Current Students

Edith Dale

Edith Dale is a Master’s of Public Health – Global Health student at the University of Washington, having completed her bachelor’s in Medical Anthropology and Global Health. With living experiences in Kenya, South Africa, and England, she developed a profound passion for maternal and child health. Her exposure to various cultures and healthcare systems has profoundly influenced her approach to global health, emphasizing community engagement and cultural sensitivity. Committed to addressing health disparities, particularly among marginalized populations, Edith takes an anthropological lens to her research and interventions, striving to understand and respect unique contexts. Through the Global WACh Certificate program, she aims to establish meaningful connections while enhancing her knowledge of neglected tropical diseases and the role of gut health in child survival, advocating for holistic and community-centered approaches to improve health outcomes.

Amanda Debuo Der

Amanda is a first-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health and a Fulbright Scholar from Ghana. She holds a Master of Science in Bioethics from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health (Health Promotion) from the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ghana. Amanda’s academic and professional journey is grounded in advancing sexual and reproductive health, particularly among adolescents and underserved populations. Her research spans ethical issues in comprehensive abortion care, contraception, reproductive autonomy, socio-ethical issues of surrogacy in Ghana, HIV service uptake and lost to follow-up including assisted partner services. As a Public Health Practitioner in Ghana, Amanda played a pivotal role in designing and implementing community-centered health promotion programs. She led public health education campaigns in schools, communities, and through mass media, with a strong focus on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and non-communicable diseases. She is passionate about implementation science, health policy, advocacy, community engagement, and advancing ethical frameworks in reproductive and global health research. Through the Global WACh Certificate Program, Amanda hopes to deepen her expertise in women, and adolescent health – including child health, learn from the interdisciplinary team, and gain mentorship that will support her growth as a global health leader committed to advancing equity, advocating and improving health outcomes in underserved communities.

Rara Dethan

Rara Dethan, Licensed Midwife, B.A., MPHc., is a midwife and public health practitioner specializing in the delivery of maternal and child health services in low-middle-income countries with a special interest in sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and the continuum of professional development for health care providers. Ms. Dethan began her professional career as a midwife educator working with the International NGO Health Alliance International (HAI) in her home country of Timor-Leste. She went on to serve as a sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advisor for Plan International focusing on providing technical expertise for national Timorese organizations and youth. Her most recent work was as a national consultant with UNFPA in Timor-Leste to strengthen governmental and national NGO capacity on prevention and response to gender-based violence. Ms. Dethan has also served as President of the Board of the National NGO HAMNASA formerly Health Alliance International and held volunteer positions working with youth. Currently, she is pursuing her master’s degree in Public Health in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington as a Fulbright scholar.

Brooke Erickson

Brooke is a first-year student pursuing a Master of Public Health in Global Health at the University of Washington. She graduated with High Honors from Lehigh University in May 2024, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Health, Medicine, and Society and Psychology with a Global Health minor. Brooke cultivated her passion for community health, women’s health, and global mental health as a member of the Mothers of Sierra Leone team, where she created documentary films amplifying community members’ voices through storytelling, contributing to a reduction in the high maternal mortality rate in Sierra Leone. She also conducted independent research on mental health in rural Bududa, Uganda, through the Uganda Sustainable Livelihoods Program. Throughout her time at the University of Washington, Brooke will serve as a SCOPE fellow researching mental illness in Ethiopia and promoting well-being through a community-centered framework that connects Orthodox priests, healthcare professionals, and residents. Brooke is pursuing the Global WACh certificate to enhance her skills in ethically addressing global health challenges that disproportionately impact women, such as program implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, along with furthering her quantitative and qualitative research and advocacy skills.

Samira Farah

Samira Farah is an MPH student at the University of Washington, concentrating on Social and Behavioral Sciences within the Health Systems and Population Health Department. With a background in Medical Anthropology and Global Health, her passion lies in developing innovative programs that empower underserved communities, advancing their emotional well-being and promoting health equity. Her academic pursuits and professional experiences reflect her commitment to improving health outcomes through inclusive practices. With the help of the Global WACh Certificate, she hopes to expand her knowledge on maternal mental health, particularly focusing on East African immigrant and refugee populations. Her research interests center on the intersection of cultural displacement, maternal mental health, and intergenerational well-being. Drawing from community-based research and engagement, Samira aims to bridge the gap between traditional postpartum practices and contemporary mental health support systems through programs that integrate cultural wisdom with evidence-based interventions.

Tessa Fujisaki

Tessa is a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health. She received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Pomona College. Prior to starting her MPH, she worked as a research assistant at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health where her research focused on increasing access to contraception and sexual health education for married adolescents in Northern Nigeria. Tessa currently works as a research assistant at UW on the MARA study in Kenya, which seeks to better understand adolescent girls’ and young women’s contraceptive method preferences and challenges to obtain them. Through the Global WACh Certificate program, she aims to learn more about how to utilize community-based interventions, qualitative research, and international collaboration to address maternal and reproductive health issues both globally and within her home state of Washington.

