What do you do?
I'm the federal and regulatory affairs director in the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation.
Describe your educational path. What was your area of study?
I have a Bachelor of Art in social and global studies with a focus in economics. After a couple years working, I went to law school.
After my first semester in law school, I really considered dropping out, but ended up finding my people and really thriving in the Housing Justice Project and other pro bono legal services for people in need. I was drawn to public service to continue helping others and chose to work at the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in health regulatory work.
After a couple years, I found I didn't have the right skill set to expand beyond legal work and went to Evergreen State College for a Master of Public Administration. This degree helped me move beyond legal regulatory work into broader policy work.
How did you enter your career in public health?
I would say I really entered my career in public health during my time as a Rule 9 licensed legal intern with the Housing Justice Project and Volunteer Attorneys for People with AIDS, but I'm not sure I realized that at the time.
There wasn't a public health course in my law school. I began working at DOH in health regulatory work, and I am not sure I really understood the broader public health system I was working in until my Master of Public Administration. That is when I began to understand the big picture and move across the public health system in my career.
Tell us about your team or the primary purpose of your group.
I sit within the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation. The primary purpose of this office is to improve health through strategic policy research, design, development, and evaluation.
Our work is guided by the DOH Transformational Plan: A Vision for Health in Washington State. Our team leads governmental relations at the state and federal level, regulatory guidance and oversight, economic analysis, evaluation, and public health law.
What is a typical day in your job?
I am not sure there is a typical day in this position. The focus and field are always shifting. Some days it is meeting high-level federal officials with agency leadership and colleagues, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention director or congressional delegation members and staff. Other days it is conducting research and writing. I work with an amazing team, and colleagues across the agency and get invigorated by the new challenges that emerge.
What previous experiences most helped you with this role?
I think various experiences in my "trying 20s" helped me in this role. I did a lot of different jobs and developed an ability to learn new skills and be comfortable putting them to the test.
This applied to education as well. I grew with a continuous learning mindset. I learned that when I try new things, sometimes I'm going to make mistakes and fail, but to not beat myself up and keep on going. I learned how to genuinely connect with people from a lot of different backgrounds and figure out how I can assist them.
What advice would you give a student pursuing career opportunities in public health? What is something you wish you knew earlier in your career?
The advice I would give is to stick with it. Public health emergencies can be overwhelming, as can public health challenges that seem insurmountable. But you work with incredible people in a very large health ecosystem, and at some point, the challenge will likely pass.
I've seen people burn out, so finding tools to maintain self-health and resiliency are key. The one thing I wish I knew earlier in my career was that large systems take time to change, but if you are patient, change can happen.
What achievements are you most proud of in your work in public health? Or is there anything you find most rewarding about your work?
There are a lot of achievements I can think of, but I guess in the end, the thing I find most rewarding is the people. I am grateful for the brilliant and kind people I have met. I am grateful to meet such incredible leaders and to see the next generation of leaders emerge, as well as all the incredible people assisting these leaders. I am inspired by public health policies. Over time human lifespan has increased significantly because of public health initiatives, and there is so much work left to do.
Do you see any bright spots or opportunities as you look to the future of public health for the next generation of public health professionals?
There are so many bright spots. When I started in federal work, we were merely trying to increase federal funding for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention by 22% by the year 2022. Congress has significantly increased investment in this field since the pandemic.
At the state level, our legislature has made significant investments through Foundational Public Health Services. We have the resources, we have the vision, we are developing the data tools, and we have so much opportunity to improve the health of all Washingtonians. Onward!