You have been working in health policy in your last few roles, and now at AABB, where you protect patients’ access to transfusion medicine and biotherapies. What initiatives do you currently have underway?
One of the big initiatives we’re working on is ensuring that a sustainable, safe blood supply exists. Blood is essential medicine and is used for a range of health needs, from emergency care to prenatal care, and cancer care to rare diseases. At AABB, one of the things that we work on is to advocate for federal policies that ensure blood collectors and the blood supply are included as part of emergency preparedness and response. We are also ensuring that science keeps up with emerging infectious diseases so that updated testing is available for blood products and biotherapies to ensure all transfusions are safe.
We also occasionally fight legislation that could block safe blood products from being available. For instance, 11 states introduced legislation in the past year to allow people to refuse donated blood from donors who are vaccinated for COVID-19 from fear that the vaccine will genetically harm them. There is absolutely no science that supports this claim. We have been working to educate the public and policymakers on the safety of the blood supply, and the research affirming that there are no adverse effects to getting a donation from a vaccinated individual. It would be very harmful to create policies that allow for discrimination within the blood supply.
How did your experience in the Public Health Administration & Policy MPH program in SPH prepare you for your career?
I think it prepared me very well in terms of understanding the U.S. and other health care systems, from how physicians and hospitals get paid to how patients enter the system, which is critical in my role. I work with different regulatory and legislative policymakers, including state legislators, Congress, federal agencies and global governments. Having relationships at all levels helps me understand multiple perspectives so I can assess how to communicate about our work and policies more effectively.
It was also helpful that the program involved courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, and research methods, even though I was focused on policy. That coursework prepared me to analyze and interpret data, and disseminate findings to different audiences to help shape policies and gain funding to advance public health, and ultimately, positively shape healthcare policy.
You have continued to support SPH as the board president for the Alumni Society from 2022-2024. What inspired you to volunteer for the role?
I wanted to give back. I had a good experience in SPH and I adored my cohort who have gone on to do amazing things. I received a scholarship and had a great mentor. But my experience wasn’t wholly wonderful; I thought that there was room to grow in the program. One way I could help, especially as a person of color, was to lend my voice and experience to change things for the better, so that students coming in truly have access to the best public health education at our top-tier school.
Why do you think other alumni should get involved with the SPH Alumni Society?
It’s a great way to stay connected to students and what’s happening at the school, but also to connect with your peers. I learned so much about what my friends at the alumni society are doing by being involved. We’ve shared advice and supported each other.
It’s also been an opportunity to have a voice at the school as a professional making hiring decisions. I could offer advice on what skill set organizations are hiring for, to ensure students are being trained in the skills they will need as the future of health care changes.
Giving back is so rewarding and alumni have a unique opportunity to do that with the alumni society.
