According to our exit survey, most DrPH graduates are working fulltime (70%) and some are in post-doctoral positions (30%). We are proud to share that our graduates have established roles in a variety of organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Meals on Wheels, RTI International, University North Carolina, US Air Force, and East Tennessee State University, among others. To update alumni information, please contact Dara Young at youngdc@etsu.edu.
-
2023
Community Health
-
Oluwatamilayo "Tomi" Adeniji
CV-
Rachel Dean
CV-
Ronald Harding
CV-
Harrison Ihrig
CV-
Kilonzo Richard Mutua
CV-
Aimee Rowe
CV
Epidemiology
-
Nikita Cudjoe
CV-
Heather Wingate
CV
Health Management and Policy
-
Kailee Havrda
CV-
Kusse Toitole
CV-
Natasha Vernekar
CV-
Rhonda Williams
CV
-
-
2021
Community Health
-
Kawther Al Ksir
Dissertation: Radon Environmental Health Literacy in Northeast Tennessee-
Mary Brannock
Familial Sex Trafficking in East Tennessee-
Margaret Francisco
CV-
Christen Minnick
CV-
Sonja Pearson
CV-
Hannah Warren
CV
Epidemiology
-
Rakesh Adelli
Influence of Medication Assisted Treatment Weaning on Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
and Outcomes Among Infants Born to Women with Opioid Use Disorder-
Matthew Beer
CV-
Amanda Blackwelder
Cost Saving and Resource Limited Public Health Interventions in Southeast Asia-
Vanessa Morman
CV-
Charles Olomofe
Exploring the Correlates and Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake Among
People Living With HIV/AIDS in Tennessee-
Joel Reagan
CV-
Amy Wahlquist
CV
Health Management and Policy
-
Esther Adebayo-Abikoye
The Association between Prenatal Care and Postpartum Depression: Current State and
Future Directions-
Adeola Ayo
Healthcare Providers’ Screening and Counseling for Tobacco Use Among Youth in the
United States: Prevalence, Practices, and Providers’ Perspectives-
Opal Frye-Clark
CV-
Nicole Galler
An Assessment of the Current State of Nursing Homes in the United States, Southern
Region, and Tennessee-
Benjamin Schoenberg
CV
-
-
2020
Community Health
-
Jordan Chase Harless
Dissertation: Exploring Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in Central Appalachia Through the Experiences
of Transgender and Gender Non-Binary People
-
Marissa Kluk
CV-
Phoebe Tchoua
Dissertation: Exploring the Food Parenting Practices Among Black Immigrant Mothers in Metro Atlanta,
GA-
Shahin "Ellie" Zare
CV
Epidemiology
-
Gabriela Guerra Abrego
COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in the Hispanic and Latinx Communities of Northeast Tennessee
-
Hopelyn Mooney
CV-
Michael Prough
CV
-
Jacob Schultz
Emerging Tick-Borne Diseases in Northeast Tennessee
Health Management and Policy
-
Johanna Cimilluca
Currently: Fiscal Director, Southeast AIDS Education Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Dissertation Title: Key Determinants of Using Telehealth Technologies among Underserved Populations from the Perspective of Patients and Providers
-
Chris Honeycutt
Dissertation: Profitable, Alternative Income Generation and Improved Quality of Life Among Global Beekeepers
-
Kristen Surles
Currently: Presidential Management Fellow, Health Specialist, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
-
-
2019
Community Health
-
Fenose Osedeme, DrPH
Currently: Research Survey Scientist, RTI International, North Carolina
Dissertation: Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes about Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) among Women in Appalachian Tennessee
Epidemiology
-
Esther Adeniran, DrPH
Dissertation: Examining the State of Substance Use Treatment among Youth and Adults in the United
States-
Melissa White, DrPH
Currently: Research Associate, CARE Women's Health
Dissertation: Assessing Best Practices, Perceptions, and Barriers to Breastfeeding in the Appalachian Region
Health Management and Policy
-
Manul Awasthi, DrPH
Dissertation: Overview of Transition Care Clinics and Patient No-Shows
-
Adekunle Oke, DrPH
Currently: Pediatric Resident, BronxCare Health System, New York
-
Kathleen Tatro, DrPH
Currently: Postdoctoral Researcher, Kennesaw State University, Georgia
-
-
2018
Community Health
-
Christopher Dumas
CV-
Leah Ferguson, DrPH
Dissertation: Active Travel for Children and Youth: Lessons from Active Routes to Schools North Carolina
-
Dumisa Nyarambi, DrPH
Currently: Grants Coordinator, Northeast State Community College, Tennessee
Epidemiology
-
Christian Nwabueze, DrPH
Dissertation: Investigating the Association between Adolescent Polysubstance Use, Crime, and Violence in the United States
Health Management and Policy
-
Paezha McCartt
-
Glory Okwori , DrPH
Currently: CDC Adverse Childhood Experiences Surveillance Fellow
-
-
2017
Community Health
-
Erin Mauck, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor, East Tennessee State University
Dissertation: A Qualitative Analysis of End-of-Life Healthcare in Tennessee: Politics, Principles, and Perceptions
-
Anthony Peluso, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor, Midwestern University
Dissertation: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Abortion Attitudes and Perceptions among Women Living in Alabama and South Carolina
Environmental Health
-
Mercy Aula, PhD
Currently: Assistant Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, University of Alabama Birmingham
