The MPH Practicum Symposium is an essential part of the MPH candidate experience as it enables our students to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to the real world of public health. This year, 26 DGH MPH students showcased their innovative, community-driven projects at the 27th Annual MPH Practicum Symposium. Working with various local and global organizations, our students helped address some of the most pressing public health challenges of our time, and made lasting connections with public health agencies across the globe. Learn more about our students' practicum projects below.
Adolescent, Maternal & Child Health
Darwin Del Castillo Fernández - Mapping Contextual Factors that are Influencing Implementation of Pediatric Burn Injuries Care in Peru
PRACTICUM SITE: Seattle Children's Hospital SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Katie Nielsen DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Bryan Weiner I am a second-year MPH student in the Global Health Department, concentrating on maternal and child health. I am also a physician trained in Peru. My project practicum seeks to identify the primary barriers and facilitators to provide timetable pediatric burn injury care in tertiary and secondary hospitals in Peru. Children in LMICs face disparities in mortality and disability due to pediatric burn injuries. One major factor contributing to these disparities is a lack of access to resources for the stabilization and treatment of pediatric burn injuries. This practicum aims to develop a protocol for assessing barriers and facilitators for the implementation of pediatric burn injury care in facilities from Peru. Additionally, the project aims to develop communication strategies for the protocol deployment in Peru with key stakeholders from the Peruvian Ministry of Health and leaders from the included healthcare facilities.
Hana Neutz: Maternal and Child Health Donor Landscaping in Latin America and the Caribbean
PRACTICUM SITE: PATH SITE SUPERVISOR: Ellen Browder-Long DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Jennifer Slyker I am a second-year MPH-Global Health candidate interested in helping to improve access and quality of healthcare for children and mothers globally. For my practicum, I worked with PATH, an International Health NGO, specifically the Integrated Maternal and Child Health Development Team (IMCHD). We aimed to understand the current work being done to improve Maternal and Child Health in Latin America, finding donors that have funded work in the past, and those with current calls out for submissions. Practicum activities consisted of producing a list of potential new donors and grant opportunities, writing a concept note submitted to a donor addressing the support of caregivers of young children with disabilities in Peru, and presenting my findings to the broader IMCHD team.
Disease Surveillance and Investigation
Alie Vandi-Tarawally: Strengthening Health Informatics Capacity in LMICs through the 3IG Framework
PRACTICUM SITE: University of Washington SITE SUPERVISOR: Jen Antilla DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Nancy Puttkammer I am a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington, pursuing my studies as a Fulbright fellowship recipient from Sierra Leone. For my practicum with the DIGI-TEAM at I-TECH, University of Washington, I had the privilege of collaborating with global health, epidemiology, and informatics experts from institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the University of Washington, and partners across Africa, Europe, and North America. In this role, I led the development of context-specific training materials designed to enhance the analytical skills of Field Epidemiologists (FEs) working with large surveillance datasets. The training focused on leveraging informatics tools such as R, Excel, Kobo Toolbox, and the District Health Information System Version 2 (DHIS2). Utilizing Scribe, a tool that captures mouse clicks through screenshots, I created step-by-step tutorials to build the analytical capacity of FEs in remote settings. These materials aimed to strengthen disease response efforts in alignment with the 7-1-7 strategy. The project's deliverables included epidemiological curves, disease burden assessments, and integrated data analyses. These outputs were presented to subject matter experts (SMEs) during review sessions to collect feedback and refine the training materials. The project received high praise at the Informatics Curriculum Validation event held in August 2024 at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kokou Tbah Tighankpa: Assessment of Contextual Factors to Implement the 7-1-7 Target in Togo: Application of Organizational Readiness for Policy Implementation (OR4PI) Framework
PRACTICUM SITE: EPIMOD - Togo SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Tchaa Abalo Bakai DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr.Yanfang Su Kokou Tbah Tighankpa, MD is an MPH candidate at the School of Public Health within the Department of Global Health. He conducted his practicum project in Togo, where his focus was on Assessing Contextual Factors, to Implement the 7-1-7 Target in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs): Application of Organizational Readiness for Policy Implementation (OR4PI) Framework. 7-1-7 stands for 7 days towards detecting a probable outbreak, 1 day to start an epidemiological investigation, and 7 days to start field operation, which Togo has recently piloted. As a Togolese, Kokou Tbah has dreamt of a robust health system that is more resilient against infectious diseases and is ready to respond quickly in times of need. Hence, this project aims to explore the facilitating and hindering factors for implementing the 7-1-7 target approach for outbreak and pandemic early action in rural and urban Togo.
