Student and Alumni Profiles

Shaikh Afaq
Concentration: Epidemiology

Janet Chan
Concentration:  Community and Population Health 

Sydney Feldman
Concentration:  Community and Population Health

Elizabeth Ferre
Concentration:  Global Health


Tracy Hincke
Concentration: Community and Population Health

Sulmen Kibwana
Concentration:  Epidemiology

Sarah Kattakuzhy
Concentration: Epidemiology

Mohammad Imran
Concentration:  Epidemiology

Chigoziem Oguh
Concentration: Community and Population Health

Judith Park
Concentration: Community and Population Health

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Michelle Peralta
Concentration: Community and Population Health‌

Thanh Pham
Concentration: Epidemiology

Jessica Pryor
Concentration: Community and Population Health

Meghan Sadler
Concentration:  Epidemiology

Stephanie Sanchez
Concentration: Epidemiology

Helina Selam
Concentration: Global Health

Salma Sharaf
Concentration:  Epidemiology

Jennifer Shields
Concentration:  Epidemiology

Manisha Singh
Concentration:  Global Health

Sophie White
Concentration:  Community and Population Health

Anna Whitney
Concentration: Community and Population Health

Alumni Spotlight

Leah Perrotta, MPH ‘16
Program Developer

What inspired you to study public health at UMB? 

The desire to want to be an expert in my field. I always knew I wanted to help people, but wasn’t sure how. Once I learned about public health and the impact it can have on the health and well-being of communities, I knew I had found my passion. I also wanted to start my career in Baltimore, which is what made the program at UMB so appealing. 

How have you used your MPH degree to transition into your current work? 

I have applied many of the program planning and evaluation concepts into my day-to-day work. I still reference some of my text books, templates and notes when working on programs. I have also applied lessons learned from many of my professors and mentors during my coursework and capstone project to help me provide quality services and content to the participants I serve. I still consult with some of my MPH mentors as I navigate the workplace wellness field. I have been able to use my education to improve and evaluate programs, processes and services and educate my colleagues about important behavior change theories and concepts to promote health behavior change. 

 What do you think is the biggest challenge in public health today? 

Motivating individuals to make behavior changes. In today’s fast-paced world, it is difficult to find the time and motivation to dedicate to improving your health. This is why I am so passionate about workplace wellness. Adults spend the majority of their time at work, making it an ideal setting for addressing important health issues such as the obesity epidemic, diabetes prevention and control and providing important stress management and mental health services. 

What advice would you provide to current and aspiring public health students? 

Embrace challenges and see them as opportunities to make improvements and leave your legacy. There are so many opportunities in public health to have an impact on individual's lives - explore the field to find out what you are most passionate about and make it your mission to make a difference.