Dissertation: Occupational Health Assessment of Tomato Farmworkers in East Tennessee
Epidemiology
-
Ogbebor Omoike, DrPH
-
-
2016
Community Health
-
Kiriinya Mwirigi, DrPH
Currently: Child Nutrition Specialist, CN Resource
-
Kristy Gagnon
-
-
2015
Community Health
-
Gabrielle Caldara, DrPH
Dissertation: Exploration of Rape Myths Among Former Military Professionals
-
Taylor Dula, DrPH
Assistant Dean of Student Services, East Tennessee State University College of Public Health
Dissertation: Correctional Career Pathways: A Reentry Program for Incarceration
-
Olivia Egen, DrPH
Dissertation: Positive and Negative Deviant Counties: Identification of Factors Associated with Health Outcomes
-
Angela Hagaman, DrPH
Operations Director, Addiction Science Center
Dissertation: Peer Recovery Support Specialists: Role Clarification and Fit Within the Recovery Ecosystems of Central Appalachia
-
Samuel Pettyjohn, DrPH
Currently: Center for Rural Health and Research, East Tennessee State University College of Public Health
Environmental Health
-
Emmanuel Odame, PhD
Currently: Assistant Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, University of Alabama Birmingham
Dissertation: Assessing Heat-Related Mortality and Morbidity Risks in Rural Populations and Sub-Populations
Epidemiology
-
Candice Collins, DrPH
Currently: Allan Rosenfield HIV/AIDS Public Policy Fellow, amFAR, The Foundation for Aids Research
Dissertation: HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors in Two Low Resource Settings
-
Ifeoma Ozodiegwu, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor, Health Informatics and Data Science, Loyola University
Dissertation: The Prevalence and Context of Adult Female Overweight and Obesity in Sub-Saharan Africa
-
-
2014
Community Health
-
Oluwatosin Ariyo, DrPH
Currently: Health Scientist, Division of STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Dissertation: Correlates of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine Acceptance in Appalachian Tennessee
-
Alexis Decosimo, DrPH
Currently: Executive Director and Art Therapist, Playing to Live!
Dissertation: The Evaluation of a Psychosocial Expressive Arts Program in Liberia During the Ebola Epidemic
-
Stephanie Mathis, DrPH
Currently: Research Assistant Professor, East Tennessee State University Center for Rural Health and Research
Environmental Health
-
Dennis Gilfillan, PhD
Currently: Business Intelligence & Data Analyst, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
Dissertation:
The Ecology of Fecal Indicators-
Joseph Kusi, PhD
Currently: Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
Dissertation: Potential Toxicity of Silver Nanoparticles to Microbial Communities and Macroinvertebrates
Epidemiology
-
Abraham Alhassan, DrPH
Currently: Resident Physician, New York City Health + Hospitals
Dissertation: Assessment of Social, Dietary and Biochemical Correlates of Cardiometabolic Risk in Pre-adolescent Hispanic Children
-
Shaoqing Gong, DrPH
Currently: Postdoctoral Fellow, Health Administration and Policy Institute, School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China
Dissertation: An Epidemiological Study of Obesity Among Asian Americans in California, United States
-
Julie Obenauer-Motley, DrPH
Currently: Section Supervisor, National Security Analysis Department
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory-
Ruby Yadav, DrPH
Currently: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Surveillance Director,
Communicable and Environmental Disease and Emergency Preparedness Division, Tennessee Department of HealthDissertation: Context, Delivery, and Providers’ Perspectives of Family Life Education in TN, USA
-
-
2013
Community Health
-
Carter Florence, DrPH
Currently: Director, Strategy and Impact, Meals on Wheels America
Dissertation: Rural-Urban Variations in Meals on Wheels Programs
-
Bethesda O'Connell, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor, Community and Behavioral Health, East Tennessee State University College of Public Health
Dissertation: Biosand Water Filter Evaluation: Meta-Evaluation and Pilot Study of Field Use Indicators
Epidemiology
-
Yang Chen, DrPH
Currently: ORISE Fellow,
Chronic Viral Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDissertation:
An Epidemiological Study of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among U.S. Population-
Daniel Owusu, DrPH
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Class of 2019
Currently: Senior Service Fellow, Influenza Division, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
-
-
2012
Community Health
-
Janice Greene, DrPH
Currently: Decommissioning Program Manager, Babcock & Wilcox
Dissertation:
Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Appalachian Spouses of Combat Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-
Megan Housenick-Lee, DrPH
Currently: MRI Technologist, Ballad Health
Dissertation:
Social-Ecological Factors Affecting Patient Shield Use Among Radiologic and Computed Tomography Technologists-
Paula Masters, DrPH
Currently: Vice President of Health Programs, Ballad Health
Dissertation: Evaluating Socially Determined Health in Rural Appalachia: Use of the Social Quality Theory
-
Jenna Middlebrooks, DrPH
Currently: Quality and Performance Improvement Manager, WithHealth
Dissertation:
Trends in Early Childhood Caries Rates in the Nashville Area Indian Health Services Tribes-
Natalie Walker, DrPH
