her work has been published in JAMA Psychiatry, Pediatrics, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and American Journal of Public Health.ResourcesFollow Kira on Twitter and LinkedIn Follow Julia Raifman on TwitterFollow Kerry Keyes on Twitter  Listen to the previous episode with Kira. Subscribe to the Johns Hopkins Newsletter Follow the On Canada Project on Instagram Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phsSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Tahani Waqar, a physician and community health researcher at Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan. They discuss what public health or community medicine is like in Pakistan and how Tahani’s love and passion for public health came to be. You’ll LearnTahani’s journey from clinical medicine to community health and research workWhat projects and research work Tahani has done and what areas of community health she is interested inWhat a day in the life of Tahani’s school and work is likeHow the community medicine residency program is structured at Aga Khan University The biggest challenges that Tahani has faced in her professional journey so far and how she has overcome themAdvice from Tahani for others interested in public health and early career public health professionalsWhat the public health system in Pakistan is like and what unique challenges it brings to public health professionals working in PakistanToday’s GuestMy name is Tahani. I hold a bachelor's degree in medicine (MBBS), graduated in 2017. I am currently enrolled in the community medicine residency program, a synonym for public health in Pakistan, in one of the most prestigious institutions in Pakistan, Aga Khan University Hospital. My first work experience in public health was in the National Committee of Maternal and Child Health. I am extensively trained in providing Family Planning Contraceptive Methods. Since then I have been very much interested in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and improving S&R health status in Pakistan. ResourcesLearn more about Aga Khan University The previous episode with Sophiya Garasia Tahani’s tribute to Imtiaz KamalOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Nikita Sandeep Wagle, a physician-researcher from Mumbai, India who is currently working and studying in the US. They talk about Nikita’s experience as an international student and give advice for others who may be thinking about pursuing higher education in a different country. You’ll LearnNikita’s journey into health care and what sparked her interest in public healthNikita’s research interests and what she is currently working on Why Nikita was interested in pursuing her graduate degrees in the US as opposed to other countriesWhat factors international students may want to consider when they’re thinking about pursuing higher education in the USTips from Nikita on the application process and the process of moving to a different countryNikita’s experience as an international graduate student at UNC and Texas A&MThe importance of having a support system and building a strong network in a new countryWhere to find academic and financial resources as an international graduate student How Nikita’s Instagram page came into being and what she hopes to achieve from itToday’s GuestDr. Wagle holds a PhD in Health Services Research from Texas A&M School of Public Health and a Masters Degree from Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill. Prior to coming to the US, she practiced briefly as a Physician in India. Her research focuses on cancer health equity. She is an incoming Principal Scientist in the Department of Surveillance and Health Equity Science at the American Cancer Society. ResourcesNikita's InstagramAcademeology Instagram as mentioned by NikitaOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip is on career visions and the power that they hold! Knowing what kind of career you want to one day have can give you a strong sense of control and peace of mind. It might not seem easy to conceptualize something that far into the future, but today's Quick Career Tips episode will help you do exactly that. Specifically, you’ll learn:What a career vision isWhy it’s important that you draft a career visionHow you can get started with drafting a career vision that guides your next career move!LEAVE A REVIEW! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify, please do leave us a review so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes!Sign up to our mailing list to be notified when the career program is available for enrollment!Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Denise Chow, a 1st year MPH student studying at the Yale School of Public Health. Denise was accepted into all five MSPH/MPH programs she applied to and in this episode, she speaks about her application process and gives some great advice for others considering pursuing a graduate degree.You’ll LearnHow Denise came upon the field of public health and experiences led to her knowing it was the right field for her What influenced Denise’s decision in pursuing an MPH vs. an MSPH and why she decided to enter the graduate degree right after completing her undergradWhat considerations prospective students should make when deciding which schools and programs to apply toDenise’s decision making process and how she ultimately made the choice to study at Yale amongst the other schools she was accepted intoTips from Denise on how to strengthen applications for graduate schoolHow having a solid support network is important through your education and career path, especially as a first generation student with unique barriers during the application processHow to go about building this support networkAdvice from Denise for others who may be considering higher educationToday’s GuestDenise Chow is a 1st-year MPH student at the Yale School of Public Health. She recently graduated from University of California, Berkeley, studying Public Health and Education. Her research interests include mental health and well-being, qualitative and community-based participatory research, social and interpersonal relationships, and early childhood development among children, refugees, and displaced populations.ResourcesConnect with Denise on LinkedIn Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Stephanie Moxley, the founder of Moxley Public Health Consulting. They discuss Stephanie’s journey into building her own public health consulting company and talk about what goes into becoming a successful entrepreneur in the public health field.You’ll LearnStephanie’s path to public health and what drew her to the MPHHow parenthood has changed Stephanie’s career path and advice for other new parents that are managing their own businessesWhat Moxley Public Health is and why Stephanie wanted to start her own consulting company What challenges Stephanie faced and early successes she achieved through her companyWhat kinds of projects Moxley Public Health takes on and how the company has evolved over the yearsFuture plans and new initiatives Moxley Public Health has in storeAdvice from Stephanie for fellow entrepreneurs including what character traits or skills may help someone become a successful entrepreneur How networking is essential in working as a consultant in public health and tips on how to cultivate this skillToday’s GuestStephanie Moxley is the owner and founder of Moxley Public Health (MPH) Consulting. Stephanie first began her career in public health 20 years ago as a health educator and program coordinator focused on HIV/STD prevention at the GO GIRL! Program at Bronx AIDS Services in Bronx, New York. After discovering her passion for the field of community public health, she moved to Boston and continued her education and training at Boston University School of Public Health. During graduate school, Stephanie was chosen for the HIV Social and Behavioral Sciences fellowship, worked full-time as a research assistant in a youth alcohol and marijuana study conducting motivational interviewing, was the president of PHAM (Public Health Alliance for Minorities), and completed her internship conducting health education at a rural community in Jamaica. Following graduate school, Stephanie worked on several projects from the local level all the way up to CDC federally funded projects. Stephanie has committed her career to focus on health promotion, addressing health disparities and inequities, and working to improve the health of both rural and urban communities. Stephanie seeks to understand a problem and finds a solution that is driven by data and evidence-based practices. ResourcesLearn more about Moxley Public Health ConsultingConnect with Stephanie on LinkedInOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Christina Ricci, an epidemiologist with the Public Health Agency of Canada and an avid volunteer. They discuss the importance of volunteerism and what motivates Christina to keep volunteering.You’ll LearnHow Christina got into the field of public healthChristina’s volunteering journey and what motivated her to continue seeking out volunteer rolesHow Christina’s early volunteer experiences shaped her interest in public health and vice versaWhat some of the most rewarding volunteer positions have been for Christina and what skills she learned - both expected and unexpectedWhy it is important for Christina to continue volunteering, even after she landed a full-time public health job  How to identify and land volunteer experiences, both formally and informallyHow to integrate volunteer work into your resumeFactors to consider before taking on a volunteer roleTips on how to balance volunteer work with other work and playAdvice from Christina for students and early career professionals as it relates to public health volunteer workToday’s GuestChristina is an Epidemiologist with the Public Health Agency of Canada and completed her Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology at the University of Toronto. Outside of work she volunteers with various universities doing systematic reviews, as a program manager for an NGO improving disability services access and disability inclusion stigma in West Africa as well as with the United Nations to name a few. She has also started her own program for newcomers to Canada to connect them to resources through webinars and workshops.  ResourcesRecommendations from Christina on where to look for volunteering opportunitiesUnited Nations VolunteersWe Make Change Young Diplomats of CanadaFORAApathy is BoringUnite2030Capital Integration Movement Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Tieisha Walters to discuss her experience with the Master of Public Health / Master of Science in Social Work program from Columbia University. They chat about what the dual degree is like and what doors it has opened for Tieisha.You’ll LearnHow Tieishia found her way into the public health fieldWhat motivated Tieisha to pursue the dual MSSW/MPH Tieisha’s experience with the MSSW/MPH program and what she would have done differentlyWhat Colombia’s dual MSSW/MPH program is like including:How courses are structured What practicum opportunities may be availableHow social work and public health learning was integrated throughout the programMain advantages of doing a dual degree Advice from Tieisha for others who might be considering an MPH/MSW degreeTieisha’s experiences working around the world and how her knowledge in both social work and public health has benefited herTips from Tieisha on searching for jobs with a dual degreeToday’s GuestTieisha Walters received a Master of Public Health and a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University in 2017. After graduating from Columbia, Ms. Walters served one year as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Zambia. During her time in Zambia, Ms. Walters focused on reducing the prevalence of maternal and neonatal deaths. Upon returning to the U.S., Ms. Walters worked as a Resource Coordinator teaching sexuality education to high school students. However, when covid-19 was declared a pandemic, Ms. Walters decided to utilize both her MPH and MSW skills to assist her city (NYC) in combating this virus. Ms. Walters worked as both a Contact Tracer for NYC Health + Hospital and as a Public Health Analyst contractor for CDC. Presently, Ms. Walters is working as a Licensed Social Worker/ Community Partnership Manager for the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County. Ms. Walters believes that her purpose on earth is to be in public service and to help improve the lives of others, one individual at a time.   ResourcesLearn more about Colombia's MSSW and MPH Dual Degree Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip is to make time for self-care in your career!As much as we here at PH SPOT love talking about building a fulfilling career in public health, we recognize that doing so is not as easy as it seems and that making time for self-care is an essential part of this process.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why self-care is essential and should be prioritized for public health professionalsExamples of what to do for self-careBenefits of self-careFeatured on the Show:Design your dream public health career: A hands-on career program to help you gain clarity and confidence in your career path and take action towards your goals.PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW!On SpotifyOn Apple PodcastOther Resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Kira Riehm, a psychiatric epidemiologist and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. They discuss Kira’s journey and interest in mental health and things to consider when pursuing education in the U.S.You’ll LearnWhat kicked off Kira’s interest in pursuing a career in mental healthWhat Kira’s journey has been like so far and where she hopes to go nextWhat things to consider if you are thinking of pursuing education in the U.S. versus in CanadaAn overview of the Johns Hopkins PhD in the Department of Mental Health program including:What coursework is likeThe specialties of being the only mental health department in a school of public healthWhat Kira’s research interests are and what she has worked on in the pastKira’s postdoctoral experience and what research she is currently working onWhat it was like for Kira being a Canadian student doing her PhD in the U.S.What financial resources are available for Canadian students looking to pursue higher education abroadAdvice from Kira for public health students, especially for those looking at studying abroad or pursuing research experiencesTips from Kira on how to plan out a career pathToday’s GuestKira is a psychiatric epidemiologist and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The primary aim of her research is to understand the causes, correlates, and consequences of mental health disorders among adolescents. Drawing on a wide variety of data sources, she designs research studies that involve the application of rigorous epidemiologic methods to answer pressing questions about youth mental health and substance use. Her work has been published in JAMA Psychiatry, Pediatrics, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and American Journal of Public Health.ResourcesLearn more about Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's PhD in the Department of Mental Health program Learn more about the Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Doctoral Research AwardsLearn more about Kira and her researchIf you have any further questions for Kira, you can contact her by emailOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Brett Otis, the Communications Project Manager in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They discuss Brett’s work at Harvard Chan on “The Nutrition Source” and the responsibilities of those presenting health information to the public. You’ll LearnBrett’s career path and how he came to work in public health communications What a day as the Communications Project Manager in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan looks likeWhat “The Nutrition Source” is and the process of producing this sourceTips from Brett on how to consume health information from mediaSome lessons that Brett has learned about communicating public health informationWhat the biggest challenges for individuals working in public health face when communicating health informationBrett’s observations about public health communication during COVID-19 and what he has seen working well vs. what could be improvedAdvice from Brett for