Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Community Health Educator at Nebraska DHHS – Division of Public Health

• What sparked your interest in this field?

My background as a physician.

• How did you gain experience when you were a student completing your undergraduate degree?

Part of the formation of a physician in my School was strong in public health and prevention.

• Who is someone that influenced your career and professional development?

Dr Canseco, who was my professor for the Allergies course: “Dr. Carlos Canseco of Mexico (1921-2009) was an allergy specialist who practiced medicine in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. During his long and active career, Dr. Canseco collaborated for many years with the Rotary International Association, including as the organization’s president in 1984. During his work with Rotary, he was particularly active in a plan to immunize all the world’s children against polio. In 1982, he worked with Dr. Albert Sabin, the inventor of the oral polio vaccine, in developing an aerosol vaccine to prevent measles. Dr. Canseco was appointed as a state health secretary in Nuevo Leon and served as chairman of the PolioPlus Speakers Bureau. To date, PolioPlus has helped vaccinate 2 billion children worldwide and has contributed to the certification of the Americas as polio-free. Dr. Canseco’s dedication and hard work helped to eradicate polio in the Region of the Americas.” (https://www.paho.org/en/public-health-heroes/dr-carlos-canseco)

• What is one important skill you’ve had to acquire and hone as you’ve grown in your career?

Active listening, creativity, being able to stop and reframe the work consistently.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention Program Coordinator at Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

• What sparked your interest in this field?

I began running in middle school and quickly observed the many mental and physical benefits that this physical activity created for me. When thinking about future careers, I felt that I wanted to inspire others to be physically active for the purposes of preventative health. I explored a variety of career paths that I felt could help me accomplish this mission, but finally landed in public health after I fell in love with a Community Health course that I took as an undergraduate pursuing a degree in exercise science/pre-physical therapy. That class prompted me to change my major from Exercise Science to Community & Public Health.

• How did you gain experience when you were a student completing your undergraduate degree?

During the school year, I gained experience through clubs–pre-physical therapy club, College of Education and Human Sciences students representatives, running club; through community volunteering; and through selecting class projects that were applicable to my career goals and interests. I found that often times, these activities went hand in hand. For example, the pre-physical therapy club led a weekly movement class for elderly community members at a local church. Through my involvement with the club, I began leading some of those classes. During the summers, I held jobs and internships that were applicable to my career goals. For example, I worked for a weight loss company one summer, and then did an internship with the CDC the next summer.

• Who is someone that influenced your career and professional development?

I have a friend/mentor in a different field–writing/journalism. This mentor has known me for 10+ years. I approached them ten years ago because I was interested in the work that they did with producing a running club newsletter. I wanted to get involved by volunteering to write articles for the newsletter. My volunteering with this mentor went well beyond what I ever originally imagined and it continues today. This mentor has been so helpful to me as they have helped me improve my writing skills (a skill that is useful in all situations) and produce publications. My mentor has gotten to know me well enough that they have been an excellent reference any time I have needed one.

• What is one important skill you’ve had to acquire and hone as you’ve grown in your career?

I’ve had to hone in on the art of facilitation, particularly through virtual platforms (thanks COVID!). My career requires many partnerships and relationship building. I am continually working to improve my facilitation skills by improving my ability to make small talk, manage online meeting platforms, and provide constructive feedback.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Population Health Coordinator at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA

• What sparked your interest in this field?

I studied pre-med through undergrad at UNL and was planning to go to medical school. After talking with my advisor, I took a gap year and did a year of service work with AmeriCorps through City Year. I fell in love and became passionate about preventative health and looking at more social determinants of health. I wanted to work with people helping them at a more macro level.

• How did you gain experience when you were a student completing your undergraduate degree?

I did 2 service trips with Medlife to South America (Peru and Ecuador) to gain experience within the medical Field. I volunteered weekly for 4 years at Bryan Hospital in Lincoln in the Emergency Department. I shadowed a variety of medical professions (physicians, physician assistants, nurses) while in my undergrad studies. I was a TA for Human Physiology Lab for 2 years.

• Who is someone that influenced your career and professional development?

When I was in graduate school for my masters in public health, I worked for an Infectious Disease Physician doing research with the Department of Defense. This Principle Investigator (PI) that I worked for, truly mentored me and helped me to explore what I was passionate about. Not only did he answer all my questions about career path possibilities, he encouraged me to seek as many opportunities as I could professionally. To not let there be a limit on your capabilities and where life might take you.

• What is one important skill you’ve had to acquire and hone as you’ve grown in your career?

Truly becoming interpersonal and developing relationships in my career. I did not know people in my field or in my family – so much of the connections and opportunities I have had have come from networking and putting myself out there. To invest in people know your audience. Differentiating between peers, colleagues, superiors, etc.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Counselor IV at Bryan Independence Center

• What sparked your interest in this field?

