Students Who Rocked Public Health in 2024
Each year, the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice (JPHMP) celebrates the outstanding achievements of students who push the boundaries of innovation and leadership in public health. In 2024, ten exceptional individuals demonstrated how passion, ingenuity, and dedication can address critical public health challenges and make lasting impacts in their communities. Here are their remarkable stories, alphabetically by first name.
Chanhee Kim (University of Minnesota)
Chanhee Kim
Chanhee Kim is a PhD student at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, working under Dr. Sripriya Rajamani. Her research focuses on the Data Modernization Initiative (DMI), exploring its impact on public health data practices and ways to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
At the 2024 American Public Health Association (APHA) Conference, she received the Health Administration Section Student Achievement Award for her abstract, “Leaderships of Data Modernization Initiative (DMI) in State Public Health Agencies.” The study examined the educational backgrounds and expertise of DMI leaders, highlighting diverse leadership profiles and analyzing the roles under which they are leading DMI projects. These findings could inform strategies for optimizing leadership structures in future DMI projects.
Chanhee’s passion for informatics stems from her experience as an epidemiologist at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Witnessing the critical role of data management inspired her to pursue a PhD in Informatics, a field vital for advancing public health. She is also enrolled in the Population Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT) Certificate program, gaining essential knowledge to integrate technology into public health systems.
Currently, she is studying electronic case reporting (eCR) and its potential to improve disease surveillance in US public health systems by enhancing timeliness, completeness, and volume compared to traditional methods. Her work aims to inform future implementations of eCR in broader public health domains. Chanhee’s journey from nursing to public health informatics exemplifies how diverse experiences can lead to groundbreaking innovation.
Why Her Work Matters:
Chanhee’s work highlights the transformative role of informatics in modernizing public health systems and ensuring timely, data-driven decision making.
Her Reflections:
“Working as a nurse sparked my curiosity about the lives my patients led outside the hospital, inspiring me to study public health and become an epidemiologist. That role deepened my understanding of data’s critical role in public health crises and led to my interest in informatics. Each role naturally led to the next, creating a seamless journey of discovery. I encourage fellow students to embrace challenges in public health—each step brings new opportunities.”
Danielle Sarraf (Washington University in St. Louis)
Danielle Sarraf
Danielle Sarraf is a joint MBA and MPH student at the Olin School of Business and the Brown School of Social Work and Public Health, respectively, at Washington University in St. Louis. She is also a research manager for Dr. Lindsay Stark and Dr. Ilana Seff, where she supports federally funded research studies and grants focused on the health and psychosocial well-being of marginalized populations, including survivors of gender-based violence and adolescent refugees.
A key focus of Danielle’s public health work has been her involvement in the Study of Adolescent Lives After Migration to America (SALaMA), a program dedicated to addressing mental health challenges within marginalized communities. She has contributed to two significant initiatives: PhotoVoice and “Forward with Peers” (FwP). Danielle has supported the implementation and management of PhotoVoice, a participatory research methodology, which has empowered community members to use photography as a tool for self-expression and allowed newcomer students the opportunity to share their stories of displacement, identity, and discrimination. Further, Danielle has also supported the implementation of FwP, a social and emotional learning school-based program, which involved co-creating an intervention manual and supporting its pilot evaluation. FwP facilitates peer support and emotional well-being in marginalized communities by offering structured guidance for peers to share resources and promote mental health and coping skills. These initiatives are crucial in fostering resilience and encouraging open dialogue about mental health, particularly in the context of rising geopolitical tensions, such as the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Why Her Work Matters:
Danielle’s work supports mental health resilience and reduces barriers to mental health care, contributing to inclusivity and solidarity among marginalized groups.
Her Reflections:
“I grew up admiring my father’s global impact as an ophthalmologist and believed direct patient care was the best way to contribute to healthcare. However, I later realized my strengths were better suited to address systemic health issues on the population level through public health and business. Therefore, I aim to create an impact by improving community health, addressing the social determinants of health, and promoting equitable access to quality care.”