individuals who might be interested in a similar careerToday’s GuestBrett O. Otis, ALM, is a Communications Project Manager in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where he lends strategic support to multiple initiatives, including the department’s primary public-facing website, The Nutrition Source, and annual Healthy Living Guide. He also serves as a key guest lecturer in the MPH course, Nutrition Communication in Practice. Additionally, he is a co-author of Eat Well and Keep Moving (3rd edition, 2016), a school-based nutrition and physical activity program developed for upper-elementary school children. Merging education and training in journalism, health communications, and sustainability, along with professional experience in public health nutrition communications, his work is all about making research accessible and useful to a range of audiences—from policymakers and educators, to the general public. ResourcesMore info about The Ladder of AbstractionRead the Wired article about science literacyFrameworks resourcesAccess The Nutrition Source and read the article about consuming science in mediaOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infoSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Joanna Suder, a deputy attorney general representing the Division of Public Health for the state of Delaware. They chat about what tasks public health attorneys may be responsible for, how it was like working through the pandemic, and Joanna’s experiences writing “Pandemic for Babies”.You’ll LearnHow Joanna entered the field of public health lawHow health specialized law programs differ from regular law programsWhat public health law entails and what a typical day may look like for a public health attorneyHow Joanna’s workload and the cases she works on have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemicWhat other professionals Joanna collaborate with in her workOther paths that people specialized in health law may go on to doJoanna’s experience co-authoring the book “Pandemics for Babies” and how she balanced writing a book along with her regular workload The importance of understanding tech in public health lawWhat advice Joanna has for others who are interested in following a similar pathToday’s GuestJoanna Suder is a Deputy Attorney General in the Civil Division of the Delaware Department of Justice. She is currently the Unit Head for the Health Law Unit and supervises a team in addition to her work representing the Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services as well as the Division of Public Health. Joanna was the lead health attorney responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. In her ample free time, Joanna co-authors articles and children's books with her husband, an infectious disease epidemiologist. A true lawyer, Joanna wants you to know that nothing she says necessarily represents the views of the Delaware Department of Justice of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services. ResourcesListen to the previous episode with Neal Goldstein, the co-author (and Joanna’s husband!) of “Pandemic for Babies”Purchase “Pandemics for Babies” from the publisher or from AmazonOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about PH Spot's 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip is on the types of jobs that public health has to offer!The great thing about public health is that there’s a job that’s bound to match your interests, strengths, values, and needs. Today’s Quick Career Tips episode acts as an introduction to some of these jobs and why they may be a good fit for you.What You'll Learn from this Episode:The four categories that most public health jobs fall into:Epidemiology and researchPublic policy and program managementEnvironmental healthCommunity healthJob titles that fall under each category and the kind of work each one involvesHow you can learn more about jobs in public healthFeatured on the Show:Podcast Episode: ABC’s Of Informational Interviews In The Public Health World, With Shanna ShulmanDesign your dream public health career: A hands-on career program to help you gain clarity and confidence in your career path and take action towards your goals.PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW! On SpotifyOn Apple PodcastSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Nitin Mohan who holds both an MD and MPH. They discuss how Nitin’s work experience in medicine led him to pursuing an MPH and talk about ETIO Public Health Consultants, a company co-founded by Nitin that works to bring evidence-based public health information and solutions to businesses.You’ll LearnNitin’s path from completing his MD to pursuing an MPH How training as an MD strengthened Nitin’s ability to be a public health professional and vice versaWhat ETIO is including:Company goals What kind of projects ETIO takes onWhat kind of backgrounds team members come fromNitin’s keys to success for entrepreneurship in the public health worldWhat holding a faculty position and mentoring students has taught NitinWhat lessons Nitin has learned about science communication working through the COVID pandemicAdvice from Nitin for public health students and early career professionalsToday’s GuestDr. Nitin Mohan is an assistant professor who teaches courses in the Master of Management and Applied Sciences and Master of Public Health programs. He is also a partner and physician epidemiologist at a private public health consultancy firm and research think tank called ETIO which is based in Toronto, Ontario. He obtained his Medical Doctorate in 2015 and his Master of Public Health in 2017.He specializes in infectious disease surveillance and preventive medicine. He has experience coordinating national surveillance activities ensuring optimal data practices across multiple sectors. Through his role at ETIO he works with private and public sectors and Non-Governmental Organizations on various projects ranging from knowledge translation, data management, research design and clinical guideline development, software development and program development. His interests include preventive medicine, global health, public health, health equity, health economics and population health.ResourcesRead ETIO’s anti-black racism in Ontario report and other reports Learn more about ETIO’s RMP2 tool and the P3 dashboardOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more abSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Brooke Mootry, a public health recruiter who has years of experience working directly in public health. They chat about The Public Health Network, a recruitment firm founded by Brooke that focuses on those in public health, and give tips for public health professionals seeking work. You’ll LearnBrooke’s career path and how she went from working in public health directly to being the one recruiting public health professionalsWhat The Public Health Network is and its goalsBrooke’s motivation for starting the Public Health NetworkHow recruitment companies work and the process for identifying potential candidates Insider tips on what recruiters look for and how you can increase your chances of being recruitedWhat challenges and opportunities there are for public health professionals navigating the job market todayHow LinkedIn is an important resource for both those looking for and recruiting workTips from Brooke for early career public health professionals putting forward a strong applicationRed flags to avoid that recruiters see when reviewing or screening applicationsToday’s GuestBrooke Mootry is the CEO and Lead Recruiter of The Public Health Network (TPHN), a full-service firm specializing in the recruitment of public health professionals. Since 2019, TPHN has led national and international recruitment searches for community organizations and businesses seeking talented public health professionals. Brooke Mootry, has nearly 20 years of public health practice in non-profit and government settings. Her background includes program design and management with specialized experience in HIV/AIDS, adolescent health and tobacco prevention. Ms. Mootry is CHES-certified and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from Florida State University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University.  When she is not recruiting top talent, Brooke is an avid reader who enjoys spending time with family.ResourcesConnect with Brooke on LinkedIn Visit The Public Health Network and submit your resumeListen to the PH Spotlight episode with former LinkedIn employee Jeremy Schifeling, mentioned by SujaniOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Sarah to discuss mental health and school. Sarah opens up about some of the mental health challenges she faced during the completion of her MPH coursework as well as her practicum placements and some of the steps she took to work through these obstacles.You’ll LearnSarah’s personal experiences with mental health struggles while completing her MPH degree and practicumsThe impact mental health struggles had on Sarah’s MPH experience, including impacts on  work and school performanceSarah’s journey of reaching out and the steps she took to seek helpWhat barriers and challenges Sarah faced on her journey to get helpAdvice for others in a similar situation including how you can reach out to employers or professors to discuss accommodating mental health challenges.What types of on-campus and off-campus mental health services are available Today’s GuestSarah Martone is from Markham, Ontario (Canada) and completed her undergraduate degree in 2017 at the University of Guelph in Honours Zoology, and took a year afterwards to figure out what she wanted to pursue for graduate studies. In 2018, she was accepted to the University of Guelph’s Master of Biomedical Science program, specializing in reproductive biotechnology where she completed her masters research project at the Toronto Zoo. During her program she decided she wanted to pursue a career in public health to use her animal science background and interest in human health. She was accepted this year to the Master of Public Health program at the University of Guelph for the Fall 2019 semester and finished in the spring of 2021. ResourcesPsychology Today WebsiteSarah’s LinkedInReach out to Sarah at [email protected] Canadian mental health resourcesListen to the previous episode with Sarah Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about the PH Spot 6-week training programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip is on choosing a public health stream that’s the right fit for you!When you do a quick search of public health programs, you’re bound to be bombarded with a list of several programs, but in this week’s episodes, we break down the main public health streams, the skills they help you develop, and the jobs they help you land.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why a career in public health can be so versatileWhat the difference is between different public health streams, like epidemiology, health policy, health promotion, environmental and occupational healthThe different careers that each public health stream can help you landFeatured on the Show:Design your dream public health career: A 4-week intensive hands-on program to help you gain clarity and confidence in your career path and take action towards your goals.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Bhargav Krishna to discuss his experiences pursuing higher education all around the world. Bhargav gives tips on choosing between programs, considerations that need to be made when choosing programs, and shares his experience with Harvard’s Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program. You’ll LearnWhy Bhargav decided to pursue a DrPH and how he decided on a DrPH over a PhD What made Bhargav choose to pursue Harvard’s DrPH program Tips on choosing the right DrPH programA brief summary of what you might expect from Harvard’s DrPH program Bhargav’s biggest learnings from the DrPH program and how he has changed as a professional sinceHow Bhargav is using skills from the DrPH in his current workThe diverse career paths that other graduates from the program are onAdvice for anyone considering pursuing a DrPH Today’s GuestBhargav Krishna is a Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research. His research interests span areas of health policy, environmental policy, and environmental epidemiology, with a focus on the impact of air quality and climate change on health. Previously, Bhargav set up and managed the Centre for Environmental Health at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), where he led work on air quality, climate, and health. In this capacity, he served on Union and State government expert committees on air pollution, biomedical waste, and critically polluted areas. He has also carried out work on health systems and sustainable development across several states. Bhargav holds a Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH) from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, a Master’s degree in Global Environmental Change from Kings College London and an undergraduate degree from Anna University, Chennai. He is Adjunct Faculty at PHFI and Visiting Faculty at Azim Premji University where he teaches environmental health and health policy respectively. He is also co-founder of Care for Air, a Delhi-based non-profit working to raise awareness of air pollution among school children.ResourcesBhargav Krishna’s LinkedIn Learn more about Harvard’s DrPH programAn alumni spotlight article on BhargavOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsLearn more about the PH Spot 6-week training proSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits with Leshawn Benedict, a cofounder of Public Health Insight. They talk about Leshawn’s story of his  involvements in different public health fields as well as what Public Health Insight is and how they're achieving their mission. You’ll LearnHow Leshawn became interested and involved in the field of public health Advice for students thinking about applying for grad school and planning for future career prospectsLeshawn’s experiences learning about the public health environment of ThailandLeshawn and his co-founders’ motivations for starting Public Health InsightHow Public Health Insight has evolved and grown What the benefits of engaging in extracurricular public health endeavors and personal initiatives on top of “formal” work areFindings from Leshawn’s article  “Podcasting as a Tool for Health Communication? The Public Health Insight Podcast and Emergent Opportunities”How podcasting can be used as an effective form of communicating public health informationLeshawn’s biggest learnings, surprises, and challenges when starting a podcastToday’s GuestLeshawn Benedict is a Community Manager for a Global Health Community of Practice with over 250 members across 35 countries, focusing on addressing implementation gaps and current issues facing Neglected Tropical Disease programs. He received his Honours Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, majoring in Biochemistry and Biology, and completed his Master of Public Health and Master of Science (Global Health Management) degrees at Western University and McMaster University. Leshawn has a keen interest in project management and student mentorship. He is also the Founder of Public Health Insight, a public health organization committed to leading and innovating modern solutions to support evidence-informed public health communication, education, and knowledge translation.ResourcesAn interview with Leshawn about the MSc. Global Health Management program at McMaster UniversityRead “Podcasting as a Tool for Health Communication? The Public Health Insight Podcast and Emergent Opportunities” The Public Health Insight websiteListen to the Public Health Insight podcastOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Neal Goldstein to talk about his career as an infectious disease epidemiologist and author. They discuss Neal’s career from working as an engineer to becoming a public health expert and his experience writing a book designed to explain complex scientific ideas to younger audiences. You’ll LearnThe importance of communication skills in the public health fieldTips that Neal has for developing or practicing communication to different audiencesNeal’s experience going from working as an engineer to an infectious disease epidemiologistWhat skills he took from his previous career were useful in his current careerWhat new skills he