Seeing a other’s do a job this job and watching them directly help people in their most dire time of need. It made me re-evaluate my own job at the time and work to be in a position to do that. Addiction/mental health therapy also has also given me the ability to meet the most interesting members of society and new insight into how people live, survive, grow, and change. It’s quite rewarding.

• How did you gain experience when you were a student completing your undergraduate degree?

I believe being actively involved and engaged in different internships provided me the most experience. Then of course, it just takes some years in the field practicing to get to a place where you feel confident that you can help others with their life struggles.

• Who is someone that influenced your career and professional development?

Jerome Barry. He is retired now, but he gave me an opportunity to attend a leadership course that provided me with introspective exercises that helped me learn how to be my best self, understand my strengths, and increase my emotional intelligence. I’ve somewhat followed him in his foot steps throughout his career and at different places of employment.

• What is one important skill you’ve had to acquire and hone as you’ve grown in your career?

Self-care is one of the most important skills to acquire in the counseling profession. Self-care takes discipline and requires you to put yourself first at times. I learned that I can’t be in the best position to help others if I’m not taking very good care of myself. Burn out is a real and challenging side effect of the counseling profession, which is why self-care is so important.

Pronouns: He/Him/His
Senior Associate Athletic Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Nebraska Athletics

• What sparked your interest in this field?

Coming soon.

• How did you gain experience when you were a student completing your undergraduate degree?

Majored in Psychology which is uniquely connected to cultural competency.

• Who is someone that influenced your career and professional development?

Dr. Jamie Williams

• What is one important skill you’ve had to acquire and hone as you’ve grown in your career?

The ability to ideate and collaborate

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Senior Regional Wellbeing Consultant at Gallagher

• What sparked your interest in this field?

Actually started out as a teacher – teaching Physical Education, did some training and fitness on the side and decided I had a passion for helping all people become better versions of themselves and I loved business. Things took off after I got my first job at Lincoln Industries back in 2000.

• How did you gain experience when you were a student completing your undergraduate degree?

Networking with local businesses and the local wellness council, DHHS, etc.

• Who is someone that influenced your career and professional development?

My supervisor at Lincoln Industries – Dan Krick and my network of peers at WorkWell

• What is one important skill you’ve had to acquire and hone as you’ve grown in your career?

Being able to strategize and think like a business person, psychologist, and wellness professional all mixed together. Developing excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills. Understanding the big picture and how individual wellbeing is larger than just exercise and nutrition. Embracing the world of business as part of the world of wellness/fitness. You must think and act like a business minded person.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Health Navigator at Friendship Home of Lincoln

• What sparked your interest in this field?

Having worked on the court side in a previous career track, it was a very natural change to the victim advocacy side. Having the opportunity to focus on residents needs related to their whole health provided an opportunity to build resilience and healing in a different way. I am also able to raise community awareness regarding domestic violence as a public health determinant. The ability to both support victims, and work in a space where prevention strategies can be built, is exciting.

• How did you gain experience when you were a student completing your undergraduate degree?

As an undergraduate student, I tried to choose varied experiences for internships and practicums. This allowed me to find out where in the field I might fit best.

• Who is someone that influenced your career and professional development?

For me, it was a couple professors that created time to know their students and give feedback about my strengths. Also, I have been fortunate enough to have had a couple leaders (supervisors) who allow me to continue to grow myself within the workplace through trainings, participation in work groups, boards and larger scale projects. These opportunities have allow me to stay motivated in my career and growing as a leader myself.

• What is one important skill you’ve had to acquire and hone as you’ve grown in your career?

Using my voice and leadership skills, and learning to not take things personally.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Director, Legislative Services at Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

• What sparked your interest in this field?

I have been interested in working in the health care field since I was in elementary school. However, I learned about public health while in college and appreciated the perspective it takes to improve the health of an entire community or population. Further solidifying this interest, I began working with people experiencing homelessness in Canada, Hong Kong, and eventually in the United States, which helped spark an interest in how we design systems to support people achieve self-sufficiency.

• How did you gain experience when you were a student completing your undergraduate degree?

I was fortunate enough to have a couple of work/study jobs that related to the science field. Initially, I supported our Intro Chemistry lab to ensure the materials were ready for each class. Then, through a professor, I was able to work in a Plant Pathology Lab and Insect Identification Lab over the summer, which I kept through the rest of my undergraduate education. Additionally, I had some internships with a children’s hospital in my hometown that helped as well.

• Who is someone that influenced your career and professional development?

Our Department of Health and Human Services CEO, Dannette Smith. She gave me the first opportunity to work as a public health professional in a purely human/social services environment. There, I learned how much I loved that work and want to work at the connection of health and human services.

• What is one important skill you’ve had to acquire and hone as you’ve grown in your career?

One important skill I have had to acquire is the ability to speak up for myself. I think, especially starting out, it can be hard to share your boundaries and limitations in the workplace (how long you can work, what you need help with). Only over time was I able to feel more comfortable sharing this with my colleagues and supervisors. Through this, I have been able to level set my availability while still maintaining my work/life balance and reducing stress (as much as is possible!).