Contributions to Public Health
- Advancing Environmental Justice Through Community-Engaged Research: I lead and collaborate research centered on environmental justice through evidence-based public health interventions. My projects—ranging from air quality interventions in overburdened communities to the evaluation of public commenting strategies—are supported by institutions such as the NSF and NCI. I’ve published research on synthetic biology policy and environmental health disparities, aiming to inform inclusive, community-engaged science and policy.
- Building Practice-Based Learning for Public Health Impact: As Associate Dean for Practice and Director of the Center for Public Health Practice, I design and lead initiatives that connect students and faculty with community-based organizations to address environmental health disparities. Through mentoring, curriculum development, and events like the Pittsburgh Environmental Justice Summit, I help shape the next generation of public health practitioners.
- Shaping Equitable Environmental Policy at the Federal Level: My work at the U.S. EPA focused on advancing environmental justice through air quality policy. I managed national programs, co-chaired agency-wide capacity-building efforts, and developed regulatory frameworks that prioritized equity and community engagement in environmental decision-making.
Education
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC | BSCE
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC | MPA
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC | PhD
Teaching
EOH 2260 Environmental Justice and Health Equity
PIA 101 How Public Policy Works
PUBHLT 0420 Evidence Based Environmental and "One Health"