needed to succeed in his current careerWhat the book  “Pandemic for Babies” is aboutHow Neal and his co-authors came up with this book ideaNeal’s experience as an academic and researcher writing a book targeted to younger audiencesNeal’s process for distilling complex topics so they can be understood by childrenSurprises Neal discovered about communication when writing for different audiencesToday’s GuestNeal D. Goldstein, PhD, MBI is an Assistant Research Professor of Epidemiology. With a background in biomedical informatics, he focuses on computational approaches in complex data settings, especially electronic health records and disease surveillance, to understand infectious disease transmission among vulnerable populations. This has been demonstrated through his work with blood borne pathogens (HIV and hepatitis C), COVID-19, vaccine preventable diseases, and healthcare associated infections. ResourcesNeal Goldstein's websiteYou can purchase “Pandemics for Babies” from the publisher or from AmazonYou can purchase “Germ Theory for Babies” from the publisher or from AmazonOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani is back with Meghan Haffey to discuss working as a research assistant (RA) and a teaching assistant (TA). Meghan describes her own experience of working as both an RA and TA during grad school and discusses tips on how to secure and thrive in these positions. You’ll LearnWhat a research assistant (RA) isWhat a teaching assistant (TA) isHow these roles can add to the graduate school experienceAdvice on how to balance work and school at the same time and ideal times to take on these roles during schoolThe importance of communication in these rolesHow to seek and land these opportunitiesHow to tell if an opportunity will be a good “fit” for youTips from Meghan on how to thrive in a role as an RA or TAToday’s GuestMeghan Haffey is passionate about health advocacy, wellness promotion, nutrition, disease education and prevention, languages, serving people of all cultures, and leadership. She is currently finishing her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree in Health Promotion and Health Education with a minor in Health Policy. She has completed all doctoral-level coursework, passed the preliminary exam, and is now working on her dissertation. She is also working full-time as a graduate research assistant on the UTHealth RADx-UP121 COVID-19 testing and vaccination project and on the production of a health promotion graduate school textbook.She graduated from Baylor University as a University Scholars major in the Honors Program, concentrating in the sciences, public health, Spanish and Chinese. She then completed her Masters in Public Health (MPH) degree in Epidemiology with a Leadership Studies Concentration at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. She also graduated from the Archer Graduate Program in Public Policy at the Archer Center in Washington, D.C. As an Archer Graduate Fellow, she worked with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) in the Government Affairs department. Her experiences have ignited a passion to ultimately pursue a public health career in disease prevention, health education and wellness promotion.ResourcesSujani’s previous interview with Meghan about the Doctor of Public Health ProgramOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip is on how to pitch your public health experience and skill-set to land that job, interview, or opportunity you’ve been eyeing for some time! Pitching yourself to a stranger can definitely be daunting, but with the help of this week’s episode, you’ll feel confident enough to start crafting your pitch.You’ll learn:What an elevator pitch is and how it can open up a wealth of opportunities throughout your public health careerHow to develop an effective elevator pitch, including a public-health specific exampleThe do’s and don'ts of writing an effective pitch that leaves a lasting impact on your target audience If you're looking for more career guidance, the Jumpstart your public health career program can help you. A hands-on intensive Career Workshop to empower early professionals, recent grads, and students with the mindsets, skills, and tools required to land public health jobs, advance in their careers, and become future public health leaders. Join the waitlist to be notified of upcoming cohorts!Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

On this episode, Sujani sits down with Harman Sandhu and Aditi Garg from Public Health Connect (PHC). They discuss what PHC is and how it supports students and early-career professionals to succeed in the workforce. You’ll LearnWhat Public Health Connect (PHC) is and what problem space it focuses onThe history of PHCWhat services are offered through PHC including networking eventsWhat the monthly opportunities round-up posted by PHC is How the team’s own experiences inform the varied opportunities the round-ups  includeThe diversity of public health opportunities that are out thereThe current trends of public health jobsWhere else to find jobs for those looking to workWhat the hidden job market is and how to tap into itThe benefits of networking in seeking career opportunitiesToday’s GuestHarman Sandhu is a public health policy and research professional who is currently completing a PhD at the University of Toronto. Prior to PhD studies, Harman worked in the Government of Ontario conducting race-based data analyses, disseminating research, and managing projects. He has published research on mental health stigma, smoke-free policies, and cannabis legalization. Harman co-founded Public Health Connect (or PHC) in 2020 as a volunteer-run community organization focused on supporting aspiring public health students and early-career professionals in Canada. He holds an MPH and BSc from McMaster University.Aditi Garg is a clinical research professional and health economics and epidemiology-based PhD trainee who currently oversees smoking cessation clinical trials in the Division of Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. Prior to her current role, Aditi worked in both academic and professional settings in both national and global landscapes with organizations such as Swiss Paraplegic Research Institute conducting population health data analyses and managing projects in areas of chronic disease prevention and management. She has published research on disability and rehabilitation policy, global health, and smoking cessation policies. Aditi also held an executive position as the Co-Director of Research and Marketing with Public Health Connect (or PHC) in 2021 as a volunteer-run community organization focused on supporting aspiring public health students and early-career professionals in Canada. She holds a masters degree in health economics and policy and BSc from the University of Waterloo.ResourcesDalla Lana’s DrPH ProgramPublic Health Connect’s Linktree including monthly opportunities round-upWebsiteInstagramFacebookLinkedInResearch article mentioned by HarmanSujani’Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

On this week’s episode, Sujani speaks with Brandon Kober, a community health nurse, who is currently pursuing his MBA. Brandon explains the role of a harm reduction nurse and discusses his own personal journey of discovering his career interests and how he got to where he is today. You’ll LearnWhat working in the area of harm reduction may entail and the challenges and rewards of working in this fieldWhat the everyday responsibilities and activities of a harm reduction nurse may entailWhat skills are necessary for this field of work.What skills can be gained from this field of work.Advice that Brandon has for others interested in working in this area and/or in a similar capacityThe benefits of pursuing an MBA in addition to healthcare trainingWhat skills can be learned from this area of studyWhat opportunities can open up from this combinationHow nurses and people working in public health can learn from the business world and vice versaToday’s GuestBrandon Kober is a Registered Nurse with a passion for public and community health, particularly in the burgeoning field of harm reduction. He has worked at supervised consumption facilities in Toronto and Hamilton, having managed the latter site through the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience led him to pursue an MBA at the DeGroote School of Business to diversify his skills and allow him to take on greater levels of responsibility. He is currently working as an independent healthcare consultant, is the Board Chair of a peer-led social service non-profit, and is looking to summer 2022 for meaningful employment opportunities that help people most in need.ResourcesSujani’s previous interview with Julia Roitenburg, Chief Nursing Officer at York Region Public HealthDeGroote School of Business’s MBA programsDeGroote School of Business’s Health Services Management (HSM) specialization of the MBA programLearn more about the PH Spot 6-week training programOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode of Quick career tips, Sujani discusses job satisfaction. Depending on which study or survey result you review we know that not 100% of the population is satisfied with their job. This number ranges anywhere between 50% to 75% for job satisfaction in North America. We know that many things contribute to job satisfaction. While an organization/employer is responsible for some of these things, we also have a role to play in our own job satisfaction.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Why tackling job satisfaction is important to us here at PH SPOT.Why job satisfaction should matter to you.How you can take control of your job satisfaction.Understand what is important to you, and how to take the first step.How to use our simple worksheet to work through identifying the top 5 factors important to youFeatured on the Show:Download Career Compass - Job satisfaction checklistJumpstart your public health career, Workshop - join the waitlist for the next cohort.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Alison McAlear to talk all things CVs and resumes. These documents are tools we all need in our careers, whether it's related to the public health field or not. Alison explains the differences and similarities between CVs and resumes and gives us some helpful tips on how to create successful documents specific to public health jobs. Grab a pen and some paper and let's learn together You’ll LearnWhat the differences and similarities between CVs and resumes are and when to use one vs. the other. How CVs and resumes can vary at different stages of your career. What the main sections of a resume typically. How to choose and format which experiences you include, especially for students looking to bulk up their resumes and CVs. The importance of tailoring a resume to a specific job and what this could look like. What general formatting is recommended for students.What specific things public health professionals should keep in mind when preparing their resumes and CVs.  Today’s GuestAlison McAlear is Assistant Director of Career Coaching and Education for the Office of Career and Professional Development at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Alison coaches alumni and students through career exploration and the job search process, and she develops educational programs to help her clients build professional competencies to support their individual career goals. Before coming to Harvard Chan, Alison worked in corporate recruiting and employee training and development, and spent over eight years dedicated to graduate program admissions and recruiting at Boston-area universities. She has a BA in English Literature from Smith College and a MS in Communications from Simmons University.Related ResourcesHarvard Chan’s Resume ChecklistHarvard Chan’s Resume and CV GuideOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographicsSupport the show (http://www.phspot.ca/signup)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

On this episode, Sujani sits down with Jeremy Schifeling, a former LinkedIn employee in the Higher Education Team. Jeremy has devoted his career to helping students succeed in theirs. From recruiting top students at Teach For America to leading student marketing for LinkedIn, he’s touched the lives of millions of people just starting their journeys. Along the way, he’s published a top-selling book on job applications, served as the University of Michigan’s tech career coach, and produced the most-viewed video in LinkedIn’s history.We invited Jeremy to talk about what LinkedIn is, how to get started on the platform, and how public health professionals can leverage it to build their careers and search for jobs.What You'll Learn from this Episode:Jeremy’s journey from a kindergarten teacher to techie; and his journey from working at LinkedIn in the higher education team and then going on to build LinkedIn GuysLinkedIn 101, including what it is and why you creating a LinkedIn profile allows you to take control of your own destinyThe importance of building your network before you need itWhy building a network on LinkedIn is not only for extroverts, everyone can leverage the toolA walk-through on how to get started with LinkedIn, starting with what you have, including how to use some of the features (an insider perspective): The Headline: how LinkedIn’s algorithm favours thisAbout section: how to best use the 2,000 characters in this sectionHow to build out your experience section if you are an aspiring public health professional just starting out in the fieldHow to test LinkedIn’s algorithm real-time and leverage it to build your own profileSkills and endorsementsRecommendations: how it works and how recruiters use itInterests: what recruiters see and how they use this feature to screen candidatesVolunteer experience: why this section is important - spoiler alert: a survey conducted by LinkedIn revealed that 80% of recruiters value volunteer experience on par with work experienceAn understanding of the tool recruiters use (“LinkedIn Recruiter), how they see your profile, and how to use this information to design your LinkedIn profileAdditional tips for building your LinkedIn profileLeveraging LinkedIn for your job search - 2 tipsOnce the profile is built out, how to reach out to LinkedIn connections, including whether you should use the messaging feature or contact them via emailAdditional resources Jeremy has available for you to build your LinkedIn profile and optimize itNew features on LinkedIn for interview preparationToday's Guest:Jeremy Schifeling has devoted his career to helping students succeed in theirs. From recruiting top students at Teach For America to leading student marketing for LinkedIn, he’s touched the lives of millions of people just starting their journeys. Along the way, he’s published a top-selling book on job applications, served as the University of Michigan’s tech career coach, and produced the most-viewed video in LinkedIn’s history. He currently leads teacher outreach efforts at Khan Academy and shares his thoughts on Break into Tech, a site for anyone who wants to launch a tech career. Featured on the Show:Jeremy's Masterclass: Land the Perfect Job with LinkedIn (affiliate link)Jumpstart your public health career: 6-week hands-on intensive training program Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