Ye Htet Naing: Mortality Risks in Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: An Updated Systematic Review for the Global Burden of Disease Study
PRACTICUM SITE: IHME SITE SUPERVISOR: Amanda Novotney DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr.Hmwe Hmwe Kyu I am a second-year MPH student in the Global Health Program. My interests include HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and other infectious diseases. During my practicum at IHME, I contributed to a project on drug-resistant TB mortality risks, focusing on multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). My responsibilities included conducting a systematic review to update the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study's evidence base, and registering the review protocol in PROSPERO. Through this practicum, I gained hands-on experience with systematic review methodologies and developed technical skills to address global health challenges.
Health Services, Access, Policy & Advocacy
Agus Vega: Increasing Awareness and Health Screenings for Hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among Latinx Adults Living in WA State
PRACTICUM SITE: Latino Center for Health SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Leo Morales DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Jason Daniel Ulloa I am Agus, a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health. Driven by a passion for reproductive justice and equity, my research and activism primarily focus on abortion and LGBTQI+ rights. During my practicum with the Latino Center for Health, I gained valuable insights into conducting community health screenings, outreach activities, and culturally responsive research for Latinx communities in Washington State at risk of non-communicable diseases.
Amaya Gatling: Advancing Public Health Through U.S. Ratification of International Treaties
PRACTICUM SITE: American Public Health Association SITE SUPERVISOR: Omid Bagheri Garakani DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Prof. Emeritus, Amy Hagopian I am a second-year Global Health MPH student pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Global Health of Women, Adolescents, and Children (WACh). I am passionate about human rights, WACh, and sexual and reproductive health. For my practicum, I am developing a policy statement for the American Public Health Association (APHA), sponsored by the International Health section. APHA policy statements are designed to influence U.S. policy. My statement explores the potential population health benefits of U.S. ratification of international treaties, focusing on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The U.S. government’s history of treaty absenteeism deprives its residents of access to international accountability mechanisms.
Ana Castillo Soto: Improving the Evidence Base for Health Resource Allocation Decisions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
PRACTICUM SITE: Bergen Center for Ethics and Priority Setting SITE SUPERVISOR: Prof. Kjell Arne Johansson DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. David Watkins I am a second-year MPH student in the Public Health Genetics program with a background as a family physician. My interest lies in exploring the barriers and facilitators to genetic service delivery in Taiwan compared to the United States. During my practicum at the Ethics Center at National Taiwan University Hospital, I collaborated with the center's chief to conduct an interview study involving 12 healthcare professionals experienced in genetic testing in Taiwan. My responsibilities included designing the interview guide, recruiting participants, conducting the interviews, coding the transcripts, and performing the final thematic analysis. After the interviews, I developed educational materials to introduce genetic testing and fundamental genomic concepts to non-geneticist healthcare workers. For my thesis, I will expand this project by conducting a survey study on a larger sample of physicians to evaluate their experiences and attitudes toward genetic service delivery.
Eamonn McGonigle: Evaluation and Implementation of Rapid HIV Testing Services in the Hepatitis Educations Project's care continuum
PRACTICUM SITE: Hepatitis Education Project SITE SUPERVISOR: Kimberly Taber DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Sara Glick I am a second year MPH Global Health candidate with a focus in HIV, maternal and child health, and infectious disease. During my practicum in fall 2024, I worked at the Hepatitis Education Project in three different capacities. Primarily, I worked to build an implementation package for the rollout of rapid HIV testing at their Central District office. Currently HEP provides rapid Hepatitis screening alongside a syringe service program, buprenorphine clinic, drug checking and unhoused encampment outreach. During my time there I met with community partners and health department officials to understand and complete the process of rolling out a testing program and building client-facing educational materials.