Dissertation:
Factors Influencing Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors of Adolescents in Appalachia
Epidemiology
-
Bill Brooks, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor, East Tennessee State University College of Public Health Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology
-
Malendie Gaines, DrPH
Currently: Clinical Research Coordinator, Emory University
Dissertation:
The Influence of Race and Gender on HIV Risk Behaviors in High School Students in the Southern States of the United States
-
-
2011
Community Health
-
Cindy Phillips, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor/Academic Director, Undergraduate Programs, College of Nursing, East Tennessee State University (Sevierville)
Dissertation:
Psychological and Sociocultural Influences of Current and Historical Intimate Partner Violence in Pregnancy-
Michelle Reece, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor, College of Health and Human Services,
Department of Public Health - Western Kentucky University-
Colleen Scott, DrPH
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Class of 2014
Currently: Behavioral Epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Global Immunization Division
Dissertation:
Evaluation of Key Components of Draft Guidelines for the National Weather Service TsunamiReadyTM Community Program-
Rachel Ward, DrPH
Currently: Adjunct Faculty, ETSU College of Public Health
-
Christian Williams, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor and Director of Public Health Program, College of Health Sciences & Nursing, Belmont University
Dissertation:
Assessing Health Department Readiness for Public Health Accreditation through Quality Improvement
Epidemiology
-
Kate Callahan-Myrick, DrPH
Currently: Chronic Disease Epidemiologist, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
Dissertation:
Assessing the Social and Ecological Factors that Influence Childhood Overweight and Obesity
-
-
2010
Community Health
-
Emma Apatu, DrPH
Currently: Program Director, MPH Program, Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University
Dissertation:
Human Response during the September 29, 2009, South Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami in American Samoa-
Twanda Wadlington, DrPH
Currently: Director of Grant Development, My Health My Resources of Tarrant County (Fort Worth, Texas)
Epidemiology
-
David Blackley, DrPH
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Class of 2013
Currently: Research Epidemiologist, Surveillance Branch, Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
-
Nicole Holt, DrPH
Currently: MPH Program Director, Virginia Tech
-
-
2009
Community Health
-
Katie Baker, DrPH
Currently: Scientific Review Officer, National Institutes of Health
Dissertation:
Preventing Skin Cancer in Adolescent Girls Through Intervention with Their Mothers-
Kasie Richards, DrPH
Currently: Senior Director, Situational Awareness & Decision Support, American Red Cross
Dissertation:
As the Crow Flies: An Underrepresentation of Food Deserts in the Rural Appalachian Mountains-
Jodi Southerland, DrPH
Currently: Assistant Professor, ETSU College of Public Health
Dissertation:
Health-Related Quality of Life and Future Care Planning Among Older Adults: Exploring the Role of Hope as a Moderator
Epidemiology
-
Megan Quinn, DrPH
Currently: Associate Professor of Epidemiology, ETSU College of Public Health
Dissertation:
Exploring the Unique Characteristics of Cancer in Adolescents and Young Adults in Tennessee-
Phani Veeranki, DrPH
Currently: Director, Optum
Dissertation:
Advancing Global Tobacco Control: Exploring Worldwide Youth Attitudes and Behaviors toward Tobacco Use and Control
-
-
2008
Community Health
-
Grace Tettey, DrPH
Grace Tettey, DrPH (alumna)
Currently: Adjunct Faculty, ETSU College of Public Health
Environmental Health
-
Lok Pokhrel, PhD
Currently: Assistant Professor and Public Health Practice and Foundations Certificate Department of Public Health, East Carolina University
Dissertation:
Evaluation of Colloidal Stability and Ecotoxicity of Metal-based Nanoparticles in the Aquatic and Terrestrial Systems
Epidemiology
-
Liang Wang, DrPH
Currently: Director of Epidemiology and Associate Professor, Baylor University
-
-
2007
Community Health
-
Roger Blackwell, DrPH
Currently: Clinical Instructor, Department of Community and Behavioral Health, ETSU College of Public Health
Dissertation:
Health Service Utilization and Stigma among HIV-Positive Men-Who-Have-Sex-With Men (MSM) in Rural Appalachia-
Melissa Neal Stein, DrPH
Currently: Senior Project Associate, Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Adjunct Lecturer, University of North Carolina at CharlotteDissertation:
Evaluating the School Performance of Elementary and Middle School Children of Incarcerated Parents.
Epidemiology
-
Nash Aragam, DrPH
Currently: Statistical Research Specialist & Data Manager, Office of Policy & Data Management, Tennessee Department of Health
Dissertation:
Genome-Wide Association Analysis of Major Depressive Disorder and Its Related Phenotypes.-
La'Shan Taylor, DrPH
Epidemic Intelligence Service, Class of 2009
Currently: Sadly, Dr. Taylor passed away in 2019.
-
-
2006
Environmental Health
-
Kimberlee Hall, PhD
Currently: Associate Professor and Program Director, Environmental Health Program, Western Carolina University
-
CV