 On today’s episode Sujani speaks with Shanna Shulman about informational interviews. Informational interviews are very important and key to a successful career, whether it’s in public health or not. Shanna gives us the rundown of what informational interviews are, how to do them, share her experience, and a whole lot more insight into the topic including some homework for you.Grab a notebook and let’s get into it.What You'll Learn from this Episode:What is an informational interview?Shanna's story of using informational interviews in her career, specifically how she's leveraged them to achieve certain objectivesWhy you should conduct informational interviews? Specifically discussing the following four categories: to find a job, to understand your sector's landscape, to assess your fit, and to build your professional network.At what point during your career should you conduct do informational interviews?Barriers people (especially students) face when conducting informational interviews.The importance of informational interviews for a public health since it is to our advantage for our work to know as many people in the sub disciplines of public health.Shanna's thoughts on whether you are "bothering" people when reaching out to chat through informational interviews?Why informational interviews are so critical as students.Who should you do informational interviews with and how do you go about executing one? We discuss an easy to follow process.Tips on how to reach an individual for an informational interview, including a sample email you could send, and vest practices on following up.How to make the best of the time you do get with a contact for an informational interview (what to talk about!).Memorable interviews Shanna has had, both positive and negative/Homework to get you started on informational interviews!Today's Guest:Shanna Shulman, PhD, is the Director of Health and Medical Research at the Richard and Susan Smith Family Foundation where she directs the Foundation’s health-related portfolio of grants and initiatives. Prior to this, Dr. Shulman was Managing Director of the Boston Children’s Hospital Center of Excellence for Pediatric Quality Measurement where she co-led the development of new quality of care measures for broad national use. Dr. Shulman was previously Director of Policy and Research at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation where she was responsible for assessing cost, access, and health outcomes resulting from Massachusetts’ landmark 2006 universal health care law. Dr. Shulman was also Senior Researcher at Mathematica Policy Research in Cambridge where she directed evaluations of large-scale public health programs. Dr. Shulman focuses her work on the quality of health care and access to health care for vulnerable populations. She received her BA summa cum laude from Washington University in Saint Louis and her PhD in Health Policy from Harvard University.Featured on the Show:Jumpstart your public health career - A WORKSHOP: Join the waitlist for the next cohort.Other Resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.ContrSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

 This year, January 14th to be exact, PH SPOT celebrates 5 years. It’s unbelievable that 5 years have gone by already. Sujani created PH SPOT in 2017 after seeing a gap online for a career development resource dedicated specifically for public health professionals. Since graduating from her public health degree, Sujani spent countless hours between 2013 – 2016 guiding public health students and new grads one-on-one with their careers. As this was not a scalable solution, nor a sustainable one she decided to create PH SPOT to reach, inspire and support a larger number of public health professionals. The platform also ensured that a more diverse set of experiences and advice was being shared. In today's episode Sujani tells you about the different programs and products PH SPOT has built over the years, and on a more exciting note, introduces the new mini-series on the podcast that will run throughout January and a bit into February, called NewYear. New You. New Job?, as well as a Career Workshop!What You'll Learn from this Episode:Three pillars that PH SPOT's products and programs are focused on: studying public health, getting hired in public health, upskilling for a competitive edge (mainly focused on health communications)The types of content found on the Blog and the Podcast, the downloadable tools and resources available for each of the three pillars, and the virtual programming (courses and workshops offered)And update on the podcast and how we will have a weekly release in 2022The new mini-series in January focused on getting you hired in public health. Topics of discussion will include informational Interviews, setting yourself up with LinkedIn for job success, and resumes/CVs.One of the most exciting launches of 2022: Jumpstart your public health career Workshop.Featured on the Show:The PH SPOT Career BlogThe Public Health SPOTlight PodcastPH SPOT Resource PageInfographics 101 Self-Paced Course and Live Workshop (request a quote)Beginner's only: Build a public health website courseJumpstart your public health career Workshop - join the waitlist for the next cohort.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode the whole team sits down to discuss the past year at PH Spot. Join Sujani, Kajanth, Lis, Janu and Kelsey as they talk about all their favourite from 2021 and what they’re most excited about the year to come at PH Spot. You’ll LearnMore about the team as they introduce themselves and talk about their role with PH SpotWhat is playing on the team members highlight reel for the year at PH SpotPH Spot stats on how much content was produced across the newsletter, blog, podcast and social mediaExamples of how PH Spot content has helped team members in their personal lives and careersAbout feedback from the communityInsight on what's coming up for PH Spot next yearPH SPOT resources:If you’d like to have a conversation with Sujani about your career and make it available to your peers via this podcast please reach out at [email protected]!Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics Support the show (http://www.phspot.ca/signup)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip spotlight is on setting public health career goals.As we prepare for the new year, Sujani shares her annual goal-setting practice, one she picked up when she entered the public health workforce. She talks about the importance of goal setting for your public health career (why she picked it up), how it has helped her, and a couple of systems and tools that she uses.Resources mentioned on the episode:Download the Goal Setting Template on our siteBestSelf JournalJoin the waitlist for the JUMPSTART YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH CAREER BOOTCAMPComplete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTGet involved with PH SPOT!Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formJoin the PH SPOT community: Subscribe hereContribute to the public health career blogConsider leaving a review wherever you are listening to this episode! It will help us get discovered by other public health professionals. Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with Christine Plepys to talk about the variety of career paths that she’s had and how this has informed her work as senior director of data analytics. In a follow up from episode 34 with Heather Krasna, Christine describes the changing landscape of public health and the research that she’s conducted on the diversity of this workforce. You’ll LearnChristine’s different employment opportunities that lead her to public HealthThe statistics on different job fields that public health graduates are employed inThe opportunities available for joint and dual degreesThe data on the diversity of public health and what makes it such a diverse fieldInstitutional resource planning to accommodate larger number of public health applicantsWhat makes public health graduates so employable in the academic and corporate worldResourcesPH Spot episode with Heather Krasna that this episode follows from: https://phspot.org/public-health-workforce-heather-krasna/Research Paper: Dual MD-MPH Degree Students in the United States: Moving the Medical Workforce Toward Population HealthResearch Paper: First-Destination Outcomes for 2015–2018 Public Health Graduates: Focus on Employment Research Paper: Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Academic Public Health: 20-Year Update PH resource where Master of Public Health programs are offered in Canada: phspot.ca/mphcanadaPH Spot resource where Master of Public Health programs are offered in the US: phspot.ca/mphUSAPH Spot resource where Master of Public Health programs are offered online: phspot.ca/mphonlinePH Spot resource on where Doctor of Public Health programs are offered around the world:  phspot.ca/drphOther PH SPOT resources:If you’d like to have a conversation with Sujani about your career and make it available to your peers via this podcast please reach out at [email protected]!Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics Support the show (http://www.phspot.ca/signup)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesOne of the top career advice you will receive, regardless of whether you are in public health or not, is to find yourself a mentor.A mentor is "someone who gives...help and advice over a period of time, especially help and advice related to [one's] job" (Collins Dictionary). A mentor is someone who is typically more experienced and has travelled the path you wish to go on. You can lean on a mentor to make difficult career decisions or ask for advice during difficult situations. In this episode, Sujani talks about her journey understanding the definition of a mentor, the myths she believed about mentors, and how she eventually realized who her mentors were.You’ll learn:The four myths about a career mentor that Sujani believed in and eventually debunked.The journey she took to discover who her mentors were and how they have helped her in her career.Why having a mentor is extremely important, and how you can get started on building this important relationship.LEAVE A REVIEW! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify (if the platform allows for it), please do leave us a review so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes!  ResourcesComplete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.org/contributeOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.org/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with Elizabeth Loftus to discuss Elizabeth's options for her potential career in public health.  Elizabeth holds a BA in Health Studies and through this conversation, Sujani answers Elizabeth's questions about the field of public health. You’ll LearnWhat drew Sujani to pursuing a Master's in Public Health (MPH) over a Master of Science degreeSujani's advice for people who are equally interested in both research and practice in the field of public healthIf Sujani could do her MPH again, what would she do differently?What advice Sujani has for students who are afraid of making the “wrong choice” for their graduate programsIs an MPH degree a good fit for people who have a background in public?More on the financial reality of pursuing a career in public healthIf pursuing an MPH is the right fit for youResourcesSujani mentions an article about the Harvard School of Public Health having a public health certificate for private companies: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/school-launches-public-health-program-for-business-leaders/Lawrence Loh's blog post entitled "Start With "Yes"": https://phspot.org/start-with-yes/ Lawrence Loh's podcast episode "Career Advancement & Family Life: Perspectives From A Medical Officer Of Health": https://phspot.org/career-advancement-family-life-perspectives-medical-officer-lawrence-loh/PH Spot blog post entitled "I want to do a public health degree! Should I do an MPH or an MSc?": https://phspot.org/i-want-to-do-a-public-health-degree-should-i-do-an-mph-or-an-msc/PH Spot podcast episode entitled "Inspired By the Blog Series: What I Wish I Knew Before I Started My Master Of Public Health (MPH) Degree: https://phspot.org/podcast-what-i-wish-i-knew-before-i-started-my-master-of-public-health-mph-degree/More about the Dalla Lana School of Public Health: https://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/Other PH SPOT resources:If you’d like to have a conversation with Sujani about your career and make it available to your peers via this podcast please reach out at [email protected]!Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics Support tSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with Julia Roitenberg who took on the role of Chief Nursing Officer at York Region Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Julia talks about her journey from bedside nurse to having a doctorate in public health and much more.You’ll LearnWays that York Region Public Health has integrated the social determinants of healthWays that community prevention and promotion has been prioritized in Julia’s workHow Julia has integrated a health equity lens into program planningWhat advice Julia has for new public health graduatesMore about Julia’s experiences with the University of Toronto’s Global Executive MBA in Healthcare and Life Sciences About different types of MBA programsMore on the Canadian Health Executive CertificationWhy Julia is looking forward to pursuing a Doctorate in Public Health at University of Toronto ResourcesSujani mentions an article about Harvard having a public health certificate for private companies: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/school-launches-public-health-program-for-business-leaders/University of Toronto’s Global Executive MBA in Healthcare and Life Sciences https://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/Degrees/MastersPrograms/MBAPrograms/GEMBA-HealthCanadian Health Executive Certification: https://cchl-ccls.ca/site/pd/CHE?nav=sidebarMore on the York Region Baby Friendly Initiative: https://www.york.ca/wps/portal/yorkhome/health/yr/breastfeeding/babyfriendlyinitiative/Doctorate in Public Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health: https://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics Support the show (http://www.phspot.ca/signup)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This three-part career tips series is inspired by a blog post written and published in 2019 by Sujani titled: 3 strategies to build up your public health work experience, tested and proven by me.Today’s career tip spotlight is the third of these three strategies: tap into your network!Prior to starting PH SPOT, a common question that Sujani would receive from students and new grads she was mentoring was related to gaining work experience early in their careers. This question has remained one of the most popular questions even amongst the PH SPOT community.In this episode, Sujani talks through the third strategy she used in order to gain public health experience. These experiences became the foundation of her public health career.You’ll learn:Reaching out to individuals in your network for an introduction to prospective employers is a great strategy to begin a job search.It’s only appropriate to reach out to individuals within your network with whom you already have a previous relationship with - not a LinkedIn connection you just added.Don’t hesitate to leverage your network for job searches. (It can be awkward at first.)Building your network early on goes a long way when you really need help and support. (Listen to this episode for more on this: Episode #33: Quick Career Tips: Invest In Your Professional Relationships.)LEAVE A REVIEW! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify (if the platform allows for it), please do leave us a review so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes!  ResourcesPodcast Episode mentioned in the episode: Episode #33: Quick Career Tips: Invest In Your Professional RelationshipsComplete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with authors of the paper “Adapting to Teaching during a Pandemic” Siobahn Hickling and Gina Arena. Together, they talk about different models of teaching public health and what they have found to be most effective ways to relay information to students.You’ll LearnAbout the changing visibility of public health educationHow the pandemic and lockdowns have affected university classrooms in AustraliaThe effect of real time vs time delayed lessons has on educationThe potential challenges and benefits of self-directed learningTips on how educators and students can thrive in new learning environmentsThe importance of peer to peer interactions in educationBest practices for educators and ways of moving away from a one dimensional classroomTips for capturing students attention and engagementThe benefits of intensive learning modelThe ways that rapport can be built through virtual teachingResourcesGina Arena and Siobhan Hickling’s paper co-authored with Alexadra Bhatti entitled: Adapting to Teaching During a Pandemic: Pedagogical Adjustments for the Next Semester of Teaching During COVID-19 and Future Online LearningOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics Support the show (http://www.phspot.ca/signup)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