Sophie Whikehart: Exploring Barriers and Perceptions of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Clinical Trial Participation Among Racial and Ethnic Minoritized Populations in the United States
PRACTICUM SITE: Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center at UW Medical Center SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Tijana Milinic DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Donna Denno I am a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health. For my practicum, I am collaborating with the UW Adult Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Center on an ongoing study supported by the National Research Service Award. This project examines how race and ethnicity influence participation in CF clinical trials and aims to identify potential barriers and mechanisms contributing to differential recruitment within the United States. The study employs the Public Health Critical Race Praxis and the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations to analyze the impact of systemic inequities and racism. My practicum seeks to illuminate the complex systems of inequity affecting clinical trial participation and to provide actionable recommendations for fostering more inclusive and equitable research practices. This practicum aligns with my goal of driving systemic change for BIPOC communities while advancing diversity to improve access and outcomes in public health.
Thania Solar: Culturally Responsive Health Education and Policy Advocacy to Advance Public Health Equity Among Latinx and Undocumented Communities in Washington State
PRACTICUM SITE: Latino Center for Health SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Leo Morales DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Sarah Masyuko I am a second-year MPH student in Global Health and the Global WACh certificate program with a background as a medical doctor. My interests lie in women and children's health, health access, and disease prevention. For my practicum, I worked alongside the Latino Center for Health team to promote health among Latinx communities in Seattle. My work involved organizing community events to raise awareness, provide health screenings, and share resources for managing and preventing chronic diseases. Additionally, I contributed to developing a survey to assess cardiometabolic health within the Latinx community in Seattle. I also assisted in creating a data-driven profile of undocumented immigrants in Washington state for inclusion in a policy brief. My role included event planning, attending outreach events, and collaborating with staff to refine culturally responsive information for Latinx residents.
Injury and Violence Prevention
Brekken Cogswell: The SHARP Considerations: Bridging the Gap between Native American Communities & Researchers for Suicide Prevention
PRACTICUM SITE: UW Indigenous Knowledge Family SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. William Hartmann DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Asst. Prof. Keshet Ronan I am a second year Global Health MPH student focused on rural and Indigenous health and wellbeing. My practicum experience occurred with the UW Indigenous Knowledge Family, a diverse group of health professionals with Indigenous affiliation focused on suicide in Native American communities. Influenced by misrepresentations, institutions frequently circulate misguided ideas about who Native people are that feed into harmful stereotypes and inefficient suicide prevention strategies. This practicum included an evaluation of relevant suicide literature, discussion with Native social work, nursing, research, and psychology professionals, reviewing Indigenous methodologies, and the creation of the SHARP guidelines - tangible strategies for both communities and health professionals alike. This project allowed me to engage with a group of Native health professionals - a rare occurrence that stimulated engaging discussion while centering Native knowledge. The SHARP considerations will be disseminated through Tribal communities & academic channels with hopes to address suicide in an effective and ethical manner.
Judy Machuka: Adaptation of an opioid overdose prevention presentation for the Black/African American community in King County
PRACTICUM SITE: Seattle Children's Odessa Brown Children's Clinic Othello SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Alexis Ball DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Alison Roxby I am a second year MPH in Global Health student with an interest in drug and substance use prevention and promotion of mental health. I worked at Seattle Children's Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic Othello, in King County, to adapt an opioid overdose prevention training for the Black/African American community. The importance of this was to address the alarmingly increasing use of opioids by this community and its associated high opioid overdose deaths. I first developed a literature review, examining the disparities against the Black/African American community in opioid overdose prevalence, community perspectives, legal implications and treatment. I then developed an interview guide to collect qualitative data from the Black/African American community on the cultural adaptations to the opioid overdose prevention training, to promote their uptake by the community. I made a presentation of my work to the community advisory board from the African American Reach and Teach Health ministry and anticipate the feedback informing the adaptation of the training at the clinic. I am grateful for the support of my site and faculty supervisors, in making my experience amazing. I interacted with a multi-disciplinary team at the clinic and strengthened my skills in qualitative research, intercultural communications and team work.
