Alumni Spotlight

Where are you currently working?

Compass Health Center

What is your current job title?

Program Assistant, Virtual Child and Adolescent Program

How did the MPH program prepare you for a career in public health practice?

The MPH program greatly prepared me for a career in public health practice especially with my Practicum placement. I was placed at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where I got to work in their Community Health Department. This gave me experience working in public health while finding an interest for combining a future career in healthcare administration and public health.

What did you like most about the DePaul MPH program?

I really enjoyed the small cohort and staff structure of the program. We had every class with primarily the same group of students and the same group of professors. This allowed me to engage and build strong relationships not only with my classmates but also with the staff and professors from the program. The MPH program at DePaul not only gave me an exceptional education, it helped me gain real world public health experience, network with public health professionals, and grow as a person and a student. During my time in the program, I was really able to get involved and find my passions within public health that have led me to where I am today in my current career. I am so grateful for everything the MPH program gave me and I'm excited to see where it will bring me in the future!

Where are you currently working? 

Mathematica, a policy research firm dedicated to improving public well-being.

What is your current job title? 

State Health & Medicaid Analyst

How did the MPH program prepare you for a career in public health practice?

DePaul's MPH program opened my eyes to the huge world that is public health. Coming into the program, my experience in the Medicaid managed care industry introduced me to the basic concepts of public health and its importance, but the MPH program itself provided me with a wealth of knowledge and the skills needed to excel in my current position (to name a few: applying quantitative and qualitative research methods, logic models, program development and evaluation, health behavior theory). I apply knowledge from these courses in my day-to-day as an Analyst working on a variety of projects dedicated to improving the health of others.

What  did you like most about the DePaul MPH program? 

I appreciated how engaged the professors were in students' success. They provided an environment that allowed students to ask for help if they needed it and feel comfortable doing so. In regards to coursework, I distinctly remember a project where we had to walk around a Chicago neighborhood and identify resources in the area as part of a community health assessment. It was so hands on and I loved that. The DePaul MPH program helped me find my passion. I was exposed to so many important facets of public health in this program and found my niche while gaining knowledge and honing the skills needed to actively contribute to public health work.

Examples of your experience 

As a State Health and Medicaid Analyst, I recently contributed to a qualitative assessment of state policies, documents and interviews with state officials to determine a state's preparedness and response to the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to long term care; this work will be used to guide the state's future actions in the event of a potential second wave of COVID-19. It was amazing to take part in such relevant work. I am also the lead on a federal assessment initiative which evaluates each managed care state's compliance with mandatory external quality review federal regulations.