What brought you to the UAB School of Public Health?

Spearheading UAB's new DrPH in Preparedness Leadership is an opportunity of a lifetime, given there are so few doctoral programs in this concentration across the country. The School of Public Health's strong national reputation was also a contributing factor. With that said, it was the people that I met during the interview process that finalized UAB as the right decision for me and my family.

What is the broad focus of your research?

I'm proud of nearly two decades of experience in public health practice and disaster response where I was able to make a direct impact on communities in crisis. Since I recently transitioned into research, I remain similarly focused on public health emergency management and applying translational methods to bridge research, policy, and practice.

Where did you receive your training and degrees?

I earned my PhD from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which, like UAB, is one of the few institutions offering a doctoral focus in public health emergency preparedness. When I began the program, I actually had to design my own track under Preventive and Societal Medicine, since no formal concentration existed at the time. Before that, I completed my MS at Georgetown University in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infectious Diseases, joining the program in its very first year. I guess you could say I have a habit of pioneering new academic paths!

What is the most exciting project you are currently working on?

Launching the DrPH in Preparedness Leadership, of course! I've developed curriculum for CDC, FEMA, and ASPR previously, so I'm enjoying translating my experience with curriculum development into new courses offered through our degree program, like HPO 744: Crisis and Risk Communication. Additionally, our first cohort of students bring a variety of perspectives and professional experiences, and I'm confident their contributions will play a vital role in shaping and refining the program as it grows.

What professional accomplishment are you most proud of so far in your career?

As the Director of Emergency Management, I established the first ever comprehensive emergency management program for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which successfully responded to a federally declared flood disaster and the COVID-19 pandemic within the first two years of establishment. Also, in Okinawa I led a team focused on research and advocacy for access to mental health care during the pandemic, which ultimately resulted in telemental health being delivered to military families on island for the first time.

What is the coolest training or program you've been a part of, or your favorite conference you've attended?

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I served as the lead training specialist for the Incident Management Training and Development Program (IMTDP), a competitive training program designed to prepare senior agency leaders for emergency response leadership. Using my emergency preparedness background to train some of the nation’s top scientists definitely ranks high for coolest training experience.

What kind of research would you like to be doing that you haven't yet had the opportunity to do?

After living on an island during the pandemic, I would like to continue studying remote and isolated populations in disasters.

If you weren't in academia, what would your career be?

Back in the field doing grassroots public health emergency response — I love people and communities. But if we're dreaming outside of public health, then I might entertain a career in home renovations. I was able to pay off my early student loans by renovating a house from the 1800's and I actually really enjoyed it!