My interest in making a connection between academic institutions and public health practice stems from my time as a student at the University of Iowa College of Public Health, where I was able to complete my practicum at a local health department in Iowa. I realized the benefits to the health department were just as great as the benefit to the academic institution in being able to provide practice experience to their students. One of my interests is to ensure the future public health workforce is prepared with the skills and knowledge needed to keep public health advancing forward as new members enter the workforce. As a new graduate, I had the opportunity to be part of Class VII of the CSTE/CDC Applied Epidemiology Fellowship. The experience further solidified the importance of training for new public health professionals and providing linkages between practice and education.
I volunteered to explore AHDs for Linn County Public Health, where I am employed. Additionally, I am the chair of the Benton County Board of Health and a member of the Iowa Public Health Association, and I plan to share information about AHDs with those groups.