This three-part career tips series is inspired by a blog post written and published in 2019 by Sujani titled: 3 strategies to build up your public health work experience, tested and proven by me.Today’s career tip spotlight is the second of these three strategies: offer up your skills!Prior to starting PH SPOT, a common question that Sujani would receive from students and new grads she was mentoring was related to gaining work experience early in their careers. This question has remained one of the most popular questions even amongst the PH SPOT community.In this episode, Sujani talks through the second strategy she used in order to gain public health experience. These experiences became the foundation of her public health career.You’ll learn:Jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities may not always be posted.Offer up your time and skill, in return for public health experience.Be proactive: reach out to an organization that is aligned with your interest, develop a proposal for work you can contribute to and present it to them.Two stories from Sujani on how she built her public health work experience.Steps Sujani took to reach out to an organization to present a proposal for work she was interested in doing.LEAVE A REVIEW! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify (if the platform allows for it), please do leave us a review so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes!  ResourcesComplete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani speaks with assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center and the author of Your Local Epidemiologist blog, Dr. Katelyn Jetelina. They discuss Dr. Jetelina’s career in public health as well as her motivations to share public health information in an accessible way on her blog your local epidemiologist.You’ll LearnMore about Dr. Jetelina’s journey in transitioning from a pre-med student to her current field of violence epidemiology Tips for getting into the field of health communicationThe importance of leveraging connections for best outreach and outcomes in your careerHow Dr. Jetelina has been able to create a successful public health blog that reaches a wide variety of audiences - from non-academics to folks all across the political spectrumHow to seek opportunities in the field of health communication for knowledge translationHow second languages can be an asset to the field of health communicationThe importance of having public health campaigns that are accessible to a wide audienceHow to create high engagement posts in the field of health communicationsHow to use constructive audience feedback to your own advantageResourcesDr. Jetelina's blog: https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/Dr. Jetelina's other publications: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Katelyn-Jetelina Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeUpcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesThis three-part career tips series is inspired by a blog post written and published in 2019 by Sujani titled: 3 strategies to build up your public health work experience, tested and proven by me.Today’s career tip spotlight is the first of these three strategies: DO NOT take yourself out of the game!Prior to starting PH SPOT, a common question that Sujani would receive from students and new grads she was mentoring was related to gaining work experience early in their careers. This question has remained one of the most popular questions even amongst the PH SPOT community.In this episode, Sujani talks through the first strategy she used in order to gain public health experience. These experiences became the foundation of her public health career.You’ll learn:At times, we can become our own limiting factor by restricting the jobs we apply to.There are many filters, literal ones on the job search websites, and the ones we have in our minds, that we apply when searching for a job.Choose filters that are deal-breakers to you; be intentional when choosing these (i.e. location, salary).Don’t let filters stop you from even throwing your name into the hat.LEAVE A REVIEW! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify (if the platform allows for it), please do leave us a review so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes!  ResourcesComplete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani speaks with Assistant Dean and Director of Career Services at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Heather Krasna about the public health workforce. They discuss the 3rd edition of 101+ Careers in Public Health, Heather’s co-authored publication that is set to be released in the fall. Heather relays her advice for getting employed in the public health sector after spending 22 years as a career coach. You’ll LearnAbout recent publications in the field of public health workforce researchMore on what is classified as a position in the field of public healthThe number of graduates entering the public versus the private sphereThe literature on workforce taxonomies and the labour market competition for public health graduatesMore on the rising sectors for employment opportunities for public health graduatesAbout the public health career opportunities that are available for graduates with a Bachelor of Arts degreeTips on successful networkingSteps to creating meaningful workplace connections leading to employment opportunities Today’s GuestHeather KrasnaHeather Krasna, MS, EdM, has served as Assistant Dean of Career Services at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health since 2013. In this role, she spearheads efforts to ensure that students and alumni of the school obtain meaningful careers in public health by developing career education programs and building connections with employers. Throughout her 22 years as a career services professional, she has served as Director of Career Services at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs as well as Internship Program Coordinator at Baruch College, CUNY.In addition to being co-author of the book, 101+ Careers in Public Health, 3rd Edition, she is the author of Jobs That Matter: Find a Stable, Fulfilling Career in Public Service (2010) as well as more than 100 blog articles. She has a small private practice, specializing in careers in nonprofits, government, health, the social sector. To learn more, visit her website at heatherkrasna.com. ResourcesBooks by Heather Krasna101+ Careers in Public Health (3rd edition)Jobs That Matter: Find a Stable, Fulfilling Career in Public ServiceResearch Articles by Heather Krasna  Labour market competition for public health graduates in the United States: A comparison of workforce taxonomies with job postings before and during the COVID-19 pandemicThe New Public Health Workforce: Employment Outcomes of Public Health Graduate StudentsArticles and studies mentioned in the interview The Public Health Workforce by Kristine GebbiePH WINS public Health Workforce surveySupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip spotlight is on investing in your professional relationships, because, like in life, relationships take you far in your career.Sujani provides a few examples of how relationships have taken her far in her career, and follows up by answering the following two questions:Who do I build relationships with?How do I build strong professional relationships?You’ll learn:You can choose anyone in your professional circle to build a relationship with; it’ll be a trial and error process. Think beyond your team, department, and even organization when deciding who to build relationships with.When building your professional network, think about these general categories: Who will support me when I am faced with a tough decision at work? Whose advice do I respect - at a peer level and at a manager level? Who is part of other great networks that I can also leverage and be a part of? Who will recommend me for great opportunities? Who is well connected?Your network is your net worth.Building strong professional relationships, like any other relationship, takes time.List of actions to take immediately to start building your network.ResourcesComplete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeLEAVE A REVIEW! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify, please do leave us a review so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes!Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with managing director of the Student Network and author of The Burnout Gamble, Hamza Khan to talk about the subject of burnout. They explore the ways that the pandemic has affected everyone during the pandemic, as well as the ways that healthcare workers and students have been impacted specifically. You’ll LearnHow to identify burnout as well as how to address itAbout the personal experiences that Sujani and Hamza have had with burnout and what they took away from these experiencesWhat are the origins of the 12 Stages of Burnout ModelHow the CASTLE factors  can lead to burnoutHow to understand and control stressThe ways that the pandemic has affected everyone in terms of burnout, as well as the ways that students and medical professionals have been impacted specificallyTangible tips for students in how to avoid burnoutHow to audit your energy expendituresResourcesTEDx talks by Hamza: The Burnout GambleStop Managing, Start LeadingArticles and studies mentioned in the interview Burned out by the pandemic, 3 in 10 health-care workers consider leaving the professionThe Holmes-Rahe Life Stress InventoryThe Yerkes-Dodson LawParkinson's LawBooks mentioned in the interview The Upside of Stress10% HappierThe Burnout GambleLeadership ReinventedOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip spotlight is on practicing being a good communicator of technical content.Communicating public health content to non-public health professionals such as decision-makers/management, communication team members, the public or statisticians and data scientists requires you to take the technical content that you are an expert in and translate it to a language they can understand. This is difficult!Being able to effectively communicate health information is a valuable skill that you should build on as you progress in your career. Let’s not take for granted the knowledge we hold as public health professionals.ResourcesResources for public health professionals:Infographics 101: How to design public health infographics with software you know and use.Complete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with Peel Region of Ontario's medical officer of health, Lawrence Loh to talk about what leadership looks like in times of crisis.You’ll LearnAbout Lawrence's work that he's been doing as a public health figure in the Peel region of Ontario during the COVID-19 crisisThe difference between responding to public health challenges in times of normalcy versus a crisisSkills for a public health professionals to focus on during a crisis and the unique opportunities that may ariseWhat it means for public health professionals to be leaders in their communities, and the different styles of leadership that take placeThe ways that young professionals can use the unique opportunities available in times of crisis to their own advantage for themselves and their communityHow do deal with criticism as a public health leaderResourcesTo learn more about Lawrence Loh, listen to our earlier episode with him on the topic of career advancement and family life: Episode 10 - Career Advancement & Family Life: Perspectives From a Medical Officer of Health Read more about Lawrence's work as the medical officer for Peel Region on Ontario in his interview with Maclean's magazine: Dr. Lawrence Loh on Ordering Stricter Measures in Peel RegionOther resources on our platform related to the DrPH degreePodcast Episode: Episode 19 – Welcoming the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree to Canada at the University of Toronto & FAQ session, with Erica Di RuggieroBlog post: Doctor of Public Health – Isn’t that just a PhD?Taking the first step towards pursuing a DrPH degree – our DrPH program list (FREE TOOL)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s career tip spotlight is on developing a non-technical skill: mastering the skill of writing concise emails.Writing concise emails that are short and to the point has been one of the greatest pieces of advice Sujani has received, and one that she tries to practice as much as possible. Concise emails are very beneficial, not only because the response rate is much higher, but it forces you to summarize your thoughts clearly so that the objective of the email is met. In this episode, Sujani shares two tips on how to practice writing concise emails starting today!LEAVE A REVIEW! If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify, please do leave us a review (if the platform allows for it) so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes! ResourcesResources for students:Infographics 101: How to design public health infographics with software you know and use.Complete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTBe notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with Meghan Haffey to talk about her journey from discovering public health to the present day, where she is a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) student in the Health Promotion & Health Education program at the University of Texas, School of Public Health.You’ll LearnMeghan’s journey prior to pursuing her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree, including the premed route that she first started off in, switching into public health, and pursuing a Master of Public Health and specializing in EpidemiologyThat it’s okay to start off in one field and then switch to a different one; just because you choose it, doesn’t mean you have to stick to it; don’t think that the years you may have spent in one area was a waste, it is all part of the journeyThe sentiment and people’s preconceived notion that exists when one chooses to switch from the medical school path to a public health path, which Meghan did.Additionally, normalizing the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree, so that it is acceptable if one chooses not to pursue a PhD.Why Meghan decided to pursue a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree, how she decided between a PhD or a DrPH degree, what she did to make the decision (informational interviews, employment perspectives, demand for each of the degrees)Tips for when you are trying to decide on a doctoral degreeThe difference between a DrPH and a PhDWhy she chose the School of Public Health at the University of Texas and a bit about the program:Her specialization: Health Promotion and Health Education (Minor in Health Policy)A walk-through of the first two years of the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) programHer experiences to date – a glimpse of what it feels like to be in the program, including courses, prerequisites, and work experiences she has gained through the facultyLife after her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree – where she hopes her public health path will take herResourcesEpisode with Sophiya mentioned in the episode: Episode 8 – Why I will not be applying to medical school, with Sophiya GarasiaOther resources on our platform related to the DrPH degreePodcast Episode: Episode 19 – Welcoming the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree to Canada at the University of Toronto & FAQ session, with Erica Di RuggieroBlog post: Doctor of Public Health – Isn’t that just a PhD?Taking the first step towards pursuing a DrPH degree – our DrPH program list (FREE TOOL)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Sujani sits down with Daniel Faber to talk about his public health journey. Dr. Daniel Faber started his professional career as a dentist where he developed as a clinician and entrepreneur. He started his dental practice from scratch, where he learned skills in business, marketing, branding and a focus on effective patient communication which has helped scale into other types of ventures. And 10 years into his practice, he felt this desire to do more, and that’s when he pivoted into public health pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health at Yale University. Daniel speaks about the journey he’s taken, from dentistry to public health, and his passion for entrepreneurship.You’ll LearnHow Daniel became interested in dentistry, and the entrepreneurial spark he has always hadAbout being a dentist, and what that role entailed: an individualistic profession that allows you to build relationships with patientsWhat pushed Daniel to explore public health, including the frustrations of not being able to prevent disease/problems; how his pivot into public health came from a desire to evolve his careerThe decision to pursue a Master of Public Health degree, and how it felt like a natural evolution for his careerWhy he chose to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) at Yale University and a bit about the MPH program thereWith his global health concentration, dentistry background and entrepreneurial interest where he hopes to go with this careerHis passion and interest in entrepreneurship, including a discussion on social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurshipUsing technology to improve access to care to underserved populationsAbout his dream job: to create somethingResourcesYale School of Public HealthSocial Entrepreneurship – Teresa ChahineMore PH SPOT content on entrepreneurship:The accidental birth of PH SPOTPublic Health Entrepreneurship Series with the team of ThriveHire, the career platform for global healthContemplating consulting in public health, with Leah RomanLessons Learned: Starting out as an Independent ConsultantInfographics 101: How to design public health infographics with software you know and use.