Hello, welcome to my Master of Public Health (MPH) e-portfolio. These pages contain my work, experiences, and reflections on my time in the MPH program. My path to the MPH program is a long and winding one that started when I was a teenager. Due to my volunteer services through my teenage years, I knew I wanted to be in the helping professions field. My original goal was to become an educator; however, life circumstances prevented me from pursuing a degree in education, but I was fortunate to be hired by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services as a benefits advisor. This opportunity allowed me to continue to pursue my passion for helping people, and for my dedication and hard work, I entered into a management position. As a manager, I continued to assist people in need. Also, I was able to mentor new employees and draft social programs policy that impacted hundreds of thousands of low-income families in Texas. In December 2011, I became a military spouse, packed up my life in Texas, and moved to Florida.

In Florida, I spent my time and energy working as a volunteer coordinator for a local school district and a squadron’s Family Readiness Group support volunteer. I supported families and communities through event planning, fundraising, and mentorship in both positions. In 2016, we moved to Virginia, and once we settled in, I desired to pursue a college degree and was fortunate to be supported in my goal. In 2017, I received an associate’s in social sciences from Tidewater Community College, and in 2019 I received B.S. in Human Services from Old Dominion University. While pursuing my bachelor’s degree, I volunteered for VersAbility Resources as support staff. I was allowed to work with a group of young adults with disabilities to create personal functional resumes for future employment opportunities and coach them on interviewing skills. Also, I volunteered with the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society as a caseworker, where I assisted families in need by providing resources and information to alleviate stressors associated with significant changes in life events. Reflecting on my passions and my previous experiences, I felt that the MPH program would provide me the opportunity to add to my education and skills to fulfill my goal of working in a helping profession.

My MPH degree will increase my capacity and provide more opportunities to educate, mentor, and make an impact by empowering and advocating for vulnerable populations. In 2020, I became an MPH graduate student in the Health Behavior and Health Promotion track. I have been challenged and given numerous opportunities by the program staff to develop and refine skills and grow into an empathic, ethical, and responsible public health professional.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or want to talk about public health!