CPH 01 - Ignited by Courage: The Origin and Catalyst Behind Courageous Public Health
Release Date: 05/06/2025
CPH 19 — Fear as Fuel, Joy as Resistance, Liberation as Practice: A Conversation with Jannah Bierens, MPH, MA
Courageous Public Health
On This Episode Of The Courageous Public Health Podcast In this expansive and soul-stirring conversation, Jannah Bierens, MPH, MA shares how courage, curiosity, and lived experience have shaped her radical reimagining of public health. From leaving traditional institutions to stepping fully into purpose, she reflects on what it means to color outside the lines, take up space, and practice public health as a form of protest, healing, and love. Jannah invites us into her world as an educator, community builder, and truth teller—someone who lights the way by embodying the change she wants to...
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CPH 18 — Self-Love, Representation, and Advocacy: A Conversation with Dr. Ericka Horne
Courageous Public Health
In this authentic and inspiring conversation, Dr. Ericka Horne shares how courage, self-love, and faith have shaped her journey as a Black woman in public health. From boldly shaving her hair as an act of personal liberation to standing up against injustice in the workplace, she reflects on the moments that called her to take action despite fear—and how those moments continue to fuel her purpose today. Dr. Horne invites us into her story of modeling as a plus-size woman, where she champions body positivity and helps young women embrace self-love at every stage of life. She also speaks to the...
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CPH 17 — Courage in Grief, Power in Presence, Strength in Family: A Conversation with Dr. Nandi Marshall
Courageous Public Health
In this powerful and deeply grounded conversation, Dr. Nandi Marshall reflects on how grief, authenticity, and courage have shaped her leadership and life. From running for APHA President while mourning the loss of her father, to resisting pressure to censor public health language, she shares what it means to lead with heart—and to keep showing up, even in the hard moments. Dr. Marshall invites us into her world as a mother, sister, and advocate—someone who takes up space with joy and integrity, while modeling what it looks like to center both community and self. With clarity and...
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CPH 16 — Courage on the Homefront: A Conversation with Dr. Chambraia Jones
Courageous Public Health
In this warm and inspiring conversation, Dr. Chambraia Jones shares how courage, community, and advocacy have shaped her journey as a military spouse, mother, and public health professional. From navigating deployments with a newborn, to earning her PhD while balancing family and work, she reflects on what it means to act despite fear, embrace growth, and build community across each chapter of life. Dr. Jones speaks honestly about the challenges of employment, parenting, and mental health support in military life — and how she’s using her voice to uplift and empower others. Meet Dr....
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CPH 15 — Master Connector, Lived Experience, and Spectacular Nails: A Conversation with Dr. Nicole D. Vick
Courageous Public Health
In this dynamic and heartfelt conversation, my guest shares how courage, mentorship, and lived experience have shaped her personal and professional journey. From navigating college as a teen mom to challenging systems that fail to value Black women in public health, she reflects on what it means to act despite fear and to lead with authenticity and purpose. She invites us into her world as a connector, mentor, and advocate—someone dedicated to empowering the next generation of public health leaders while pursuing her own bold vision for the future (which just might include a nail salon!)....
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CPH 14 — Community, Courage, and Collective Power: A Conversation with the Honorable Attica Scott
Courageous Public Health
In this bold and heartfelt conversation, my guest shares how courage, community, and disruption have defined her life’s work. From standing on the frontlines of the movement for justice for Breonna Taylor alongside her teenage daughter, to breaking barriers as the first Black woman elected to Kentucky’s state legislature in nearly two decades, she reflects on what it means to act despite fear and to lead with integrity, purpose, and joy. With honesty and vulnerability, she shares how saying no can be a powerful act of courage, and how envisioning joy can be a radical practice in the face...
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CPH 13 - Unapologetically Me: A Conversation with Dr. Zenobia Bryant Antoine
Courageous Public Health
In this thoughtful and illuminating conversation, my guest shares how courage, authenticity, and data storytelling have shaped her work as a Black woman in public health. From shifting away from a lifelong dream of becoming a medical doctor to founding her consulting business, she reflects on the moments when she chose to act despite fear—and how she continues to build a career rooted in purpose and advocacy. She invites us into her journey as a data storyteller, entrepreneur, and mentor, offering insights on navigating systems that weren’t designed for people like her and the power of...
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CPH 12 - Bright Colors, Big Courage, Boundless Heart: A Conversation with Tansy McNulty, MBA
Courageous Public Health
In this powerful and joy-filled episode, Dr. McClamroch sits down with Tansy McNulty, a problem solver, mother, and founder of a nonprofit focused on harm reduction and community wellness. Tansy shares how leaving corporate America to create community-based solutions was an act of deep courage—one rooted in love for her two Black sons and a vision for a safer, more just world. From navigating pregnancy loss and high-risk births to winning on the $100,000 Pyramid game show, Tansy reminds us that courage takes many forms—and joy and laughter are revolutionary acts of their own. ...