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn today’s episode, Sujani sits down with a fellow public health professional, Tasha McAbey, to announce the collaboration on a new series for the PH SPOT blog! Sujani met Tasha on Instagram through her page @Public.Health.Bookmark where she shares reviews on public health books she’s read. Knowing that the PH SPOT community would love this, Sujani and Tasha are launching monthly public health reviews on the blog! Before the launch of this series next week, Sujani sits down with Tasha to get to know her better and to let you know what you can expect in this series.You’ll LearnGet to know Tasha: her public health journey, her role at Boston Children’s Hospital as a professional medical illustrator/animator, and her interest in books (her love language is book recommendations!)What got Tasha into reading so many public health books; and how she reads any book with a public health lens, thinking about how public health shapes the characters and the eventsReading!How reading reminds yourself why you are interested in public healthHow when course readings and writing assignments became hard to get through, reading kept Tasha’s energy level up!Tasha and PH SPOT’s collaboration for the book reviews – what to expect!These book reviews will serve as an inspiration for those in school and for professionals in public healthTo highlight important public health topic areas; and if nothing is being done in these areas, how we hope these reviews encourage the PH SPOT community to take actionTo provide insights beyond what one can look up online – commenting on the writing format and style for example, and going beyond summary and plot pointsSuggested further readings to dive deeper into the subject matter; will be sharing other mediums (not just readings), such as videos and podcast episodesHow to get in touch with Tasha and provide book recommendationsSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesWe are adding a series of a new type of episode on the PH SPOTlight podcast, titled QUICK CAREER TIPS. These episodes will be short, typically ranging between 5-10 minutes and will spotlight a tip for public health professionals.Today’s career tip spotlight is on student job interviews and how to stand out during these sessions.Recently, Sujani has been chatting with many students and new graduates about finding summer jobs, and while reflecting on these conversations she realized that there were students who really stood out more than others. She realized that the main thing that they did really well was that they were super confident and articulated well what they wanted from the experience, even if they still hadn’t figured out the specific direction of their public health career just yet. In this episode, she shares three tips to achieve this.ResourcesResources for students:Infographics 101: How to design public health infographics with software you know and use.Complete list of tools and resources on PH SPOTOther PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this first episode of 2021, Sujani sits down with Ken Lee who is a Career Education Specialist at Ryerson University. His role is to specifically support students in the area of health. I love this conversation because the episode offers practical tips for students and new graduates. We really wanted to provide guidance to help navigate their careers.You’ll LearnWhat a Career Education Specialist’s role (also known as a Career Centre or Coop Centre) within a university is, and its value.What students can expect from these services career centre (i.e. resume writing, networking).How Career Centre services have changed in the face of a pandemic.Why students should reach out as early as possible (i.e. first year) to these Career Centres/services, even if they don’t need any help or guidance just yet.Whether students’ questions and concerns for their public health careers have changed since the pandemic.How Career Centres help students achieve their goals: we take a common goal that students come to Ken about and talk through the type of advice we’d offer them. A specific question we tackle and discuss strategies for is: “how do I get policy/research type roles and/or experiences?” Strategies related to the following top questions received by PH SPOT from public health students and new graduates:How do I get public health experience – specifically, if I am about to graduate soon and need to quickly build experience?What cover letter tips should I keep in mind? (Hint: Regurgitating what the organization knows about themselves is not enough anymore. It’s no longer about “what” you said, but how you say it.)How do I get a mentor? Do I need a mentor? What’s the difference between a sponsor and a mentor? How to build strong relationships and give back to your mentors.Skill building: How to build skills outside of your academic courses?ResourcesArticles related to Sponsorship versus MentorshipThe Relationship You Need to Get Right, Harvard Business ReviewA Lack of Sponsorship Is Keeping Women from Advancing into Leadership, Harvard Business ReviewSponsors Need to Stop Acting Like Mentors, Harvard Business ReviewBuilding public health experience: Example – UN VolunteerDiscovering public health experience: PH SPOT’s Public Health NewsletterSkill Building – Infographics 101: How to design public health infographics with software you know and use.Other PH SPOT resources:Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formNever heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Contribute to the public health career blog: Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

In this final episode of 2020, the mic is turned on Sujani as she gets interviewed by her friend Lathika about the one year journey of producing the PH SPOTlight podcast. In this celebratory episode, they talk about the past, present, and future of PH SPOT.You’ll LearnHow Sujani is feeling about one year of podcasting, especially having launched PHSpotlight a few months before the pandemic startedSujani’s full story of discovering public health and her journey; Lathika shares her similar journey to discovering public healthThe two talk about PH SPOT and how it has become a great platform for those who will be discovering the field of public health, especially since the pandemic has shown a spotlight on this fieldGoing back to 2017, Sujani talks about the launch of PH SPOT, the two moments she realised the need for such a platform and the project that kickstarted what we see as the platform todayWhat motivates the team to continue PH SPOTDiscussion on the popular podcast episodes/topics of 2020 and what to expect for 2021Sujani’s journey into entrepreneurship, which started off from an assignment during her Master of Public health degree, which lead to the founding of her not-for-profit organization and eventually PH SPOTTips for individuals in the field of public health interested in entrepreneurshipSujani’s final message to the PH SPOT community that the platform is a community driven iniative and that this is your platform!ResourcesPodcast episode featuring Lathika: Career advancement & family life: perspectives from a global health research manager, with Lathika LaguwaranContributing to the blog: www.phspot.ca/contributeSharing ideas for the podcast: Fill out this formSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani talks about MPH (Master of Public Health) program prep! Applications for this graduate program are often due at the end of the year or early the following year. As students gear up to apply for the MPH degree of their dreams, Sujani shares two tips for those prepping for the MPH program, inspired by a blog post that we published in early 2019.You’ll LearnAbout the “What I wish I knew before my MPH” blog series published in 2019Why this question was explored, and the two big themes that emerged when reflecting on this question: 1) Bring real-world experience into the classroom, and 2) mindset is everything.Where to read the full blog series and contribute to the conversation:What I wish I knew before I started my Master of Public Health (MPH) degreeWhat I wish I knew during my Master of Public Health (MPH) programWhat I wish I knew right after I graduated from my Master of Public Health (MPH) programResourcesBlog post series:What I wish I knew before I started my Master of Public Health (MPH) degreeWhat I wish I knew during my Master of Public Health (MPH) programWhat I wish I knew right after I graduated from my Master of Public Health (MPH) programOther PH SPOT resources:Never heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with Ama Kyeremeh, to speak about a day in the life of a public health research coordinator. Ama has worked in this role with an organization in British Columbia, Canada that focuses on women’s health. She takes us through how she became interested in the field, what a day looks like, and more.You’ll LearnAma’s journey into public healthHow Ama gained public health experience early on during her undergraduate degreeWhat a day looks like for Ama, as an early public health research coordinatorA discussion on being a realist when you ponder the question of whether you are contributing in a meaningful way through your work and are making an impact in the worldTop practical skills to develop to excel in a public health research coordinator role, in addition to facilitation, communication, and negotiationSomeone anticipating to get into this role should develop various writing skills, as well as project managementThe importance of networking for a role as a public health research coordinator, especially proactive networkingThe inspiration for Ama to pursue a career in public health: a beautiful story of her early school years in Ghana, and seeing public health interventions and educators in actionSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesToday on the show, Sujani speaks about leadership once again.We introduced the topic of leadership in public health on the PHSPOTlight podcast in episode 12 with Nadia Akseer. In that kick-off episode, we committed to bringing conversations with more of our peers around the topic of leadership. We want leadership in public health to be a skill that you are constantly thinking about building on, as much as (if not more) than building technical or software skills. The conversations we are choosing to share with you are with leaders who are not only our peers but those who we feel we can learn a lot from and be inspired by to take real action.In this episode, Sujani sits down with Anjum Sultana. Anjum is someone Sujani has known for a number of years and has interacted with via phone calls and messaging/email, but this was the first time they both "saw" each other (virtually), so it was a special conversation. Anjum’s advocacy and leadership work is also something that Sujani has been inspired by over the years.The conversation with Anjum is not only jam-packed with inspiration and motivation to be a leader in public health but also weaves tangible first steps for all of us to take.Public health needs many strong leaders to push agendas forward, and we hope that by sharing stories like that of Anjum's, you walk away feeling like you too can be a leader in public health.You’ll LearnHow Anjum defines leadershipWhether she intentionally chose to become a leader in her space, or it naturally occurredA bit about the young Anjum, her first memory of thinking that she could be a leader, and how her dad was an inspiration to her, which has resulted in the work she does in her communityAttributes of a good leader (skills to build on for anyone wanting to be a leader in their space), and skills Anjum wished she had gained early onThings students can focus on specifically while in school to set themselves up to become a strong leaderStep-by-step how we can go from feeling passionate about a topic/issue/cause to taking incremental action that leads to change. Whether leadership only comes from a management/senior-level role (hint: no it doesn’t)Whether leaders are born OR if leadership can be learnedChallenges Anjum faces as a leader in her spaceA final example where Anjum showed that she is a leader in her space: she talks about her journey first authoring Canada’s First Feminist Recovery Plan.It is the first nationally-focused one in the country and possibly the worldShe encourages the PH SPOT community to read it, make it your own, and reach out to her should you be interested in taking actionSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesToday on the show, Sujani sits down with Erica Di Ruggiero to talk about some very exciting news for Canada!In May 2020, the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health announced the much-anticipated Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program – the first of its kind in Canada.The DrPH has been a topic of interest amongst our PH SPOT community members for some time now. Last year, we published a blog post written by Harman Sandhu titled “Doctor of Public Health – Isn’t that just a PhD?”