Student Profiles

Tell us about yourself!
I graduated from Colgate University with a BA in Biology in May 2019. I then served as a Consultant for a women's organization, Tri Delta, before starting my MPH at Mailman in the HPM Department. My certificate is in Health Policy Analysis, and I completed my summer practicum at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. After Mailman, I will serve as an Administrative Fellow at Memorial Sloan Kettering working within Regulatory Affairs and Hospital Operations.

How do you see Mailman, and specifically HPM, meeting with your academic and professional goals?
The MPH Core at Mailman provided me with an in-depth understanding of the field of public health, which has been incredibly valuable even in hospital settings! The HPM Department and its certificates truly built upon not only my knowledge gained from the Core but even my work experience as a Consultant. HPM's Health Policy Analysis certificate has provided me with invaluable critical thinking skills and competencies in areas such as public health law, healthcare quality, and strategic insurance plan management. Given the complex nature of the U.S. healthcare system, HPM courses have allowed me to become a more well-rounded public health leader. The HPM Department's faculty, staff, and curriculum have also prepared me for my postgraduate career, developing my professionalism, analysis skills, and collaboration skills due to the intentional structure of classes.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?
I hope to graduate with a strong understanding of public health and healthcare administration, which the HPM Department has already afforded me. Having an understanding of public health policy, law, healthcare quality, economics, and management is crucial for public health figures as well as healthcare workers. I am confident that the skills and knowledge that I have gained from my time at Mailman in the HPM department will serve me well during my Fellowship and beyond.

Tell us about yourself!
I was born in Augusta, GA and graduated from the University of Georgia with a BS in Genetics and a minor in Global Health. I worked in a genetics lab where I explored the creation of transgenic techniques to increase diversity in genetically homogeneous populations through editing cis-regulatory elements. I also had the opportunity to work as a medical intern in the Khayelitsha township of Cape Town, South Africa. Through these experiences, I realized I enjoyed using evidence-based research to improve people’s lives. My current interests are learning about effective ways to implement policies to create a more equitable healthcare system for underrepresented communities.

How do you see Mailman, and specifically HPM, meeting with your academic and professional goals? 
Mailman’s commitment to, "educating the next generation of public health leaders to deliver solutions to protect and improve health of people everywhere," really connected with me as someone who desires to work in the healthcare sector. Understanding the intricacies of the complex American healthcare system will be invaluable as I begin my professional journey in implementing policies and strategies that advocate for a more accessible, equitable system. The resources available to us as students in HPM are unmatched, and it genuinely feels like the entire staff from professors to administrators want to see you succeed. The people in HPM are not just available when you are attending the school but are available for the rest of your life. This level of support was really a large draw to attend Columbia.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?
I hope to further my understanding of the healthcare system, while also having the opportunity to connect with professors who are leaders in healthcare all around the world. Additionally, the students within this program are from many different countries and bring a unique global perspective to class discussions that I would never be able to experience if I did not attend an institution like Columbia. Being a part of the Mailman community is about so much more than just being another graduate student, it is about creating an environment where every single person feels valued and respected regardless of their background. I am excited to be able to connect with my classmates and professors for the next two years.   

Tell us about yourself!
I began my academic path at Mailman after graduating from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in pharmaceutical sciences in 2020. During my time at Mailman, I worked at a health advising firm and I joined a non-profit organization, Bridged Health, as the Director of Health Specialists. I currently work as a health care consultant for COPE Health Solutions, a value-based firm where I have been able to better understanding of the value-based care landscape. After graduation, I will be joining NYU Langone Health as an Administrative Fellow.

How do you see Mailman, and specifically HPM, meeting with your academic and professional goals? 
As a healthcare professional who is driven by a desire to decrease health inefficiencies and inequities, Mailman gives me the opportunity to learn from professionals at the top of their field who have experience putting these ideas into practice. The HPM department has a well-rounded curriculum that allows students to see a holistic view of healthcare concepts. It vital that healthcare professionals in all fields, from administration, consulting, clinical, and more, are aligned on the steps necessary to improve access and quality while decreasing costs, and the HPM curriculum has done an exceptional job of conveying this. Leaving this program, I will have the necessary skills to become a leader in healthcare who can make a truly positive impact!