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CPH 11 - Backpacks, Blueprints, and Boldness: A Conversation with Dyan Jenkins Ali, MHA, LHI
Courageous Public Health
In this deeply moving conversation, Dyan Jenkins Ali shares what it means to lead with courage, clarity, and conviction. From surviving a racially motivated attack on her childhood home to organizing the University of Michigan’s COVID-19 response, Dyan reflects on how her values, faith, and lived experiences have shaped a lifetime of principled leadership. She introduces us to her philosophy of “backpack wisdom”—a powerful metaphor for the lived knowledge we carry and draw from over time. Through stories of advocacy, resilience, and hard truths spoken in rooms not built to hold...
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CPH 10 - The Sound of Shattered Glass: A Conversation with Dr. Gabriela Alcalde
Courageous Public Health
In this insightful, rich, and layered conversation, Gabriela Alcalde—author, public health leader, and values-driven changemaker—invites us to rethink what leadership really means. Drawing from her experience as an immigrant woman of color in philanthropy and public health, Gabriela speaks with bold clarity about the discomfort, responsibility, and power of leading with integrity. She shares the origin story of her courage—a six-year-old girl in Peru who broke through a glass door in the name of fairness—and how that moment has shaped her commitment to justice ever since. From...
info_outlineIn the inaugural episode of the Courageous Public Health podcast, Dr. Kristi McClamroch shares her journey of embracing courage in both personal and professional realms. She discusses the importance of authenticity, the role of courage in public health, and the need to highlight the stories of courage among Women of Color in the field. Through her experiences and insights, she emphasizes that courage is not the absence of fear, but the determination to act despite it. The episode sets the stage for future conversations centered around the challenges and triumphs faced by women doing the work of public health.
Meet Dr. Kristi McClamroch
Dr. Kristi McClamroch (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Courageous Public Health, a consulting firm dedicated to amplifying the voices and visions of women, particularly BIPOC women, in public health. She supports public health organizations through workshop design and facilitation, and speaking engagements.
Dr. McClamroch received her PhD from the Department of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; her MPH from the Department of Epidemiology and her BS from the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan.
An epidemiologist by training and a catalyst by nature, Kristi brings over 25 years of experience across infectious disease prevention, health equity, evaluation, and entrepreneurship.
Driven by her core values — courage, freedom, connection, and kindness — Dr. McClamroch is passionate about creating spaces where authenticity is celebrated, systemic barriers are challenged, and transformational leadership thrives. She believes that courage is not just a personal act but a collective movement.
Through consulting, speaking, writing, and now podcasting, Dr. McClamroch is committed to dismantling oppressive systems and co-creating a public health field where everyone — especially those historically excluded — can take up space unapologetically.
When she's not strategizing bold moves in public health, you can find her dancing in the kitchen, learning to sing, devouring books, and dreaming up her next act of courage.
Listen To This Episode of The Courageous Public Health Podcast
Conversation Highlights
- Dr. McClamroch introduces Courageous Public Health — sharing the vision behind the consulting firm and this new podcast.
- Exploring the real meaning of courage — the difference between bravery (action without fear) and courage (action despite fear).
- A deeply personal story about fear and desire — how Dr. McClamroch’s mentor challenged her to write a list of 100 desires and how it transformed her relationship with her own voice and authenticity.
- Finding her North Star — the creation of her guiding values: Courage, Freedom, Connection, and Kindness — and the tattoo that commemorates them.
- Public health through a personal lens — how Dr.. McClamroch’s love of math evolved into a passion for public health, and how numbers, patterns, and data became a way to tell human stories.
- Why courage is essential to public health — speaking truth to power, standing firm in adversity, leading with integrity, adapting in uncertainty, and protecting personal well-being.
- Centering women of color in public health — honoring the legacy of courage, leadership, and advocacy that women of color have always brought to the field.
- A call to action — an invitation to listeners to embrace courage, take up space, and disrupt harmful systems while building something transformative together.
"Courage is the catalyst that moves me out of collapse and into freedom, out of judgment and into connection, out of resentment and into kindness." - Dr. Kristi McClamroch
Stay In Touch:
Email Dr. Kristi McClamroch - [email protected]
Dr. Kristi McClamroch on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-mcclamroch/
www.CourageousPublicHealth.com
Subscribe to Weekly Courageous Public Health Podcast Updates - http://eepurl.com/jcgQv6
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Public Health Consulting To Support You
At Courageous Public Health, we are turning up the volume on courage within women who are doing the work of public health. We support public health organizations through workshop design and facilitation, and speaking engagements. Interested in working with us? Reach out by email or on LinkedIn!