2024 Inductees

Linnea Sleigh is completing her master’s in public health, specializing in Epidemiology, with an internship focused on ovarian cancer diagnoses. Active in the Public Health Student Association, she aims for a career in social epidemiology and global health. 

Terrena graduated from the Master of Public Health program, bringing with her 5 years of experience as a clinical research coordinator and a strong commitment to community involvement. With a focus on Child and Maternal Health, she aims to pursue a PhD and establish a non-profit organization to make a significant impact in the field. 

As a researcher and public health leader at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Food Science, Andrea established a network of multi-sector partners locally and internationally to tackle problems of food and nutrition insecurity among marginalized populations. She is dedicated to engaging and empowering communities to address health disparities through food justice and sovereignty movements. She will continue strengthening partnerships to produce meaningful and sustainable change in this domain

Andrew’s focus throughout his time in the MPH program was on bridging the gaps of health disparities and inequities in our communities. He did this by using his interest in the legal field to create brief reports and health policy assessments regarding Florida Medicaid’s shortcomings in oral health benefits and providing recommendations on potential steps forward to the Florida Legislature. In addition to this, Andrew has placed at the top of his class every semester in the program, demonstrating his commitment to his studies and his focus on growing as a student. Andrew has accepted his admission to the University of Miami’s School of Law to continue his education and one day fight for the rights of healthcare workers through medical malpractice defense law.

Dr. Andrew Rainey recently completed his PhD at UF in Public Health with a dual concentration in One Health and Clinical & Translational Science in August 2023. Andrew studied wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 and Salmonella across local communities in the Gainesville area with GatorWATCH. He has continued his work in this field now as a microbiologist with the National Wastewater Surveillance System at CDC where he works to improve infectious disease surveillance across the United States.

While at the University of Florida, Brenda has served as a student representative on the MPH Student Advisory Board representing the Social and Behavioral Sciences Concentration. She has also served as President of the Public Health Student Association. Her focus of study is women’s reproductive healthcare justice, gun violence, and how faith communities can impact community health. Following graduation, Brenda hopes to continue her healthcare justice work through advocacy and policy work or coalition and community engagement where she hopes that she can make a difference on the community level improving the health of individuals and communities especially as it relates to reproductive health,

Brooke Davis is a nurse practitioner with over 15 years of experience in adult and geriatric primary care. She currently helps run free general medicine and women’s health clinics at Grace Marketplace, a local homeless shelter. She is passionate about health disparities and hopes to use her MPH degree to address this public health issue through clinical innovations and partnerships with community-based organizations

After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Dan went on to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Florida. After completing his degree, he worked as a clinical research coordinator for the University of Florida College of Medicine and as a Critical Care Emergency Medical Technician for Alachua County Fire Rescue. Wishing to improve his quantitative skills, he chose to pursue a biostatistics concentration in the UF MPH program.

Devin Valdes, graduating with his MPH in Epidemiology, embodies a passion for public health service. With diverse roles in health education/outreach, healthcare advocacy, research, and community engagement, he was this year’s UF’s Public Health Ambassador for ASPPH. Additionally, Devin is on the Public Health Student Association executive board as the Combined Degree Representative. His research explores areas including health disparities, infectious diseases, mental health, LGBTQ+/minority health, health communication/education, and sensory integration for children with autism. With his dedication to advancing health for all, Devin aspires towards an MD/PhD.

Heather graduated with her master’s in Public Health last fall. Her academic endeavors delved deeply into Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) research, a critical area impacting the health and well-being of individuals across the lifespan. Heather undertook a pivotal role in developing a comprehensive surveillance database for infectious diseases. This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with one of the nation’s foremost health departments, signifies her dedication to proactive measures in disease prevention and control, especially in light of global health challenges. Recognition as the MPH Public Health PracticeExemplary Student stands as a testament to Heather’s exceptional dedication, innovative spirit, and impactful contributions to her field. This honor reflects her proficiency in translating theoretical knowledge into tangible public health solutions, demonstrating her readiness to tackle real-world challenges.

