Defining Moments in Public Health: A Student's Reflection
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Release Date: 02/06/2026
Defining Moments in Public Health: A Student's Reflection
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The journey into public health is often deeply personal. For Justis Gordon, even her name has shaped her path—fueling a passion for finding justice for all within the field of public health. She shares how her family’s hopes, combined with her desire to address inequities, guided her academic journey and sparked her interest in understanding health disparities, particularly those affecting African American communities. Justis Gordon is a at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, committed to addressing health inequities through research, policy, and community-centered work....
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Fueling Advocacy through Public Health Passion
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Jay Franzone started his journey in public health before he even knew what it was. His path to public health began after being labeled with “high-risk homosexual behavior” by a doctor. This experience fueled his advocacy to overturn the federal ban on blood donations from gay men. Jay shares his journey, how he balances work, and what drives his work. Jay is a and student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he focuses on violence prevention. As the National Partnerships Manager at , Jay builds coalitions with national organizations and leads...
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Finding Your Community
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
When Thirandie Bambaradeniya, a second year Master of Science (ScM) student in the at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health discovered her interest in environmental health in her undegraduate program she realized her passion to help children could be addressed through public health. As a student she's discovered her community, found support among her fellow students, and enjoys diving deep into research. One of her favorite parts of public health is the interdisciplinary approach to research and blending several of her interests. Her master’s thesis research...
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Finding Hope in the Future of Public Health
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Public Health sometimes doesn't seem like the right path, but after discussions with those in the field, Megan Weil Latshaw, PhD '05, MHS '01 discovered her passion in public health. Now she find hope in the work she sees within her own students. Dr. Latshaw is the Director of the Master’s Degree Programs in the at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She serves as the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health as co-Director for Education and on the Steering Committee Member for the Environmental Challenges focus area of the Bloomberg American Health...
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Understanding 'the why' of your public health journey
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The journey of public health research is often full of passion and self discovery. Olajumoke Olarewaju, a 4th-year PhD candidate in the at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shares who, what, and how her public health journey was impacted and shaped along the way. She opens up about her honest approach to her graduate program and the emotional strength needed for the program. Her research focuses on the intersection of pregnancy, substance use, and behavioral health. Her PhD dissertation explores how pregnancy experiences shape substance use patterns over the...
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Supporting Students' Passion in Public Health
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
An important part of the student journey is the support they received along the way. Michael Ward, Associate Dean for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at the shares how he became interested in supporting student life. He discusses what prospective students should consider when applying to public health program and what he enjoys most about the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dean Ward oversees Admissions, Financial Aid, Records and Registration, Career Services, Disability Support, and Student Life. His work has focused on leading educational experiences as well as...
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The Superpower of Experience: Starting a Graduate Program as an Older Student
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Deciding to go back to school later in life can be intimidating, but for those passitionate about the field of public health, graduate school may be the best decision. Soumya Menon, a rising 2nd year Master of Health Science (MHS) in Health, Behavior, and Society student in the at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shares her experience of wantingto go back to school after years of experience and what she's learned along the way. As a communications professional and first-generation Indian American woman, Soumya's serendipitous research work in health communication...
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Shaping Public Health -bridging oral health and public health policy
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Oral health isn’t just about teeth - it’s a public health issue. Saana Kataria, a dentist-turned-public health advocate is on a mission to bridge the gap between oral health, policy, and data-driven research. Trained as a dentist in India, Saana’s global experience in dentistry and healthcare across India and the U.S. exposed them to systemic barriers in oral health access. Working in California as a dental assistant and patient treatment coordinator and serving on the board of a Federally Qualified Health Centre (FQHC), Saana witnessed firsthand the challenges state-insured...
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Choosing a Public Health Grad Program and Lessons Learned
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Reflecting on the public health practicum experience
Pathways to Public Health: Inside the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
A practicum experience during graduate school can be tranformative as students are exploring skill sets within in public health. But some may not be aware what it entails including the lengeth skill sets or where they can do them. Lisa Folda and and Abinethaa Paramasivam, both graduates of the share the importance of practicum experience and the goals of a practicum while completing the public health training at the School. Lisa is the Practicum and Alumni Partnerships Manager for the and Abinethaa Paramasivam is a United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights...
info_outlineThe journey into public health is often deeply personal. For Justis Gordon, even her name has shaped her path—fueling a passion for finding justice for all within the field of public health. She shares how her family’s hopes, combined with her desire to address inequities, guided her academic journey and sparked her interest in understanding health disparities, particularly those affecting African American communities.
Justis Gordon is a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, committed to addressing health inequities through research, policy, and community-centered work. During her undergraduate studies, she discovered the critical role of health policy in shaping health outcomes, inspiring her to pursue advanced training in this area. Before beginning her graduate program at the Bloomberg School, she worked in the Massachusetts Health and Human Services Office on cardiovascular disease initiatives.
Her background includes analyzing public health policies and exploring innovative models of care, with a focus on reducing disparities in chronic disease management and maternal health. She is particularly interested in community‑based approaches designed to improve health outcomes and advance equity.
After graduation, Justis hopes to continue working in public health research and chronic disease prevention, contributing to solutions that create healthier and more just communities.