Came to USF

2018

Education

BSPH, Central Michigan University, 2010
MPH, University of South Florida, 2013
DrPH, University of South Florida, 2018

Discipline

Public Health; Community and Family Health

Specialization

Community Organizing and Advocacy
Civic Engagement
Sexual Health and Education; HIV, LGBTQ+, Intellectual Disabilities
Community-Based Participatory Research
Health Equity
Health Policy
Nonprofit Administration and Grant Writing
Public Health Leadership Development

Other Information

League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area
Engage St. Pete Report (PDF)
Viral Podcast
Curriculum Vitae

I am a Doctor of Public Health professional working at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg as the Program Coordinator and Instructor for Health Sciences. I teach courses in sexual health (HSC 2130), health sciences (HSC 2100), and health policy (HSC 4631) as well as oversee Health Sciences undergraduate interns. Much of my research interest and background has focused on sexual health education, policy, and increasing accessibility in sex education curricula for adolescents with disabilities. I am currently working with the UMatter Program at USFSP to develop and provide health education to students with intellectual disabilities. I also work as a consultant for various public health agencies and businesses.

I have over 10 years of experience in public and community health, community development, program management, evaluation, social marketing, and community capacity building. Locally, I have collaborated with community groups interested in community-based research, like Childs Park Neighborhood Association, to increase resident research capacity and co-design action and advocacy plans. I am an active community practitioner here in the Tampa Bay Area, writing grants for various organizations and agencies, evaluating communications practices and program performance, and conducting community-based research on relevant topics like civic engagement and health and sexual health education policy change the local level. I have forged community connections and relationships with organizations throughout the Tampa Bay Area to help facilitate community engagement and research; recently I led a civic health study of the city of St. Petersburg on behalf of the League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area producing a comprehensive report of our mixed methods study. This study was done in partnership with a local foundation, various nonprofits, community leaders, and residents. Many of these relationships have been forged through working at these agencies and as an employee at the University of South Florida. For the past ten years, I have served on various coalitions and boards like the League of Women Voters of the St. Petersburg Area, the Pinellas County Council for Persons with Disabilities, and the LGBTQ Homeless Youth Project Steering Committee and have close working relationship with the various St. Petersburg leadership and community stakeholders.