Health Policy and Management

Alumni

Alumni Profiles

  • Chinenye Ezeh, MPH '22

    • Project Manager, The Beacon (NewYork-Presbyterian)

    "I entered the HPM program with a clear understanding of the health issues I wanted to address, but uncertainty about the career path that would allow me to make the greatest impact. The department provided the structure, support, and experiential learning I needed to find my way. Through APEX, health simulations, and steadfast guidance from advisors who encouraged me to explore beyond my comfort zone, I discovered my career path in hospital administration. Now, as an alum, I remain deeply committed to the program, mentoring students, speaking on panels, conducting mock interviews, and serving on the HPM Alumni Board. HPM shaped not only my career trajectory, but also my confidence and commitment to leading meaningful change in healthcare."

  • Tarik Kitson, MPH '11

    • Healthcare Administrator, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Co-Founder and President, Active Plus

    “The Mailman School of Public Health gave me the tools to turn passion into purpose. It helped me bridge public health with youth development, shaping my path as a nonprofit leader and grounding my work in evidence-based impact. I’m proud to stay connected as an alum and continue building healthier, more empowered communities."

    Tarik Kitson is a healthcare administrator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Co-Founder and President of Active Plus, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the physical, mental, and emotional health of youth in underserved communities. With over 17 years of experience in healthcare and public health, Tarik has led patient-focused innovations and youth wellness initiatives across New York City. A former collegiate athlete, he holds a Master of Public Health from Columbia University and is a recognized leader in youth development, having received multiple awards for community impact. His work bridges clinical systems and grassroots health education to build stronger, healthier communities.

  • David Zapol, MBA/MPH '06

    • Co-founder, Goodlife and Third Pole Therapeutics

    "I came to Columbia School of Public Health after reading an article about the pivotal role people at the University had played in setting what would become the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I had a hunch that business would be important in public health, so I enrolled in the MBA program and then Dean Allan Rosenfield encouraged me to pursue a dual MBA/MPH.

    The day I met Professor Josh Ruxin, who ran the SDG health work, we talked for a few hours. We never stopped. We collaborated that summer on a paper - Venture Capital in Global Health for a VC firm and the Gates Foundation. He connected me with my first job after graduation. We went on to co-found Goodlife, today the largest for-profit pharmacy brand in East Africa. Last month we were together in Rwanda where Josh has lived since 2005, working on financing to double our stores. This week we are in Paris with a strategic partner. Next week we’ll be in San Francisco where I work to accelerate technology introduction into the pharmacies in Africa, like AI and Genomics, with wonderful techie collaborators.

    Beyond the many alumni friendships I maintain, I stay connected to Columbia by volunteering to be a mentor to a student each year. These relationships are each unique and inspirational to me. Mentors were essential for my breaking into the field of global health. I love getting in and thinking with current Columbia students about their goals, connecting where I can with people who might be helpful as they launch from Columbia to beyond, cheering for them as they find their own paths to repairing the world, tackling the great challenges of our time."

    David Zapol (MBA/MPH 2006) is co-founder of Goodlife Rwanda with Dr. Josh Ruxin and co-founder of Third Pole with his father, the late Warren Zapol, MD. Previously he co-founded Goodlife Kenya and led expansion of Goodlife in Uganda. David was also a consultant with FSG, helping to grow the firm 10 fold, primarily focused work on the Global Health practice, with clients the Gates Foundation, Pfizer, Lilly, Merck and others. He holds an MBA/MPH from Columbia, an MS in Immunology from Stanford and a BS in Biology from MIT. David lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children. He is always happy to hear from Columbia students.

     

  • Mame-Yaa K. Bosomtwi, MPH '08

    • Public Health & International Development Professional

    "I am constantly reminded of a quote shared by one of the speakers when I attended Mailman’s Admitted Students Day in 2006: “Public Health is Everything.” Months after, when I started my Mailman journey as a Public Health Policy and Management student, I would come to understand the profound truth of that statement throughout my time at Mailman extending to my professional life.

    What stood out most at Mailman, was the commitment of our professors to ensure that every course and lesson prepared us for the realities of public health practice. They instilled in us the need to always have ethical approaches to community engagement as Public Health professionals. I was fortunate to serve as a research assistant in several departments—Health Policy and Management, Sociomedical Sciences, Epidemiology—and later, after graduation in 2008, I was employed as program manager in the Upper East region of Ghana for a project with the Population and Family Health (PopFam) department. Mailman fostered in me a deep appreciation for partnership building and lifelong learning. I made lasting friendships through the rigorous coursework.

    I also have fond memories of serving as President of the Mailman Global Health Forum (a student club). We were privileged to use earmarked funding to support health outreach and promotion in the Washington Heights community. One memorable initiative was a campus concert we organized as part of a food drive to support an Africa-based organization.

    I’ve remained connected to the Mailman community as an alum by subscribing to the HPM department newsletter and participating in activities organized by the Columbia Global Center’s Alumni group in Paris, France. It is also such a joy to have phone calls and email exchanges with some of my Mailman professors and course mates.

    Serving as a mentor in the HPM Alumni Mentor program has also allowed me to stay engaged with current students as they navigate evolving landscapes of public health, work, and networking."

