EP182 Fast-Track to Impact: Navigating the 4+1 Program with Nehanda Akili and Anthony Escamilla
I AM GPH
In this episode, we explore the power of the 4+1 Program at NYU GPH, an accelerated pathway that allows students to earn both their undergraduate and master’s degrees in just five years. We are joined by Nehanda Akili, an MS Biostatistics student, and Anthony Escamilla, an MPH Community Health Science and Practice student and pre-PA track junior, to discuss how this program provides a competitive edge for future healthcare leaders. Nehanda shares her journey from NYU Gallatin’s individualized study—where she concentrated on the intersection of fascism and public health—to mastering...
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EP181 The Nexus of Food, Water, and Climate with Dr. Abrania Marrero and Chloe Dourmashkin
I AM GPH
In this episode, we explore environmental public health with Dr. Abrania Marrero, a clinical assistant professor, and Master of Public Health student Chloe Dourmashkin. Both guests were drawn to NYU GPH for its interdisciplinary approach and its location in New York City, which offers access to major health organizations and diverse urban ecosystems. Dr. Marrero discusses her research on climate change and nutrition in small island states, specifically the Caribbean. She explains how the "nutrition transition"—a shift toward ultra-processed foods—interacts with climate volatility to impact...
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EP180 Service is Joy: Building a Career in Community Advocacy with Gail Viaje
I AM GPH
In this episode, we speak with Gail Viaje (MPH '24), an international student from the Philippines who shifted from a pre-med track at Fordham to Community Health Science and Practice (CHSP). Gail explains how the I AM GPH podcast served as her initial window into the program. She describes the benefit of GPH’s teaching excellence, specifically how Dr. David Abrams and Dr. Joyce Moon Howard helped her translate classroom theory into professional practice. Gail highlights the unique "family" feel of her small cohort of 35 students, where peer-to-peer mentorship was common. Now working as a...
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EP179 Policy Analysis for Community Benefit with Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford and Reilly Fitzpatrick
I AM GPH
In this episode, we speak with Dr. Jo Ivey Boufford and Reilly Fitzpatrick (MPH/MSW '23) about the power of student-faculty connectivity. Reilly discusses her transition from a biology background and Peace Corps service in Zambia to NYU's dual-degree program, where she sought to combine clinical social work skills with the macro-scale impact of public health. Dr. Boufford, a practitioner with deep experience in government and nonprofit sectors, explains how their parallel career arcs led to a high-impact collaboration on New York State health policy. By engaging with Dr. Boufford’s lab and...
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EP178 Biostatistical Collaboration and Consultation Core (BC3) with Fred Lei and Kofi Agyabeng
I AM GPH
In this episode, we speak with PhD student Kofi Agyabeng and Master’s student Fred Lei to discuss how they bring together the worlds of mathematics, economics, and public health. Kofi shares his journey from Ghana, where a national service posting at the University of Ghana School of Public Health served as an inflection point, leading him to realize he could impact population health through data without ever entering a clinical facility. Fred discusses his background in math and econometrics, explaining how a research assistant posting for Professor Alex Dahlen drew him into public health....
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EP177 Building Research Skills for Community Impact with Whitney Rigodon
I AM GPH
In this episode we speak with Whitney Rigodon, an MPH student specializing in Community Health Science and Practice. Whitney’s path began in Brooklyn, where observing high rates of premature death and chronic illness within her local community sparked a desire to address non-communicable diseases and the social determinants of health. She explains how she applies her anthropology background and ethnographic skills—such as analyzing neighborhood dialects and social dynamics—to conduct deep community needs evaluations. Whitney discusses her extensive research involvement at NYU GPH,...
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EP176 Tanzania Fieldwork: Climate Change and Systems Thinking with Bethel Abraham and Sona Fall
I AM GPH
In this episode, we speak with Master of Public Health students Bethel Abraham and Sona Fall about their study abroad course in Tanzania, which focused on low-cost strategies for waterborne diseases and waste management. We explore their journeys from pre-med backgrounds to public health—Sona’s pivot occurred after realizing she could impact lives outside a clinic, while Bethel moved toward systemic change after witnessing the political and healthcare systems affecting children in emergency units. They share how their work with the Applied Global Public Health Initiative (AGPHI) led them...
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EP175 Lead, Literacy, and Livelihoods: Environmental Health Education with Kate Porterfield
I AM GPH
In this episode, we speak with Kate Porterfield (MPH '22), an NYU double-graduate in Global Liberal Studies and Environmental Public Health Sciences, who has navigated a unique career from teaching fifth grade to leading international research. Kate shares powerful stories from her work with Pure Earth, including an investigation into lead poisoning in Ghana, where she details the toxic reality of the Agbogbloshie e-waste dumping ground. This experience, she explains, was the pivotal moment that drove her from desk research to pursuing a Master’s of Social Work in clinical practice. She...
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EP174 Ten Years of Impact with Dean Melody Goodman and Founding Dean Cheryl Healton
I AM GPH
In this special 10th-anniversary episode, Dr. Melody Goodman, dean and professor of biostatistics, and Dr. Cheryl Healton, founding dean and professor of public health policy and management, reflect on the decade-long journey of the New York University School of Global Public Health. Dr. Healton shares the initial "spark" that led to the creation of the public health institute, the precursor to the school, and offers insights on identifying and cultivating leadership potential within an organization. Looking ahead, the Deans discuss preparing students for this "critical moment in public...
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EP173 Unlocking Opportunities in Oral Health Advocacy with Kiran Nagdeo
I AM GPH
In this episode, we're joined by Kiran Nagdeo, a doctoral student in the Epidemiology department with a background in dentistry. Kiran shares her journey from being a practicing clinician in India for eight years to a leader in public health research, and how the COVID-19 pandemic inspired her to shift her focus from one-on-one patient care to population-level health and advocacy. Kiran details her path to becoming a leader in organizations like the American Public Health Association and the World Federation of Public Health Associations. She emphasizes the crucial role of mentorship and the...
info_outlineIn this episode, we speak with Dr. Melody Goodman, Dean of NYU's School of Global Public Health, Professor of Biostatistics and a leading research methodologist. Dean Goodman shares her inspiring journey from a career on Wall Street to finding her passion for biostatistics and her purpose at NYU, showcasing the many paths that lead to public health leadership. As a biostatistician, she discusses the power of data to create a narrative and highlights how her commitment to solving community problems directly informs her work at GPH. We delve into her unique, hands-on approach to research, focused on community engagement and ensuring equitable outcomes. The episode also highlights the exceptional student experience at NYU GPH. Dean Goodman shares her philosophy on empowering and mentoring students. Her commitment to working alongside students on projects is a powerful testament to the collaborative and supportive environment that defines an education at NYU GPH.
To learn more about the NYU School of Global Public Health, and how our innovative programs are training the next generation of public health leaders, visit http://www.publichealth.nyu.edu.