Jessica has graduated with her MPH with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences. She was an intern with UF’s GatorWell Health Promotion Services, where she engaged in college health education initiatives for the Gator community, holding outreach events and providing individual student support. As a research assistant with UF’s Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, she is also involved with innovative population health research to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes, promote wellness, and reduce disparities. Jessie plans to continue working in health education after graduation.

Lauren has graduated from the MPH program, has passed the Certified in Public Health (CPH) exam, and has earned her Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) credential. During her MPH, Lauren also served as Service Chair for the Public Health Student Association and on the SBS MPH Student Advisory Council. She has volunteered with Guardian Ad Litem, Take Stock in Children, Balance 180, and Kids Count here in Gainesville. After graduation, she plans to continue to provide health education with the UF Area Health Education Center.

Olivia graduated with her MPH in Epidemiology and is passionate about pursuing a career in public health. Throughout her MPH journey, she has
served as a Research Assistant at UF’s Pediatric Behavioral Health Lab, a Graduate Teaching Assistant, an Alachua County DOH volunteer, and most recently, an Intern with the Infection Control Department at UF Health Shands Hospital. She is dedicated to educating others on public health topics and was honored as this year’s Epidemiology Ambassador Awardee. Upon graduation, she will relocate to the Tampa Bay Area, aiming to work in research or infection control, with the ultimate goal of earning a PhD and pursuing a career in academia.

Previously a Physical Therapist, Graduate Research Assistant at UF’s RISE Lab, and a Public Health intern at Florida DOH-Collier County, I’ve received the Outstanding MPH Epidemiology Student Award, the Dean’s Scholar Award-Master’s level at UF, also selected as Pathway to Practice Scholar by Region IV Public Health Training Center, Emory University. Her upcoming Mayo Clinic internship in the Clinical Research dept presents an opportunity to advance my contributions to epidemiology and public health. She has 2 academic research papers currently under review and 2 working papers as first author, covering COPD, poly-substance use disorder, chronic diseases, and opioid use disorder.

Karah Mechlowitz holds a B.S. in Nutrition from UF (2015) and an MPH with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences. She worked as a clinical dietitian for two years during her MPH, conducting assessments and education. Currently, she’s an evaluation specialist at the University of Minnesota Extension, with a PhD in Public Health (2023) from UF, focusing on Ethiopia. Her role involves supporting evaluation in SNAP-Ed programming.

Kashif, a recent graduate of the UF MPH Program, specialized in SBS. He developed trauma-informed curricula for survivors of intimate partner violence and conducted a community needs assessment for LGBTQ+
residents of Alachua County. Next, he will pursue a PhD in Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences at Tulane University.

Kenny Moise, a Haitian-trained physician, earned an MPH from the University of Florida in 2023. Since 2015, he’s contributed to research focusing on infectious and tropical diseases in Haiti. Recognized for his work, he’s a member of ASTMH and serves on APHA’s Policy and Advocacy Committee. 

Stacie graduated from UF’s master’s in environmental and Global Health program with a One Health concentration. She was awarded the Environmental and Global Health Outstanding Student Award this year and is eager to start the next chapter of her career, where she will attend vet school at the University of Pennsylvania. She is committed to One Health and veterinary medicine and aims to make a positive global impact.

Kaylinn is a combination Bachelor/Master’s of Public Health student. Last summer, she participated in an 8-week training program hosted by Columbia University where she built her quantitative skillset and research presentation skills in New York City. She will be graduating later today, cum laude, with her Bachelors in Public Health. Kaylinn will stay in Gainesville to complete her Master’s of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology, strengthening her data analysis skills and seeking opportunities to research improvements in maternal health as an epidemiologist. 

Cathrine Pacini, a senior public health undergraduate, champions health equity and community engagement. Her research and leadership drive her commitment to addressing healthcare disparities, aiming to specialize in oncology and study cancer health disparities among minority populations. Cathrine also served as the President of the Undergraduate Public Health Student Association.