The Wisconsin Population Health Service Fellowship

Kristen Audet received her MPH from the University of Iowa, College of Public Health and her JD from the University of Iowa, College of Law. Kristen spent her Fellowship split between the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative and the Wisconsin Division of Public Health (DPH). At the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, Kristen was responsible for initiating and coordinating the Southern Wisconsin Immunization Consortium, an immunization coalition aimed at improving the immunization rates of 0-2 year old rural children. At DPH, she worked with the Public Health Preparedness Unit, focusing on communications. She traveled to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency to receive specialized crisis communication and public information training. Kristen also led a statewide initiative to improve Emergency Public Information and Warning capabilities and has played an active role directing communications during multiple public health emergencies. Preceptors: Lisa Pentony and Tim Size

Post Fellowship: Kristen is Life Safety Coordinator at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.

Akbar Husain received his Master in Public Health with a concentration in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health. During his time as a Fellow, Akbar was placed with the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, Western Regional Office. His work focused on supporting local and tribal health departments in their pursuit of voluntary national accreditation and completing their community health assessments (CHA) and community health improvement plans (CHIP). Specifically Akbar oversaw the development, selection, and support of accreditation focused mini grants and participated in statewide pilot program to test newly developed CHA and CHIP tools. In addition, Akbar worked with the Minority Health Report, which also serves as the baseline report for the state health plan. Preceptor: Lieske Giese

Post Fellowship: Akbar is Health Care Analyst at the U.S. Government Accountability Office in Washington, D.C.t at the U.S. Government Accountability Office in Washington, D.C.

Emma received her Master of Public Health and Master of Public Affairs from the University of Wisconsin Madison. During her Fellowship, Emma worked with the Division of Public Health (DPH), Maternal & Child Health Unit and the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health (WAWH). At DPH, Emma led the Wisconsin Healthiest Women Initiative to organize system-level stakeholders to advance women’s health using preconception health tools and a lifecourse framework. Some of the highlights of Emma’s diverse role at WAWH included planning & executing the 3rd and 4th annual Wisconsin Women’s Health Policy Summit with 300 attendees and 60 sponsors, writing both the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 Budget Analysis Impact on Women & Girls Report and presenting this information throughout the state, and writing and being awarded a grant to organize reproductive rights stakeholders to increase abortion access in Dane County. Preceptors: Sara Finger and Millie Jones

Post Fellowship: Emma is Legislative Liaison working with the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health in Madison, WI.

Rashonda earned her MPH from the University of Wisconsin Madison. During her Fellowship, Rashonda was placed with the City of Milwaukee Health Department and the United Way of Greater Milwaukee. At the City of Milwaukee Health Department, she worked with the Office of Violence Prevention on a groundbreaking project preventing “straw purchasing” of guns—in which guns are purchased for those not legally able do so themselves. Rashonda co-facilitated seven focus groups and co-wrote an executive summary as well as a programmatic analysis, describing their journey, findings, and recommendations. While at the United Way, Rashonda focused on teen pregnancy prevention and healthy birth outcomes, spending the majority of her time helping to organize programming and provide support for these two initiatives, on behalf of United Way, in the Faith community. Preceptor: Nicole Angresano

Post Fellowship: currently working as a Health Educator Intern at the Department of Health and Family Services

Anneke earned her Master in Public Health and Master in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. During her Fellowship, Anneke worked with the Division of Public Health, AIDS/HIV Program, and the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center. In the AIDS/HIV Program, Anneke worked on the evaluation of Acceptance Journeys, a social marketing campaign that seeks to improve health and reduce HIV by addressing anti-gay and transgender discrimination, and on summarizing and sharing results of Youth Risk Behavior Survey data on sexual minority youth. At the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center, she worked with the Menominee Nation Community Engagement Group by looking at obesity, teen pregnancy, and County Health Rankings data to inform data-driven community action plans. Anneke also conducted an assessment of Tribal environmental health services among the 34 Tribes in the Bemidji-area, and developed a policy scan tool for tribal Community Transformation Grant recipients. Preceptors: Mari Gasiorowicz and Kristin Hill

Post Fellowship: Anneke works with Fetal Infant Mortality Review at the Milwaukee Health Department.

Tyler Weber completed his Master in Public Health in Maternal and Child Health at the University of Minnesota with a global health concentration. Tyler was placed with the Milwaukee Health Department and with the Lindsay Heights Neighborhood Health Alliance. Although not an exhaustive list, he found himself working to advance the Innovation and Wellness Commons, leading the Lindsay Heights Community Research Council, working with a Men’s Wellness Council, and managing a WPP 3-year full implementation grant to expand the work of the Men’s Wellness Council. Tyler also formed the Lindsay Heights Health Professional Network, updated the Milwaukee Health Department’s STD webpage, served as member of the Zilber School of Public Health Summer Team, mentored two TRIUMPH students, served as an organizer for Partners in Health, and built a partnership between MHD’s Empowering Families of Milwaukee program and the Walnut Way Conservation Corporation. Preceptor: Jessie Tobin

Post Fellowship: Tyler is a Neighborhood Program Coordinator at Walnut Way Conservation Corporation in Milwaukee, WI.