Keziah Gyimah-Padmore (Tufts University)
Keziah Gyimah-Padmore
Keziah Gyimah-Padmore, a biology major and sophomore at Tufts University, exemplifies how scientific expertise can be combined with public health advocacy to create meaningful change. Working at the intersection of public health and cultural beauty standards, her passion for health equity has driven her to conduct research on issues affecting Black women’s health. Her study investigates awareness levels among Black women regarding the increased risks of uterine cancer associated with the use of hair relaxers. The research examines social and behavioral factors influencing decision making, usage patterns within Black women’s social networks, and demographics such as age and education. Under the guidance of Jennifer Mandelbaum, PhD, MPH, and with the support of the Laidlaw Foundation, Keziah presented her findings at the National 2024 Laidlaw Conference. Building on this momentum, she plans to travel to Ghana in the summer to further her research and share vital health information on the potential dangers of hair-relaxing practices in Ghanaian culture. In the future, she hopes to become a physician who continues to advocate for the elimination of health inequities, particularly those affecting Black women and other underserved communities.
Why Her Work Matters:
Keziah’s research not only raises awareness about the link between beauty practices and health disparities but also calls for culturally competent advocacy to address systemic health inequities.
Her Reflections:
“As a Ghanaian American woman, I’m inspired to challenge oppressive beauty standards and advocate for Black women’s health. My research blends cultural understanding with public health science to promote equity and save lives.”
Lu Collina (Temple University)
Lu Collina
Lu Collina is a fourth-year public health student at Temple University with a deep passion for health equity and community building. Lu is also an AmeriCorps Service Member with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors’ (NACDD) Public Health AmeriCorps program and has been serving with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health since March 2024. During their service term, Lu has collaborated with the Health Department’s Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention, the Parks and Recreation Department, and local nonprofit partners to grow, promote, and support Philadelphia’s farmers’ market network. In their role, Lu has stepped up to transform big ideas into action by tackling several projects to amplify resources and strengthen citywide partnerships, all aimed at meeting the needs of farmers’ market vendors and operators.
Lu’s key accomplishments in 2024 include assisting The Food Trust with a campaign to identify optimal locations for farmers’ market promotion, leading and coordinating revisions to the Farmers’ Market Operator Guide in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, conducting site visits to over 30 farmers’ market locations to gather feedback and recommendations from vendors and operators, and creating infographics, tools, and other materials to increase farmers’ market participation. The updated Farmers’ Market Operator Guide includes guidance on navigating zoning codes, obtaining market location approvals, and opening new farmers’ markets. These updates, alongside other resources Lu has developed in response to stakeholder feedback, represent strategic efforts to expand the farmers’ market network, bring fresh produce from local vendors to underserved communities, and ultimately address food and nutrition insecurity across the city.
Why Their Work Matters:
Lu’s role as a service member integrates systems thinking with community engagement and administrative coordination to enhance access to healthy foods and strengthen the local food system.
Their Reflections:
Maria Paula Ibarcena-Woll (Emory University)
Maria Paula Ibarcena-Woll
Maria Paula Ibarcena-Woll is a second-year MPH student in global epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in public health and a minor in homeland security and emergency management. Her passion lies in public health preparedness and health security, particularly in addressing emerging pathogens and enhancing the resilience of public health systems.
In September 2024, Maria Paula played a pivotal role in planning and executing a tabletop exercise focused on responding to a Marburg virus outbreak. This collaborative event incorporated the Department of Epidemiology at Rollins School of Public Health, the Student Outbreak Response Team (SORT), and the Emory School of Medicine, with facilitation by experts from the Georgia Department of Public Health and Emory faculty.
The exercise challenged nearly 60 public health and medical students to navigate critical response core capabilities, including contact tracing, quarantine protocols, and effective risk communication for diverse audiences. Participants worked alongside subject matter experts from Atlanta to simulate real-world scenarios and develop collaborative strategies for outbreak response.
Maria Paula’s involvement was motivated by her passion for the intersection of epidemiology, public health preparedness, and biosecurity. Through her work, Maria Paula aims to contribute to building resilient public health critical infrastructure. Her long-term career goal is to pursue a PhD, enabling her to enhance health systems’ capacities to respond to novel and existing threats effectively.
Why Her Work Matters:
Maria Paula’s efforts to bring together multiple stakeholders from diverse areas of public health to tackle an outbreak scenario provides a critical training opportunity that further enhances public health preparedness and emergency response to rapidly evolving threats.
Her Reflections:
“This experience underscored the immense power of collaboration and the significance of uniting individuals from diverse fields to achieve enduring and impactful results when responding to public health challenges.”
