I was offered a Men’s Basketball scholarship from UE, but what truly drew me in was how welcomed I felt while visiting. I connected right away with the campus community and my academic advisor. She helped me see a clear path beyond basketball that aligned with my goal of making a positive impact through public health. That support played a major role in my commitment to UE.

After earning both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Public Health from UE, I began my career as a regulatory coordinator with the Research Institute of Deaconess Clinic. I assisted with over 30 clinical research studies before joining Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as an enrichment specialist fellow. This role focused on community engagement and COVID-19 vaccination outreach. 

Driven by a passion for disease prevention and improving population health, I transitioned into governmental public health in 2021 as a local epidemiologist with the Green River District Health Department. I’ve since advanced to a regional epidemiologist II with the Kentucky Department for Public Health, where I conduct epidemiologic investigations, manage disease surveillance and outbreak response efforts, and more.

UE provided me with a strong academic foundation in public health, but it was so much more than an education. It fostered my commitment to service, lifelong learning, and community engagement, all of which still guide my work as an aspiring public health leader.