    Mame-Yaa K. Bosomtwi is a public health and international development professional with a background in strategic partnership building, communications, advocacy, and resource mobilization. She has experience in roles such as coordinating the updating of WHO HIV guidelines and contributing to the risk communication and community protection cluster for the mpox outbreak response. Additionally, Ms. Bosomtwi served as Stakeholder Management Officer for the Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, and Gender Equity and Human Rights focal point in the Noncommunicable Diseases department at WHO HQ in Geneva. Previously at the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), in Ethiopia, she was Executive Secretary from 2018 to January 2021. Her experience spans public and private sectors, including positions as Africa Region Head of Public Health at BioMérieux and Global Health Policy Analyst in the CEO’s office at Sanofi. A Ghanaian national, Ms. Bosomtwi holds a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) from Columbia University, a Master’s in Development Practice from Sciences Po Paris, and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Trinity University in Washington, D.C.

    She is fluent in Twi, English, and French.

  • Michelle AU, MPH '19

    • Georgia State Senator, Physician, Writer, Speaker, Public Health Advocate

    "My public health background has been invaluable, not just to me as a practicing physician, but now as a state Senator. Social determinants of health lie at the core of every piece of legislation that crosses my desk, and having a deeper understanding of how to apply a public health lens to policy has made a more effective lawmaker."

    Dr. Michelle Au is an anesthesiologist at Emory-St. Joseph’s Hospital and a State Senator representing Georgia’ 48th District. GA. Senator Au received her MD at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and stayed on for residency training in both pediatrics and anesthesiology. A decade later Dr. Au returned to Columbia to study at the Mailman School of Public Health, focusing on healthcare management and policy, and graduated with a Masters of Public Health in 2019. Dr. Au is involved in physician advocacy with the Medical Association of Georgia and is an alumna of the Georgia Physician Leadership Academy. She has helped advocate on issues around public health and policy at the state and federal level. In November 2020, she was elected to the Georgia State Senate for District 48, running on a platform on improving access to care and health outcomes in Georgia. Her interests include enhancing quality healthcare access, improving public health communication, and focusing on social equity as a key determinant of community health.

  • Richard Beaton, MHA '20

    • Manager, ECG

    "The MHA program in HPM prepared me with the academic training I needed to successfully pivot into healthcare administration and consulting. The professors, career center, and alumni network helped me identify and pursue the best path for me, which eventually led to my work on the internal strategy team of a health system before pursuing a role in provider consulting at ECG."

    Richard Beaton works as a Manager at ECG and has an established track record in operations, strategy, and health economics. He has spent his entire career focusing on healthcare and is well-versed in working with hospitals, health systems, and life sciences organizations. Before ECG, Richard was a manager in strategy and operations for Boston Medical Center Health System. There, among other responsibilities, he was on the COO’s strategy implementation team that developed critical performance improvement analyses and strategic system-wide change for a 514‑bed AMC. Additionally, Richard worked with the CEO and senior VP of ambulatory services to draft a business case demonstrating the clinical and economic value of a $1 million violence intervention program. 

  • Tatiana Blue Dixon, MHA ‘19

    • Chief of Staff, Deloitte

    "The Part Time MHA program gave me life long friends and professors who I can tap for career advice and guidance, who continue to help expand my understanding and love of public health, and who find true pleasure in lifting as they climb."

    Tatiana Blue Dixon is a Chief of Staff at Deloitte. Prior to Deloitte, Tatiana held roles at Google, Peloton, and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Tatiana graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Health and Societies with a concentration in Public Health and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health with an MHA. 

  • Samuel Meyer, MPH ‘20

    • Executive Office Coordinator, AIDS Institute, NYSDOH

    "My favorite part about the HPM experience was getting to learn from such experienced and dedicated faculty members, as well as my classmates who all brought their own unique expertise and backgrounds to the table. I’m grateful for the chance to know and work with so many talented, committed present and future public health professionals."

    Samuel Meyer serves as the executive office coordinator for the AIDS Institute at the New York State Department of Health. Prior to Mailman, Sam served as a legislative assistant for the Iowa State Senate and as a legislative communications intern at the Iowa Department of Public Health in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from HPM with a certificate in Health Policy Analysis and holds a BS in Biology from Drake University.

  • Atef Rafiuddin, MHA '18

    • Director of Business Operations, NYC Health + Hospitals

    "After graduating from the Mailman School of Public Health, I felt prepared with an understanding of health system fundamentals as well as the framework of evaluating and developing approaches to the challenges that affect our systems. My time in HPM gave me the foundational knowledge for my career."

    Atef Rafiuddin is a public health professional working in hospital operations. As a Director of Business Operations at NYC Health + Hospitals, Atef drives operational improvement and efficiency by leading enterprise wide initiatives. Prior to joining NYC Health + Hospitals, he served as a Project Manager and Administrative Fellow at Mount Sinai Morningside. Often wearing many hats, he was responsible for managing the Cardiac service line budget and nursing initiatives. As an Administrative Fellow, he was involved in various patient experience, ambulatory, and hospital operations improvement efforts. Most notably, Atef was a member of the hospital’s Incident Management Team where he played an integral role in COVID surge planning and managing the daily operations of the COVID Vaccine POD. Atef remains active as an alum in HPM, participating in mock interviews, acting as a facilitor on Practicum Day and serving as a mentor to HPM students.