Nowreen Sarwar: Understanding the Impact of Gun Violence on Youth of Color in King County
PRACTICUM SITE: Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Angele Theard DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Ahoua Kone I am a 2nd year MPH student in the Global Health program. For my practicum, I worked with the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center to study how gun violence impacts youth of color in King County. My project focused on understanding the emotional and social effects of experiencing or witnessing gun violence, such as how it influences mental health, feelings of safety, and opportunities for the future. Alongside this, I worked on a paper reviewing previous research on the topic, and new avenues we can take in policymaking going forward, which we’re hoping to publish soon. This work gave me the chance to dive deep into the data and connect it to real-life stories, helping me see the broader systemic issues at play. It’s been an outstanding experience that created lifelong friendships with my team and reinforced my passion for public health and my commitment to advocating for manageable solutions that support young people of color and their communities.
Program Planning, Implementation & Evaluation
Abigail Mulugeta: Identifying Key Needs of Aging Adults Living with HIV: A Regional Needs Assessment
PRACTICUM SITE: King County Public Health SITE SUPERVISOR: Karen Chung DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Jennifer Balkus I am a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health with interests in sexual and reproductive health, program evaluation, and addressing health disparities. My practicum was conducted with the Ryan White Planning Council at King County Public Health, focusing on a needs assessment of people aged 50+ living with HIV in King, Snohomish, and Island Counties. The aim was to inform the council's allocation of $7 million in annual Ryan White Part A grant funding to improve HIV care for underinsured and uninsured individuals. I developed and finalized assessment tools, conducted interviews with aging individuals living with HIV, analyzed qualitative data using REDCap, and presented findings to the council. This experience enhanced my skills in program evaluation and reinforced my commitment to improving equitable healthcare access for vulnerable populations.
John Atiiga: Curriculum Assessment of the Africa Epidemic Service (AES) – Public Health Informatics (PHI) Fellowship
PRACTICUM SITE: Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI), UW SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Anne Njoroge DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Nancy Puttkammer I am a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health with a background in dentistry, which inspired my interest in infectious diseases, health systems, and health equity. I also have a strong interest in monitoring and evaluation. For my practicum, I worked with the Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH (DIGI) to develop the Curriculum Assessment Model for the Africa Epidemic Service – Public Health Informatics (AES-PHI) Fellowship. This flagship program is part of Africa CDC’s Digital Transformation Strategy for 2020-2025. My responsibilities included developing and refining assessment rubrics for Core Activities of Learning (CALs), which encompass Capstone, Practicum, and Short-Term Field Support projects. I created detailed instructions for learners and faculty to align with these rubrics, ensuring clarity and consistency in evaluations. Additionally, I designed a course assessment survey based on the Kirkpatrick Model for fellows to self-administer at the end of each course. I also mapped out learning exercises for each course, specifying grading criteria to streamline the assessment process and improve learner performance evaluation.
Liam Lane: Barriers and facilitators to implementing the RAD-AID Women’s Health program at Federally Qualified Health Centers in the US
PRACTICUM SITE: Fred Hutch Cancer Center SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Catherine Duggan DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Kata Mucha I am a second-year Master of Public Health student in the Department of Global Health, with a focus on health systems strengthening and advancing health system reform through applied research methods. During my practicum at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, I led the development of quantitative and qualitative data collection tools and managed the evaluation of the RAD-AID USA Women’s Health Access Initiative at select Federally Qualified Health Centers. The findings from this evaluation will guide the program’s implementation at additional sites and support broader research efforts aimed at developing resource-appropriate, sustainable strategies to reduce disparities in breast and cervical cancer screenings across the United States.
Naznain Aman: Conducting program assessments to inform overall strategy development for the VOAWW Organization
PRACTICUM SITE: Amisteed Consulting SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Julie Rajaratnam DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Annette E Ghee For my practicum, I collaborated with Volunteers of America Western Washington (VOAWW), a faith-based organization dedicated to fostering self-sufficiency within diverse communities. Under the mentorship of Julie Rajaratnam, I developed theories of change (TOCs) for four VOAWW programs. This work included conducting interviews with program teams to map pathways to impact and contributing to cross-program analysis. My efforts informed VOAWW’s overarching organizational strategy by aligning programmatic TOCs with their mission, creating an evidence-based framework to strengthen partnerships and secure funding.
