She has worked as a research assistant for the AHRQ funded Eisenberg Center at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), as a research assistant for the Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology at OHSU, as a research coordinator with Behavior Works for Oregon Public Health Division’s Family Planning Project social marketing campaign, and currently as a graduate research assistant with an NIH-funded project, Bridges to Baccalaureate Program.

She has presented her findings at professional meetings including the Annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, OMPH student symposium, and the Society for Public Health Education among others.  She is also a co-author on two journal articles, and her field experience in prenatal care further supports her interest  in discovering new knowledge that advances public health.

In addition to her 4.0 GPA in the OMPH Program, Christina has established herself as a leader in the Bridges to Baccalaureate Program, in which she has served as a Graduate Research Assistant. Christina has demonstrated excellence in coordinating all aspects of the program and the research process to identify the most appropriate methods to retain underrepresented students in biomedical, behavioral, and health science degrees at Portland State University. As a research coordinator with Behavior Works, she had the opportunity to be involved with all phases of the formative research process, from recruiting focus group participants to analyzing formative research data.

Because of her understanding of the importance of multiple determinants of health in underserved populations and her unquestionable commitment to health disparities research, Christina can navigate the clinical and the public health world in a seamless and effective manner, and will continue to do so in all of her further endeavors.  Please join us in congratulating her!

As a new member to the Public Health field, Nicole Burda has made an immediate impact in her community as a student, volunteer, intern, and coordinator.  She is drawn to the field of Public Health by her desire to inspire change and promote health in vulnerable populations at the community level.  

After moving to Oregon in June of 2009 to attend Oregon State University, Nicole began volunteering at Benton County Health Department, where she is currently working in an internship position with Substance Abuse Prevention Program. She is coordinating an evidence-based substance abuse prevention program. Strengthening Families 10-14 in Spanish (Fortaleciendo Familias 10-14) is a parent, youth, and family skills-building curriculum designed to prevent teen substance abuse and other behavior problems, strengthen parenting skill, and build on family strengths. Her work with the Benton County Health Department has included assisting in recruitment and community outreach, and data compilation from surveys for a local soccer tournament aimed toward raising awareness of HIV/AIDS among Latino men. Her background and experience in Spanish speaking communities and Sport and Exercise Science, and her passion for public health serve as a perfect combination for many of the programs Nicole has impacted, including a program in which Nicole designs and implements exercise programs in Spanish to Latina women.

Nicole has extensive community involvement and certifications.  She is involved  in the Latino Health Ambassador Network (LHAN). LHAN is a community-based participatory research project funded by the Northwest Health Foundation to coordinate leadership development and skill building among local Latino community members to better inform chronic disease public policy and systems change efforts occurring in the county.   She is engaged with the prevention program, Reconnecting Youth (RY), which is a research based curriculum aimed at helping high-risk high school youth raise their GPAs, manage their anger, as well as decrease drug use, depression, and suicide risk. Nicole is also a member of the Graduate Students of Color and a member of the Hispanic Advisory Committee (HAC). 
   
As a candidate for the MPH Program in the Health Promotions Track at OSU, Nicole currently has a 4.0 GPA. Along with her excellent work as a student, and her extensive involvement in the Latin health community in Benton County, Nicole is making immediate impacts in the Public Health field. She is well respected by students, faculty, practicing professionals as a leader in community service.   Please join us in congratulating her!

She has been involved in a leadership role as a Student Representative, Campus Representative and Mentor.  Katie served as the First Year Track Representative during the 2008-2009 school year and the Campus Representative for PSU during the 2009-2010 year. As the Campus Representative, she served on the Track Coordinating Council/Academic Program Committee.
   
Katie’s leadership and initiative abilities became very apparent during the summer of 2009 when, based on feedback from fellow students, she started a peer-mentoring program at PSU between first and second year MPH students. This involved figuring out the structure of the program, marketing the program, training second-year students regarding mentoring first-year students, and following up with questions or concerns from mentors and mentees. Along with creating the program, Katie acted as a mentor to three first-year students. In the classroom, Katie’s supportive, insightful style and her 3.96 GPA have further highlighted her leadership capacity.   She has also served as the “unofficial” social events coordinator and social networker; she established the OMPH Facebook page, managed the student listserv and planned many social events.
   
Outside of the program, Katie has worked full-time as the School Policy Coordinator for the American Lung Association in Oregon. In this position, she works with Head Start programs, K-12 school districts, and community colleges throughout the state regarding their tobacco policies. This involves collaborating with statewide Head Start stakeholders to support implementation of Oregon Department of Education tobacco-free policy requirements, developing tools and resources to assist colleges with policy adoption, implementation, and enforcement, and communicating with key contacts at community colleges about suggested improvement to their tobacco policies. Katie has also taken the lead in managing the release of American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report, which measures ozone and particle pollution, the two most widespread outdoor pollutants.
   
Katie’s leadership in the OMPH Program has been second to none, and will be missed, watching her continue her career outside of the program as a leader in the Public Health field will be exciting. Please join us in congratulating her!