. This article has continued to be one of the most-read posts on our blog, and since the launch of the DrPH program here in Canada, this post has been one of the top 5 pages visited on our website.In order to bring you even more information about this program, Sujani sat down with the individual who spearheaded the initiative to bring the first DrPH program to a Canadian Institute. Erica Di Ruggiero is also the interim program director of the DrPH program.Prior to sitting down with Erica, we made sure to collect questions the PH SPOT community had about the program (thank you for those submissions, they were all great questions). When we looked at all of your questions, they fell into 7 themes: the ideal candidate/eligibility, life after a DrPH, how this program compares on an international stage; a few logistical questions about the program; some content questions regarding the program; and the most popular one, tuition and cost. As a result, this episode is framed around these 7 themes.We hope this conversation with Erica, which is packed with a tonne of information, will help to answer questions you’ve had, and perhaps even help you decide whether you’d like to consider the DrPH program for the next fall admission, or for a future year.Learn more about the 6-day Infographic Planning Challenge mentioned at the end of the episodeSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesAfter writing the Opinion piece on the PH SPOT blog, The rise of infographics, and why I believe all public health professionals should know how to design one, Sujani wanted to get behind the mic to explain why she believes this. In this solo episode, Sujani tells you what infographics are, how infographics have been used in public health, and why public health professionals need to have excellent communication skills, including visual communication. She also encourages listeners to take the first step by joining PH SPOT’s 6-day Infographic Planning Challenge so that they too can begin to build the confidence and skills to design public health infographics.You’ll LearnWhat is an infographic, including the definition of an infographicYou’ll be introduced to words such as “data visualization”, “information design”, and “information architecture”, and what they meanWho is using infographics in public health (in the past and present)Sujani’s favourite use of infographics in present-day: universities including infographic design as part of student assignments! By integrating infographic design within the curriculum of public health courses, students leave the course with infographic design skills that will be welcomed and sought out for in the workforce.Why infographic projects that share public health information or data are best led by public health professionals – and how the communication and/or marketing teams can get involvedAnd she shares her bottom line, which is: We have a responsibility to ensure that public health information is displayed and communicated accurately. If we can’t get rid of the bad information out there, we should saturate it with good information.ResourcesOpinion post mentioned in the podcast: The rise of infographics, and why I believe all public health professionals should know how to design oneTo take the next step in developing infographic design skills, start with the 6-day Infographic Planning Challenge (requires just 15 minutes a day, for 6 days)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with a friend from her MPH program, Sameena Vadivelu, to speak about a day in the life of a program evaluator. Sameena has worked as a program evaluator in a local health unit and takes us through how she became interested in the field, her job application journey, what a day looks like, and more.You’ll LearnWhat is program evaluation? And how it compared to what she had anticipated it to be.How Sameena became interested in program evaluation.Challenges she had during job searching.A day in the life of a program evaluator at a local public health unit - the responsibilities of the role.The biggest challenges about her workSkills someone considering specializing in program evaluation should know/do/be prepared for (i.e. software, certification).A moment Sameena felt most inspired.Today's GuestSameena Vadivelu holds a Masters degree in Public Health (MPH) and an Honours Bachelor of Science degree specializing in Integrative Biology and Psychology. She’s currently a Program Evaluation Consultant at the Workers Safety and Insurance Board. In her previous role she was a Program Evaluator at a local public health unit. She has over five years of experience in evaluation. In this role she primarily supported the environmental health and infectious diseases teams and has provided support on various planning and evaluation projects. Prior to this she worked at a health authority in Labrador. In this role she worked closely with public health nurses to develop policies around contact tracing for sexually transmitted infections.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani shares a presentation she did last year to the ThriveHire audience. Having recently found this video, and listening to it again now almost a year later, we felt that the advice couldn’t be any more important right now. So we decided to put it up here on our podcast, as well as a little bit about our Infographics 101 course that ties in with tip #3. So, enjoy this episode, brought to you by Sujani, from the past 😉You’ll LearnSujani’s three tips for public health professionals starting out their careersTip #1: Constantly think about building your networkPeople and relationships will take you places: job opportunities, mentorship/advice, etc.Tip #2: Reflect, set goals, reflect some more & set more goals (and repeat)Look back, so you can look forwardTip #3: Make yourself stand out & shineHow can you add value to your organization and make yourself stand out? And be valued?Developing a unique skill is one way to make yourself stand out, for example, being the one who can design infographicsResourcesRelevant blog posts and podcast episode mentioned:Podcast: Where will your MPH degree take you? Two lessons to mentally prepare for your MPH degree in the time of COVID-19, with Sujani SivaBlog post: Where will your MPH degree take you? (Part 1)Blog post: Where will your MPH degree take you? (Part 2)Blog post: Lessons learned after an #InterviewFail for a once in a lifetime kind of interview (why building relationships are important)Free ebook: 7 Things You Can Do Right Now to Advance Your Public Health Career & Set Yourself Up for SuccessCourse: INFOGRAPHICS 101 – How to design public health infographics with softwares you know & useSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesIn this episode, we’re talking about preparing for your MPH degree in the time of COVID-19. Some of you may be feeling unsure about how things are going to be when classes start. Perhaps you’re feeling some anxiety, or have many questions around whether your experience is going to be valuable. We’re here to tell you that these feelings you are experiencing are valid. This episode is to give you a bit of comfort and to convince you that despite the changes we must face, you can still have a good experience.In 2017, Sujani wrote a two-part blog post titled “Where will your MPH degree take you?”. She wrote this piece to reflect on her journey into public health. As Sujani reflects on the current situation we are in due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she couldn’t help but think about the new set of MPH students who will be embarking on their graduate program this fall. She was compelled to revisit this reflection to see if the same lessons still apply. (Spoiler alert: they do still apply!)You’ll LearnThe training you are embarking on is extremely importantThere are things you can’t control in this pandemic that will be affecting your MPH program/trainingTwo important lessons that Sujani learnt during her MPH degree, and a reflection on whether they still apply in the current contextThese two lessons are: seeking your own opportunities and going above and beyond the bare minimumExamples on how to seek your own opportunities (lesson #1)Example of how Sujani went above and beyond the bare minimum (lesson #2)An invitation to talk about/reflect on your current feelings as you prepare for your MPH programSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesThis is the second episode we are recording since the COVID-19 pandemic. As we all try to navigate this new way of life, we at PH SPOT wanted to switch things up and produce a few podcast episodes that are different from our original show.In today’s episode, Sujani sits down with someone special. You may have heard his name in our intro episode, or in some of our email communications. If you guessed Kajanth, you are absolutely right.Kajanth, as introduced in our intro episode, is one of the unsung heroes of PH SPOT. He is responsible for how all of the content is delivered to you. He is behind the building of our websites (PH SPOT and Infographics101.com), podcasts, and online course, to name a few…Name a PH SPOT product, and Kajanth is probably the reason you can access it on your devices. (Kajanth is also Sujani’s husband!)For this episode, we thought it would be fun for the two of them to record an unplanned and unscripted episode about PH SPOT. This was an exciting and equally nervous episode to record as neither knew where the conversation was going!You’ll LearnWho Kajanth is, and his role at PH SPOT (as a non-public health person, what he thinks of public health)The moment PH SPOT began to feel like more than a blogThe journey of how PH SPOT came to beThe different moments that Sujani and Kajanth remember about building PH SPOT – the fun and the difficult momentsThe small and big dreams they’ve dreamt up for the future of PH SPOTSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesThis is the first episode Sujani sat down to record since COVID-19 became a pandemic. And we know that it is a tough time for every single one of us. We are new to physically distancing ourselves from families and friends, and holding game night and coffee chats over a video call are just not the same…and we now have to adjust to having children and the entire family at home 24/7, and for some, the transition to working from home has been tough. We will be the first to say that we don’t like this way of living and wish things were different. But, it’s so important for us to sacrifice these things, and to bear some of this pain because it does save lives!Given this current situation, and acknowledging that we may not be mentally ready to focus on building our careers the same way, we wanted to change things up for the next couple of podcast episodes (or more). These episodes will focus on slightly different topics ranging from tips to help you cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as fun behind the scenes reflections of PH SPOT to give you a bit of “entertainment” listening. If you have other ideas do email them to us, and we will incorporate them into a future episode. Once we feel that we are ready to get back to our regular show, we will start rolling those episodes out!In this episode, Sujani sits down with two members from the Canadian Partnership for Women and Children’s Health (CanWaCH). CanWaCH catalyzes Canadian collaboration among 100 Partners who are improving women’s and children’s health in 1,000 communities worldwide.The interesting part is that CanWaCH is a completely virtual workplace with 22 employees across Canada. Given they have been working in virtual workplace for a number of years now, we reached out to them so that they could offer up all of the lessons they’ve learned to help you, your organization and employees manage working in a virtual environment as a cohesive team. I talk to two individuals from CanWaCH’s team – Julia Anderson who is the Chief Operating Officer and Erin Jex, the Gender Equality Officer at CanWaCH.You'll Learn:About the physical environment that Julia and Erin work from to give us a picture of their workspaces (Julia lives with 8 other people, and Erin has 1 other person)The makeup of the CanWaCH team, and their environmentsWhether COVID-19 has changed anything for them or their team, with respect to working from homeThe technology and tools that their team uses which enables them to work collaboratively and efficiently (and tips around this)The challenges they still face, despite having been a virtual workplace for a number of yearsAs management, the importance of setting your intentions right from the beginning and reiterating it (constantly); and equally important is the trust you must build with your teamOnboarding a virtual team member; how orientation is set up for these employeesTips and considerations to build relationships with your team members given the absence of regular face to face interactionsThe silver lining in working from home, and what they enjoy about a virtual workplaceSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesLeadership is fascinating. From the way movements are formed by a single individual to how that single individual is able to inspire change amongst others. Undoubtedly, we can argue that leadership is very important in public health.In thinking about how we, as public health practitioners, can ensure that leadership is a skill that we constantly think about building on, we want to have conversations with our peers so that we can not only be reminded of our roles as leaders, but also to learn from and be inspired by them.In this episode, Sujani speaks Dr. Nadia Akseer, an Epidemiologist-Biostatistician who has spent over 10 years leading research and analyses of clinical and population health datasets in the areas of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, as well as nutrition in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ethiopia and other low- and middle-income countries.In 2018, Nadia was identified as a Canadian Women Leader in Global Health, and in March 2019, she was awarded the 2019 Emerging Public Health Leader Alumni Award from the Public Health Alumni Association of the University of Toronto.We speak about the leadership drive Nadia possesses, when she decided she wanted to become a leader in her space, and whether you need to be in a management position to be a leader, amongst other topics. And of course, I couldn’t let her go without asking about her multiple meetings with Bill Gates, to present and collaborate on some of her work.You’ll LearnThe leadership drive, and what it isWhat leadership means to NadiaHow and when Nadia decided that she wanted to become a leader in this space she was passionate aboutWhether one needs to be in a management position to be a leader (hint: absolutely not)Natural born leaders versus people given the right opportunities to become a leaderHow Nadia goes about seeking new opportunities (as she is someone who thrives on being challenged and stimulated)A glimpse into the career path she took: from Biostatician at SickKids, to Global Health Research at SickKids, then to Harvard, and now at Gates VenturesHow her view of leadership has changed over timeVerbal Communication and its importance in good leadershipA leader Nadia looks up to: Dr. Zulfiqar ButtaReflections from her meetings with Bill Gates to present her research and work together on countries that have managed to reduce child stuntingSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Show NotesYou’ve probably heard of the saying “growth and change lies outside of your comfort zone”, and this is true for our careers too. To advance in our careers, we need to do things that we are not comfortable with, whether that’s standing up and presenting at a large meeting, saying yes to a project that scares us, or perhaps even pushing a little bit more than usual, and relocating to a new city or even country for a public health experience you wouldn’t have otherwise gotten.On this episode of PH SPOTlight, Sujani sits down with one of her mentors and someone who has pushed her to continuously push past her comfort zone, James Flint. James has worked in public health at the international, national and local levels with several governmental and non-governmental organizations around the world. We talk to James about pushing past our comfort zones and we hear about some of the decisions he has made to do so, from turning down permanent job offers to moving his family across the world, all of which have been driven by his “why question for his life”. As someone who is passionate about social justice, he really wanted to craft a career where it gave him opportunities to help other people…and that’s the reason he’s constantly pushing past his comfort zone.James has constantly been an inspiration for Sujani’s public health career, and she hopes to bring that inspiration to you as well! We hope that this conversation with James leaves you inspired to think about how you too can push past your comfort zone in your public health career so that you can keep growing and serving.You’ll LearnHow James is constantly thinking about pushing past his comfort zone and doing things differently.That you don’t need to make drastic changes or decisions to push past your comfort zone.How his “why” drives his life and career choices.Two examples of how James pushed past his comfort zone, and what he was thinking during both of these times:Why James turned down a permanent and safe job the day before he was supposed to start so that he could take on a temporary post that offered more scope for international work.Why James decided to try out the STOP Polio mission even though he didn’t know anything about polio or the country he was going to be based in.Why someone might be reluctant to push the boundary on their career, get out of their comfort zone and really challenge themselves.That everyone feels incompetent from time-to-time, and that it’s common to have those feelings.As a manager, James’s approach to hiring.About some of the work he is doing in Australia (and his work with the WHO). (Stick around to the very end to listen to this part.)Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