Pati Alarcon: Evaluating Innovating Rural Dental Clinics in Washington State
PRACTICUM SITE: Department of Oral Health Sciences SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. Donald Chi DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Annette E Ghee For my practicum, I collaborated with Dr. Donald Chi in the Department of Oral Health Sciences on a project evaluating innovative rural dental clinics implemented at Jefferson Healthcare’s Sheridan Dental Clinic in Port Townsend and on Orcas Island. My work involved developing culturally tailored Spanish-language interview scripts, conducting qualitative interviews, and analyzing data to understand the community’s perspectives on their experiences with these clinics, including their expectations, needs, and suggestions for improvement. This project also explored opportunities to enhance oral health beyond the clinics, capturing both the barriers and facilitators to care. This experience emphasized the importance of integrating community perspectives to inform equitable and culturally responsive public health strategies.
Tessa Fujisaki: Participatory intervention design and trial preparation for the Integrated Perinatal Mental Health (IPMH) study
PRACTICUM SITE: Kenyatta National Hospital SITE SUPERVISOR: Dr. John Kinuthia DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Keshet Ronen I am a second-year MPH candidate in the Department of Global Health, with a focus on reproductive health, mental health, Indigenous health, and public health education. For my practicum project, I worked with Kenyatta National Hospital to summarize discussions from the participatory design workshops with stakeholders, which helped guide the intervention for the Integrated Perinatal Mental Health (IPMH) study trial. Additionally, I developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on risk and serious adverse event reporting for the clinical trial of the intervention. I am grateful for the DGH Fieldwork Fellowship, which allowed me to learn from and collaborate with the team in Kisumu, and for the guidance from Keshet throughout my practicum journey.
Vaccines, Immunizations, Education & Outreach
Cindy Zha: HPV Vaccine Education in Nakuru County, Kenya
PRACTICUM SITE: Naivasha Sub-county Hospital SITE SUPERVISOR: Douglas O Bosibori DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Carey Farquhar I am a second year MPH in Global Health Student from the United States. I have experience working in women's health, reproductive health, DEI programming, affordable housing, and obesity prevention in cancer survivors. My passion lies in supporting gender equity through uplifting women’s health. For my practicum project, I created educational materials and supported community education sessions on HPV Vaccination for girls ages 10-14 in Naivasha, Kenya. These educational materials were adapted for church settings and female sex workers. Along with the educational materials, a survey was created and disseminated to evaluate the educational materials and collect community perspective on HPV and Cervical Cancer.
Edith Dale: Cervical Cancer Education in Naivasha, Kenya
PRACTICUM SITE: Naivasha Sub-county Hospital SITE SUPERVISOR: Douglas O Bosibori DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Carey Farquhar As a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health with a passion for maternal and child health, I completed my practicum with the Clinical Education Partnership Initiative (CEPI) at Naivasha Sub-county Hospital in Kenya. My project focused on cervical cancer, a pressing health concern for women in Kenya, through culturally tailored education and community outreach. I developed bilingual brochures and presentations to raise awareness about cervical cancer prevention and early detection. Collaborating with local churches and key population clinics, I facilitated interactive sessions to empower communities with lifesaving information. Additionally, I designed an evaluation plan to measure the impact of these efforts. This experience strengthened my commitment to reducing health disparities and highlighted the critical role of education in improving health outcomes for women in low-resource settings.
Kathleen Agudelo Paipilla: Engaging Indigenous Latin Communities Through Culturally Adapted Communication to Promote Sexual Health Services
PRACTICUM SITE: Entre Hermanos SITE SUPERVISOR: Martha Zúñiga DEPARTMENT: Global Health FACULTY ADVISER: Dr. Jane Lee I am a second-year MPH student in Global Health, with primary interests in reducing inequities in access to quality healthcare services for marginalized communities and exploring the intersection of cultural diversity, health, and the One Health approach. For my practicum, I collaborated with Entre Hermanos, a community-based organization dedicated to advancing the health and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community through prevention, education, support services, advocacy, and fostering a culturally inclusive environment. The main goal of my project was to support the launch of a new location in Yakima, aimed at enhancing outreach to rural areas of Washington State. To contribute to this initiative, I developed a culturally adapted communication plan that integrated evidence-based strategies to effectively engage Latinx and Indigenous populations.