What do you hope to gain from this experience?
Through this experience, I hope to expand my knowledge base of healthcare administration to ensure that in practice I am able to effect meaningful change. The MHA degree will provide me with a strong toolset of skills that will allow me to attack the root cause of many inefficiencies faced in health systems, while also providing knowledge of how I can help make healthcare more equitable for vulnerable populations.

Tell us about yourself!
I began my career as a researcher in the Columbia University Department of Neurological Surgery. There I co-authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications focusing on cerebrovascular disease and applications of consumer technology to healthcare. Later, I transitioned into practice operations where I grew my passion for combining data analytics with subject matter expertise to deliver the highest level of patient care. Currently, I work as a business analyst at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and serve in multiple volunteer capacities including the Columbia University Black Undergraduate Mentoring Program.

How do you see Mailman, and specifically HPM, meeting with your academic and professional goals? 
In the short time I have been at Mailman, I have been afforded the opportunity to interact and learn from professionals with expertise from every corner of health care. In the classroom, my fellow HPM students and I discuss cases with immediate impact on my current work. Furthermore, our instructors provide us with an unparalleled depth of knowledge and practical experience from their years in practice and academia. Perhaps the most impactful aspects of HPM have been the many mentorship opportunities. In just a few months, my student, faculty, and alumni mentors have helped me chart a professional path on which I am excited to continue.

What do you look forward to in the part-time program?
I am looking forwarded to applying the knowledge base we are developing in the classroom to the workplace. So much of what HPM has done already has expanded my understanding of the healthcare space beyond my personal experience, both working and as a patient. Placing the unique position of our current healthcare system into a larger context has helped me and my fellow classmates develop ideas we had not previously seen and some that are completely novel. I am excited for the opportunity to do this even more as I grow and learn.

Jeff McInnes is the Director of Revenue Cycle and Value-Based Care Strategy at Esperanza Health Centers, a nationally recognized federally qualified health center dedicated to delivering culturally competent, high quality health care to the historically underserved communities of the southwest side of Chicago. Jeff previously held roles providing revenue cycle management services to small group practices before transitioning to community based non-profit and safety net providers in 2013. Jeff is passionate about community healthcare and its potential to deliver health equity and justice through the alleviation of disparities in underserved and disenfranchised communities. At Esperanza, Jeff directs the revenue cycle department, patient benefit enrollment team, and leads value-based contracting and reimbursement transformation initiatives. He serves on the telehealth expansion taskforce as well as the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee. Outside of his work at Esperanza, Jeff is an independent health care consultant specializing in payer contracting and revenue cycle reporting and operations optimization. In his spare time, Jeff played rugby for an LGBTQ+ inclusive club (since retired for the sake of his knees) and enjoys traveling, skiing, cooking, and spending time with his family, friends, and golden retriever, Bear.

How do you see Mailman, and specifically HPM, meeting with your academic and professional goals? 
I am fortunate to have received exposure to a broad set of health care policy and management challenges over the course of my career, but those experiences pale in comparison to the breadth of knowledge and expertise I have encountered not only in the Mailman faculty but also my Executive MPH/MHA cohort peers. The insights I gain during each Exec weekend come back with me to Chicago and influence my approach to my own work in real time. At this inflection point in my professional and academic career, I value the HPM curriculum for exposing me to previously unfamiliar sectors of the health care delivery system, and I credit the program with opening my eyes to new potential career paths.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?
I hope to continue to grow and develop as a leader in community health care, to contribute to the expansion of affordable, high quality health care, and to leverage the knowledge, experiences, and contacts I have made in the service of a greater mission to deliver health equity to underserved and marginalized populations.