We launched the Career Advancement and Family Life series in the last episode with our guest Lathika Laguwaran. We are big believers here at PH SPOT of learning from those who have done something before us and using their lessons and experiences to craft our own path. We want to share the stories of public health professionals at various phases of their lives and careers to get a glimpse into their way of life and thinking. We hope you will reach out to us and share your perspectives and experiences with the public health community.Show NotesIn this episode, Sujani sits down with Lawrence Loh. You may recognize his name from two very popular posts on the PH SPOT blog: Start with Yes and Choosing impact over location: the myth of the “global health gamble”.When we talk about career advancement and family life, TIME is an important topic. Our relationship with time changes as we progress through our careers and when we begin to build a family. This is exactly how our conversation with Lawrence begins: how time has changed for him during his career, and how this has influenced the opportunities and choices he has made.We also get to hear about the decisions Lawrence has had to make with discontinuing clinical work, and reprioritizing where and how he uses his time. With two young daughters that mean everything to him, Lawrence is very particular with how he spends his time, and we were so grateful he said yes to sit down with us to share his perspective on career advancement and family life.You’ll Learn“Time” as it relates to building your careerHow “time” has changed for Lawrence over the course of his career and children came into the pictureHow and why he decided to conduct an inventory of his activities to reprioritize his time and consolidate various activities when he was expecting his second child (for example, he decided to stop practicing clinical medicine – we talk about how that made him feel)The way Lawrence sees one’s life and early career – divided by the following 5 standard phases:Inquiry/questioning phaseGenerative phaseConsolidation phaseSecond generative phaseSecond inquiry phaseHow once he got to the consolidation phase he rediscovered his love for fictional writing (he’s even got the manuscripts written!)What a typical day looks like at work and at homeHow he set up his parental leaveThough it is not his lived experience, we discuss starting a family in the “inquiry phase”, rather than later on in one’s career (as was the case for Lawrence)Five career tips he wraps up the conversation with:Nothing is irreversibleThe past decisions you make often shape your future decisions (sometimes you need to walk through one door to get to the other door)You’ll get something out of everything you do (every opportunity has a certain value/experience)Every job has its negative aspect (every opportunity has a downside)For younger millennials, don’t trust a snake oil salesman for career adviceSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Family life and career advancement is a topic that deserves more than just one episode so we are committing to bringing you different perspectives on this podcast. We are big believers here at PH SPOT of learning from those who have done something before us, and using their lessons and experiences to craft our own path based on our unique situations. We want to share the stories of public health professionals at various phases of their lives and careers to get a glimpse into their way of life and thinking. With the launch of the Career Advancement and Family Life series, we hope more of you will reach out to share your perspectives with the public health community.In this week’s episode, Sujani sits down to speak with a good friend of hers, Lathika Laguwaran. Lathika is someone who Sujani has loved learning from since she met her back in 2012. Both Sujani and Lathika completed their Masters together at the University of Saskatchewan. After graduating from her MPH, Lathika took a role up with the Global Strategy Lab, not really thinking about whether she would stay in that role for too long.Today, she has grown within the Global Strategy Lab and is the research manager, managing the operations of the lab and leading research projects pertaining to health news misinformation and international law. During this 6-7 year journey, Lathika also got married and became a mother; and that’s the journey we talk about in this episode.You’ll LearnAbout Lathika’s career progression within the Global Strategy Lab (GSL): from research assistant, to research coordinator, to research managerHow it is working on Stephen Hoffman’s teamWhy Lathika chose to join the GSL despite a very low starting salaryHow location played a role in her career journey (and how her commute has changed over the years)The importance of building trust and a strong relationship within your organization for family lifeWhat a day looks like at the GSL for LathikaThings Lathika had to consider when her baby was born (i.e. childcare, family support)The importance of being happy in your role for family lifeHow to have discussions about your role and change in family life with your managerTransitioning back to work after parental leave: how things changed around her, what she had to change, how communication became a key factor during the transition periodHow she manages extra curricular activities with family life and a careerSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

At some point in time we have all been in a position where we ponder on what our next step is going to be in our career journey. Sophiya Garasia faced a similar inflection point where she was trying to identify her next step after her degree in public health.In her search through self reflection, she discovered that medical school was not for her.  She shared this introspection via the post “Why I will not be applying for medical school” that she wrote for the PH SPOT blog a few years ago. We wanted to bring her on the podcast to dig more into this reflection she had and the framework she used to make her decision, so that we can use the same framework when we come to a similar point in our journey where we need to decide our next step.You’ll LearnAbout Sophiya’s journey and her decision to not go to med schoolHow introspection after each experience is key in helping you build your careerWhy changing your career plan is okayAdvice for those who think they may like medicine (how they should go about this) Importance of finding a mentor to discuss the different options in your careerWhat to keep an eye out for when looking for experiences (i.e. do meaningful volunteer to understand what you like and dislike)How to get public health volunteer experiencesThe popularity of public health and how that’s changingSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

To continue with our theme of public health consulting, we speak with Stephanie Hodges of Nourished Principles – a US-based consultative service that empowers individuals to make healthy, nutritious choices, and help communities, organizations, businesses, and schools to create healthier environments.Stephanie’s journey is different from that of Leah Roman’s (last episode guest) in that Stephanie decided to quit her full-time job to pursue consulting, while Leah took a different approach.Stephanie has been consulting since 2015, and on the podcast speaks to us about her journey, the opportunity that consulting provides to work across different sectors and organizations, and tips for aspiring consultants.You’ll LearnAbout Stephanie’s abrupt transition into consulting, after being miserable at workHow consultants leverage their networksHow Stephanie first reached out to prospective clients (by using postcards)Types of clients you can have in your business (including the importance of an “anchor client”)How to build relationships with clientsCommon courtesies to follow when reaching out to prospective clients via LinkedINHow she named her business “Nourished Principles” and what she would have done differentlyThe importance of a support system for a consultantDifferent expenses to expect as a consultantDifferent revenue streams consultants haveIf you are interested in becoming a public health consultant, check out our public health consulting resources page for more infoSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Consulting has gotten a lot of interest in the public health space recently. For many reasons, public health professionals have chosen to explore consulting and have built careers around it.We have even seen interest within our PH SPOT community, and have been asked for resources by you to help you take the first step. Until now, we were not able to provide you with any resources or support around this topic because we hadn’t found anything specific to public health.This changed last year when we met Leah Roman! We came to find out that Leah was becoming the “connector” of public health consultants around the world. Not only that, she was also supporting aspiring consultants to take the first step into consulting! We knew right away when we met Leah that she was the right person to bring in front of you all.In this episode, we speak to Leah about her journey into consulting and ask her to explain to us what public health consulting is all about. Additionally, towards the end, I tell you about a webinar that Leah and PH SPOT are hosting, as well as where to go for more resources on public health consulting.You’ll LearnAbout Leah and her story/journey into public health consulting (Fun fact: In the early years, if you had Googled public health consulting, Leah was the one who showed upWhat it means to be a consultant in public healthDifferent terminologies to use to explain the work you do (consultant, contractor, freelancer); clients’ reactions to languageMindset is key: you are running a business, not just taking projectsWhat a day looks like for Leah (taking client work), and how she then moved into supporting other consultantsServices one may offer as a consultant and industries to find prospective clientsThe benefits of niching down versus being a generalist (jack of all trades)Whether an online presence is a good ideaWhen it’s the right time to get into consultingDifferences and similarities around the world in public health consultingHow to deal with financial fluctuationsThe best part about being a public health consultant (for Leah)(The most exciting part) How to take the next steps into consulting, including additional resources and trainingSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Today’s episode is not with a public health professional, but rather a “friend of public health” – this is what we are calling the individuals who can support us with the services, advice/tips, and value they are able to share.Today’s friend of public health is Kiriga Konalingam, an HR recruiter who has worked in public health organizations hiring public health professionals. We wanted to bring someone like Kiriga on the show to talk about a topic we could always use some guidance on: job applications, specifically resumes and interviews.We wanted to hear first hand from someone in HR about things to keep in mind when applying to jobs, preparing and submitting resumes, and even tips around evaluations or exams, and interviews.This episode is a lengthy one because Kiriga is extremely passionate about these topics…and you’ll hear towards the end that we didn’t want to finish the conversation because there was so much more to talk about! If by the end of the episode you are still left with additional questions, please let us know through our podcast form (choose “I would like to recommend a topic and/or guest for the podcast” option) other questions/topics you’d like us to discuss with Kiriga (we would love to have her back on for another episode).Podcast show notes available here: https://phspot.ca/public-health-job-application-tips-hr-professional-resumes-interviews-kiriga-konalingamSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

I am so excited to introduce you to today’s episode because it marks the beginning of a mini series of episodes that will be a part of PH SPOTlight: The Entrepreneurship Series. It’s a topic that I am particularly passionate about so I am thrilled to have the opportunity to produce this series. The goal of the entrepreneurship series is to share stories of entrepreneurs in the public health space who are building great products. The hope is that their journeys will inspire you to think about building a product to tackle a public health problem, as well as give you the tools and direction to take your first step, or next step.In this episode, I sit down with the team at ThriveHire, a company on a mission to build up the global health workforce by profiling organizations and helping connect them to top talent so they can solve the world’s greatest health challenges.You’ll hear Hayley Mundeva, the founder of ThriveHire, along with Annalise Mathers and Malaika Kapur in our conversation. These three amazing people don’t only share their story with us, but also give us a lot of great tips for building a company of our own.So, I hope this episode leaves you feeling a bit inspired to think about the problems you are working on, in a new light, a light that includes you as the individual that will build a solution.Podcast show notes available here: https://phspot.ca/public-health-entrepreneurship-series-thrivehire-global-healthSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

We have Amalia Plotogea here on this episode; and Amalia’s name might sound familiar because you may have read about her experience being a surveillance officer in Bangladesh to support the World Health Organization’s response to the Rohingya refugee crisis on our Blog.I brought Amalia on the podcast to ask her more about her field epidemiology experience because you all wanted to hear more. She tells us about two different deployments she was on, which gave her two different experiences. We also talk about high-stress environments and uncomfortable situations she has been in, and how all of these experiences prepared her for her field deployment. And the most inspiring part is that we get to see how she actually puts herself into such situations, because right off the bat Amalia tells us how uncomfortable she is feeling recording this very podcast episode!After we hear about some of her experiences, Amalia tells us about the importance of building relationships, and trust, and how it helps with your career, and also expands on the tips she shared in her blog post, for those of us thinking about getting into public health fieldwork.Podcast show notes available here: https://phspot.ca/field-epidemiology-deployment-and-tips-with-amalia-plotogeaSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

Networking is undoubtedly one of the most important things you can do to build your public health career, but it’s a topic that doesn’t get enough attention or training in public health. It is also an activity that most people don’t enjoy (at least the conventional idea of networking). You’ll be happy to know then that when we say “networking”, we are not only talking about attending large events to pitch yourself to strangers. To us, you are always networking, and it’s about more than meeting someone once for a favour, but rather about building meaningful relationships with them.Our guest today, Sarah Martone, shared networking as her number one advice in a University of Guelph feature of Graduate Students. When we read this, we knew we needed to get her perspective and dive into networking a bit more!Podcast show notes available here: https://phspot.ca/network-like-your-public-health-career-depended-on-it-with-sarah-martoneSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.

It’s January 28, 2020, and today we launch PH SPOT’s very own podcast show, PH SPOTlight.In this first episode, Sujani Siva (the host of the show) tells you about herself, PH SPOT, and PH SPOTlight, and what this podcast means to us.In future episodes, Sujani sits down with public health heroes of our time to share career stories, inspiration, and guidance for building public health careers. From time to time, she also has conversations with friends of public health – individuals who are not public health professionals, but their advice and guidance are equally important.We believe that to build a successful career in public health does not mean that it has to live up to a certain level of standard set out by somebody else…or that we need to burn ourselves out in the process. We believe that you can craft a career perfect for you, and your unique life. The message we hope to get across through these conversations on PH SPOTlight is that building a career is not only about climbing up the ranks, but about crafting a life that you want, around your unique needs, and one that gives importance to your mental health, wellbeing, and building relationships and friendships: you can only do good in the world if you take care of yourself.Podcast show notes available here: https://phspot.ca/welcome-to-ph-spotlight-with-sujani-siva/Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: the #1 hangout spot and community dedicated to building and growing your dream public health career.