"I was an English major as an undergraduate, and what I liked most was writing.  I found my way into media relations, but I felt like my efforts could be channeled to greater social good, so I found something called social marketing, which is about applying what we know about effective communication from consumer products and services to social practices and policies.  That's how I got into public health.

"Part of my center's mission is to address health inequalities. There are health disparities and they are great.  People who live in poverty are subject to many more life stresses, environmental toxins and risks; and have few opportunities for healthy living.

How we get communication strategies that work integrated into real-world systems systems that serve disadvantaged populations is a central focus of my work."