Mehrshad Fahim Devin and Bradley Bontrager (George Washington University)
Mehrshad Fahim Devin and Bradley Bontrager
Mehrshad and Bradley, second-year medical students at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, exemplify the power of collaborative public health efforts. As part of a multidisciplinary initiative addressing food insecurity, they partnered with and expanded the staffing of a food pantry program at the Children’s National Family Clinic in Columbia Heights, Washington, DC. Student volunteers help clinic staff distribute vital nutrition to underserved families.
In partnership with key stakeholders, including the Capital Area Food Bank, the school of
medicine and health sciences, and the clinic, the initiative provides biweekly food
distributions. The program delivers two bags of food to over 100 families
every two weeks, often exhausting supplies before the next shipment arrives. The pantry
not only alleviates immediate needs but also serves as a foundation for expanding
access to nutritious food in underserved areas.
Working under the mentorship of Drs. Sherrie Wallington, Karina Lora, and Mya Price, Mehrshad and Bradley are spearheading the development of a student-operated, medically tailored food pantry at the new Cedar Hill Hospital Cancer Wellness Center, set to open in summer 2025. This pantry will specifically serve cancer patients in one of DC’s most historically underserved neighborhoods, addressing the intersection of food insecurity and chronic illness. The student-led organization created to support these efforts has grown to 30 members, who are trained to pack and distribute food while screening families for food insecurity to collect data for future research. This work underscores the dual impact of providing immediate relief while building evidence-based solutions to address systemic inequities in food access. Through these initiatives, Mehrshad and Bradley aim to prove sustainable pathways for achieving food security in underserved areas around the nation.
Why Their Work Matters:
Mehrshad and Bradley’s innovative approach leverages the concept of “food as medicine,” addressing nutrition as a critical social determinant of health for vulnerable populations. Their work not only meets an immediate need but also lays the foundation for sustainable, student-operated food programs that can be replicated in clinical settings across the country.
Their Reflections:
“In our preclinical coursework at GW SMHS, we were introduced to the significant public
health challenges facing Washington, DC, including the pervasive issue of food insecurity
in our nation’s capital. Learning about these disparities was a turning point, inspiring us
to take action. Our project aims to demonstrate that food can and should be viewed as
medicine, addressing an essential determinant of health. We hope this initiative not only
provides immediate relief to vulnerable populations but also serves as a replicable
framework, proving that patient food delivery is achievable and impactful in any clinical
setting, regardless of available resources.”
Rodrigo Andres Stein Morales (University of Minnesota)
Rodrigo Stein Morales
Rodrigo Andres Stein Morales is an Executive Public Health Administration and Policy MPH student at the University of Minnesota. He also serves as the Director of Health Equity and Strategic Community Partnerships at La Clínica del Pueblo (La Clínica), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), where he leads efforts to reduce healthcare language barriers and advocate for policies and partnerships that address the needs of low-income Latino immigrants in Washington, DC.
As part of his master’s project, Rodrigo, alongside the Health Equity team, implemented a Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA), a method rooted in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), within La Clínica to examine structural determinants impacting Latino immigrants who receive care at La Clínica. The PRA engaged 77 participants from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, through seven distinct community-based conversations.
Key findings revealed that significant concerns about mental health (41%) and noncommunicable diseases (28%) were directly perceived as being caused by critical social barriers. These included socioeconomic challenges related to occupation and income, limited access to health care, immigration status, and access to food.
The PRA outlines a strategic framework to drive direct, impactful interventions. Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) conducted by local health departments often fail to adequately consider the unique challenges of low-income immigrant communities, leading to a limited understanding of their health needs and barriers. This oversight results in programs and strategies that are poorly equipped to address the specific social and health needs of these populations.
In contrast, participatory and replicable methodologies, such as Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA), implemented by trusted organizations like La Clínica, provide a more inclusive approach by directly engaging communities in both data collection and the discussion of outcomes. This dual-purpose approach not only enhances organizational service delivery but also equips community members, stakeholders, and policymakers with actionable insights. These insights inform policy and advocacy strategies that are aligned with the lived experiences and needs of Latino and other immigrant communities.
Rodrigo’s project offers a powerful model for community-based participatory research that addresses structural inequities while fostering trust and collaboration with marginalized populations. His work stands out for its commitment to engaging marginalized communities in shaping public health solutions. The insights from this research have informed new policy recommendations and advocacy strategies to improve healthcare delivery for immigrant communities.
Why His Work Matters:
By focusing on the lived experiences of community members, Rodrigo’s work bridges the gap between public health theory and practice.
