Faculty Member Inductee
Dr. Jonathan Fischer
Jonathan Fischer is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Biostatistics. He’s taught courses for UF’s biostatistics and public health programs while advising multiple MS and MPH graduates, and he’s received the MPH Outstanding Mentor and Department of Biostatistics Outstanding Teaching Awards. Dr. Fischer’s methodological research develops tools to analyze genomic datasets, but he’s also benefitted from collaborative research opportunities with UF students across a variety of domains. Dr. Fischer earned his PhD in Statistics from the University of California, Berkeley, and his BS in Physics and Mathematics from the College of William & Mary.
Alumni Inductee
Acadia Jacob, MPH
Acadia is the Advocacy Director of Florida Voices for Health, where she helps empower those dealing with barriers to care to get involved in state and federal advocacy to increase health access and equity. Acadia completed her MPH at the University of Florida, where she concentrated in Public Health Management & Policy and minored in Organizational Leadership for Nonprofits. Her undergrad work focused on the history of domestic violence policy, a field Acadia was involved with for over ten years as a NACP-credentialed advocate. Prior to joining Voices, Acadia led domestic violence initiatives at the community and state-level in Florida.
Graduate Student Inductees
Graduate Student
Catalina Baez
Catalina was born and raised in Costa Rica, where she completed her medical training. Afterwards she moved to the US to pursue an Orthopaedic Surgery residency. She completed her MPH at UF while working as a Research Fellow for Orthopedics. Through this, Catalina developed a deep interest in the intersectionality between Public Health and Orthopaedics and hopes to drive her research towards tackling healthcare disparities in Orthopaedic Surgery. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, traveling and spending time with her kitties, Juno and Vesta!
Graduate Student
Mary Huttel
Bailey graduated with an MPH in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Driven by a passion for maternal and child health, her graduate work has focused on reducing infant mortality and improving postpartum mental health support, particularly in underserved and rural areas. Bailey will begin medical school this summer to pursue her goal of becoming a pediatrician and advocate for equitable, patient-centered care.
Graduate Student
Breana Jenkins
Breana is a public health researcher dedicated to advancing health equity through clinical and community-based research. Her experience spans female muscular dystrophy research at UF’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute, a Mayo Clinic internship in clinical research, survey research for The Daily Mile, and evaluation of youth gun violence interventions with the City of Gainesville. She has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on muscular dystrophy and body composition and recently completed her thesis research on national trends in androgen levels through NHANES analysis. Breana’s work reflects a commitment to translational research, community empowerment, and data-driven solutions to public health challenges.
Graduate Student
Michael Mathelier
Michael Mathelier is a compassionate and dedicated individual who has made a significant impact in the field of public health. Born and raised in Haiti, Mathelier’s life took a dramatic turn after the devastating 2010 earthquake that left his community in ruins. This experience sparked a sense of purpose in him, and he dedicated himself to serving others. Mathelier graduated this spring with a Doctor of Medicine and a Master of Public Health. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to public health, including the prestigious U.S. Public Health Service Excellence in Public Health Award. With a strong passion for emergency medicine and global health, Mathelier plans to pursue a residency in emergency medicine and a fellowship in critical care, while continuing to be involved in public health initiatives and community service.
graduate student
Alexandra Mattia
Alexandra is a graduating MPH student with a concentration in Biostatistics. She earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and statistics alongside a minor in Deaf and Hearing Sciences from the University of Florida in 2023. She is a pre-dental student interested in advancing dental public health through leadership, research, and advocacy. Currently, she is an intern with the Department of Community Dentistry where she helps provide children and adolescents with unmet dental needs free access to oral health care. She hopes to leverage her analytical and leadership skills to diminish oral health disparities and create positive impacts through community engagement.
graduate student
Veronika Offor
Veronika is an MPH Candidate in the SBS concentration. As a graduate outreach educator at GatorWell Health Promotion Services, she has committed to coordinating health education and outreach initiatives, particularly for students in the Greek Life community. Additionally, her internship experiences have focused on early childhood education, infectious disease prevention, and community-building. She plans to continue this work after graduation, seeking to raise holistic standards of care in underserved communities.
graduate student
Joel Rowe
Dr. Rowe is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician, fellowship-trained, and subspecialty board-certified in Emergency Medical Services. With a unique perspective at the intersection of clinical medicine and community health, Dr. Rowe advocates for better recognizing the “off-label” functions of EMS clinicians beyond emergency response to enhance public health, preventive care, and longitudinal care delivery. Through a Community-Based Participatory Research approach, Dr. Rowe fosters collaboration with frontline providers to develop practical, evidence-based solutions by leveraging the deep community trust embedded in prehospital systems of care. His leadership drives the innovative integration of Prehospital Medicine and Public Health, advancing healthcare delivery and improving health outcomes through strategic, collaborative service innovations.
graduate student
Victoria Seraphin
Victoria is a Master of Public Health (MPH) candidate at the University of Florida, specializing in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her academic and professional journey is deeply rooted in addressing health disparities and improving access to equitable healthcare, particularly for underserved communities. Victoria’s research contributions include examining trust-building strategies in reproductive healthcare for Black women and exploring the impact of stigma on health outcomes in the BIAS Lab. As an intern at the UF Behavioral Health Hub, she supports initiatives to enhance mental health services for children and adolescents across North Central Florida. Additionally, as a Graduate Outreach Educator at GatorWell Health Promotion Services, Victoria designs and facilitates health education programs that empower students to make informed health decisions. Through her leadership and service, she is committed to advancing public health through evidence-based interventions that foster positive, lasting change in communities in need.
Undergraduate Student Inductee
undergraduate student
Sarah Swim
Sarah is a student in UF’s combined BPH/MPH program with a concentration in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Over this past semester, she worked as an intern with Tobacco Free Alachua, lobbying for more comprehensive tobacco policies, and with the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department, researching the effect of PFAS in the Florida springs. In addition to her internships, Sarah has also been conducting research for her honors thesis in the WATER Lab on the impact of nanoplastics on the behavior and development of zebrafish.