The Public Health Association at American University

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, I attended the annual National WIC Association Education and Training Conference in Chicago, Illinois. This was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn from other WIC agencies around the United States and how they work with WIC families in their respective states. My favorite conference sessions included a presentation on marijuana use during pregnancy, as well as hearing from a WIC lactation specialist who also works as a doula in Michigan. I am approaching my 2 year anniversary of working with WIC, and I am excited to continue supporting D.C. families! #NWAAnnual24 #WIC50 #MaternalHealth #ChildHealth

The New York State Public Health Corps (NYSPHC) featured me as a fellow spotlight for National Public Health Week (NPHW)! I am honored to be selected for my work in sexual health at my local health department. It’s so important to strengthen the public health work force so we are not left unprepared during public health emergencies. I love what I have been doing here for the past year and a half! #NPHW

Last month I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Innovation Lab National competition with my teammates Naila Morris and Tejasvi Hariharan. The lab was centered around Human-Centered Design (HCD) principles and processes. Each team worked diligently to map our public health issue, sketch and select our solutions, build our prototype, conduct user testing, and develop compelling storytelling centered around our solution(s). Our team developed a software app solution to combat the growing epidemic of food insecurity on college campuses across the U.S. called Eatz. Eatz is an innovative app that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tackle food insecurity and food waste on college and university campuses by providing free or low-cost meals for users. https://lnkd.in/gcUuHpCd

From Nebraska to Nairobi, Scarlett Wedergren, CAS/BA ’24, Kogod/BS ’24, is combining business and public health to make a difference across the globe. https://lnkd.in/eYHKr27p 

Coming soon! I am very excited to announce that my textbook is written and officially "in production"--available in September 2024. Thank you to Springer Publishing and my wonderful contributors for helping me make this dream happen! A big shout out to Dr. Sandro Galea, Dean of Boston University's School of Public Health for writing such a thoughtful and eloquent foreward for the book.

“The Invisible Shield,” a new four-part documentary that begins March 26, explores the rise and successes of public health, as well as factors that threaten it. The PBS series features experts from across the public health field. Learn more, watch the trailer and tune in. https://lnkd.in/eBpVRGpT

It’s April 1 or April Fool’s Day, but this is not a joke – today kicks off National Minority Health Month. Noted by NIH as “a time to raise awareness about health disparities that continue to affect people from racial and ethnic minority groups and encourage action through health education, early detection, and control of disease complications.”    I am using this month to amplify stories of triumph in #MinorityHealth. Those who have contributed to the health of minorities, who are excellent in their professions, who deliver compassionate, community-based care, and in support of DEI in health professions and medical education. Start out this important month by exploring the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)'s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion page for resources including upcoming webinars, data & reports, professional development opportunities and more: https://lnkd.in/dRDRhjFe #NationalMinorityHealthMonth #HealthEquity #DEI #AcademicMedicine

I'm delighted to announce that our team emerged as the recipient of the Most Innovative Approach Award at the 8th Annual Global Health Case Competition hosted by American University. It was an honor to present our solutions to address ‘Loneliness Amongst Older Adults in the Washington D.C. Area’ specifically in Wards 2, 6, 7, and 8, in front of an expert panel of judges. Our solution comprised of creating mobile community engagement units to bring services to local neighborhoods within a $3M budget. This would include interactive workshops and classes on art, music, and digital literacy, the provision of health screenings and wellness activities, and a space for safe social interactions and support networks. I thoroughly enjoyed working with my team, Anand Balan and Mariya Malik, whom I met for the first time through this competition. I express my heartfelt gratitude to American University Department of Health Studies and Dr. Alison Chrisler for this opportunity! Thank you Prof. Jody Gan and Dr. Danielle Edwards for your continued support. I also want to give a special shoutout to my fellow E-Board members of the The Public Health Association at American University (PHA at AU), Lindsay S. and Naila Morris for constantly supporting and motivating me to reach my full potential! A huge congratulations to all the teams!

Great resources are linked in this post and in the comments! #publichealth #publichealthjobs