His Reflections:
“As an immigrant, I often draw comparisons between the structural barriers to health I experienced growing up in Central America and the challenges I observe here in the US. Public health provides me with the language and contextual framework to illuminate how the social determinants of health are deeply intertwined with health outcomes—far beyond the medical advances of a country. As a public health student, this perspective has shaped my understanding and commitment to addressing these systemic issues, and that’s what I tried to show in my master’s project.”
Sofia Ramirez (University of Indianapolis)
Sofia Ramirez
Sofia Ramirez is a Bachelor of Science student focusing on Public Health Education and Promotion in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Indianapolis. Her interests include using health research to advocate for communities with developmental disabilities and planning/ implementing mental health awareness events at the University of Indianapolis.
In addition to Sofia’s student involvement with registered student organizations at the University of Indianapolis, in 2024, she completed an internship at the Indiana Department of Health within the Division of Maternal and Child Health, where she developed a program to advocate for students who have autism and provide equitable educational opportunities. The program is designed to create a partnership between the Indiana Department of Health and schools that lack or have limited support for children with autism and other developmental disabilities. If implemented, the program will support children with autism by analyzing schools’ existing resources and identifying needs. The Indiana Department of Health would provide the costs of qualified therapists, psychologists, and counselors who work with schools in need, providing individualized support and appropriate training for teachers and staff.
Why Her Work Matters:
Sofia’s innovative thinking led to a viable project aimed to improve educational quality, promote classroom integration, and enhance collaboration among parents, teachers, and specialists. After Sofia graduates, she plans to begin her career at a health department to set her program idea in motion.
Her Reflections:
“Three years ago, I met Brayden, a wonderful little boy who has autism. After learning that
Brayden himself is limited to educational opportunities because of autism, I became passionate about finding ways to help children like him. His experiences inspired me to advocate for better support, resources, and inclusive environments, ensuring that children with autism have the same opportunities to succeed and thrive academically and socially.”
Sriya Srinivasan (Solano Community College)
Sriya Srinivasan
Sriya Srinivasan, a dual-enrolled junior in high school, attends Solano Community College
where she serves as the Student Trustee, elected twice to represent 10,000 students. Additionally, Sriya is the Founder-President of SCC’s Reproductive Health Club (RHC). She received a grant from the White House Youth Policy Summit Fund alongside her sister, Sriha Srinivasan, to collaborate with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on making grant applications more accessible to youth organizers. Their project, “There Oughta Be a Grant,” highlights the belief that empowering young voices is vital for fostering equitable public health interventions. The initiative included a needs assessment aimed at helping youth navigate federal grant applications by understanding their engagement with existing grant resources and identifying opportunities to improve application support for young leaders. Insights from participants help shape tools and programs to simplify grant access, bridging the gap between youth innovators and opportunities to implement impactful public health projects. In addition to the needs assessment, the project involved outreach to youth organizations and workshops to educate young leaders on the importance of engaging in public health programming.
Collaborators included federal contacts at HHS and DoE in collaboration with Advocates for Youth, enhancing the initiative’s reach and impact. This initiative underscores Sriya’s dedication to fostering youth involvement in public health and her goal of pursuing a career in public policy.
Why Her Work Matters:
Sriya’s work paves the way for other young innovators to seek funding for their own initiatives, which have the potential to impact policies and improve public health.
Her Reflections:
“Having struggled to access federal grants despite having qualified applications, I was frustrated by how youth are barred from accessing federal dollars. The ‘There Oughta Be a Grant’ project emphasized simplifying processes to make opportunities accessible. I hope this initiative inspires other young leaders to pursue funding and turn their ideas into action. Despite the challenges of working with reduced funding, we adapted creatively, and the experience reaffirmed my passion for public policy as a tool for equity and change.”
A Call to Action for Future Public Health Leaders
These students exemplify the transformative power of public health. From addressing food insecurity, viral outbreaks, and health equity to leveraging data systems and challenging cultural norms, they have set new standards for innovation and dedication.
We at JPHMP are honored to share their stories and are inspired by their contributions. As they continue their journeys, we look forward to seeing how they further shape the future of public health.
Do you know a student who is contributing to population health? We’d love to hear about their projects. Leave us a story in the comments section below.
About the Author
- Sheryl Monks is the managing editor of the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (JPHMP). She is passionate about connecting public health professionals with the insights and resources they need to improve population health.
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