Amaya Gatling

Amaya Gatling is a Master of Public Health candidate in the Department of Global Health. She obtained a dual Bachelor of Science in Global Health and Life Sciences Communication from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Amaya’s professional background in social marketing and health communication informs her interest in health literacy as a sexual and reproductive health promotion tool. More broadly, she is passionate about the intersection of sexual and reproductive health, human rights, and social justice. In line with this, she is interested in contributing to research projects related to intimate partner violence or gender-based health inequities in conflict settings or populations experiencing homelessness. Through the Global WACh certificate program, Amaya strives to advance her program implementation skills, build strong professional networks, and learn strategies to eliminate all forms of violence against women.

Emmalie Griswold

Emmalie is an MPH student in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health with an interest in the intersection of policy and reproductive health. Prior to pursuing her MPH she worked at Planned Parenthood as a pregnancy options counsellor, and plans to dedicate her career to improving and protecting access to sexual and reproductive health services. She has a B.S. in Health Sciences from the College of Idaho, where she additionally minored in Political Economy. Through the Global WACH certificate, Emmalie hopes to improve her knowledge about how to bring evidence-based reproductive health practices to rural and/or socially conservative environments, both in the United States and Globally.

Chidozie Declan Iwu

Chidozie is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Epidemiology. He has received multi-disciplinary training in public health microbiology, epidemiology, and disease control. He is passionate about infectious diseases and its impact on vulnerable population including women and children. He is also interested in understanding the transmission dynamics of emerging/re-emerging microbial diseases using the One-Health framework, and how these dynamics intersects various social determinants of health. Chidozie has a wealth of experience conducting research across multiple facets of public health, including global disease burden, vaccine preventable diseases, and antimicrobial resistance/stewardship. On completion of the Global WACh certificate program, Chidozie hopes to advance evidence-based interventions that address the complex interplay between health and social determinants, ultimately contributing to the improved health and well-being of the vulnerable populations worldwide.

Angella Kim

Angella is a Master of Public Health student in the department of Health Systems and Population Health with a background in mixed-methods and community-engaged research. Her interest is in the utilization of primary care to enhance preventive healthcare, particularly regarding cervical cancer and childhood immunizations. She received her undergraduate degrees in Public Health-Global Health and Informatics from the University of Washington in 2023. Angella is currently working as a research assistant at UW Medicine where she supports primary care research in immigrant communities. Through the Global WACh Certificate program, Angella hopes to expand her knowledge in research and effective health promotion strategies on a global scale.

Eamonn McGonigle

Eamonn McGonigle is a 2nd year MPH student in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington. In 2023 he received his undergraduate degree in Public Health Sciences from the University of Michigan. Over the past 4 years, he has worked on domestic and global HIV and PrEP qualitative and mixed methods research. Through this research, he has focused on HIV prevention in pregnant women, children, and prisoners and HIV treatment among adolescents. Most recently he has worked with Dr. Jenn Slyker on a quantitative study examining immune reactions among Kenyan children to a routine influenza vaccine. Through the Global WACh certificate, Eamonn hopes to build skills to support individuals with sexual and reproductive health throughout the lifecycle and implement effective and culturally tailored disease prevention interventions all while building a strong professional network of peers with a shared vision for positive health change.

Elizabeth Momoh

Elizabeth is an international student from Nigeria and received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Cameron University, Oklahoma. As a Ph.D. student in the department of Chemistry, her research focuses on studying host immune responses evoked by malaria antigens isolated from South Asian P. falciparum and P. vivax using bioinformatics and immunology tools. Elizabeth is a student researcher with a deep interest in infectious diseases and global health. She is especially passionate about water and sanitation practices in rural African communities. Through the completion of the Global WACh Certificate Program, she hopes to advance her knowledge of global women’s health, policy implementation, and best practices to protect mothers and infants against placental malaria and other communicable diseases.

Margaret Nickel

Margaret is a Master of Public Health student in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Rutgers University Honors College in May 2024, earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, a Minor in Spanish, and a Certificate in Global Health and Health Policy. While at Rutgers, Margaret conducted independent research as part of the Bloustein Honors Research Program, collaborating with Ipas Bolivia to explore barriers women face in accessing quality maternal healthcare through interviews with doctors. Margaret was a four-year member of the varsity Rutgers Women’s Rowing team, an experience that has fueled her passion for improving mental health support for women and girls, as well as advocating for the accessibility and benefits of sports for adolescent girls. Through the Global WACh certificate, Margaret aims to deepen her expertise in program evaluation, management, and implementation to address health disparities affecting women and children. She is committed to building a robust professional network that will empower her to drive meaningful change in maternal and child health.

Hana Neutz

Hana Neutz is a Master of Public Health candidate in the Department of Global Health. She obtained Bachelor of Science degrees in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Health Sciences from Chapman University. Hana’s professional background is in strategic healthcare consulting through primary research, where she worked on expanding access to birth control and lowering family planning stigma for Latinas in the US. Hana currently volunteers at the Fund for Global Health, working on initiatives in rural Nigeria to lower the under-5 child mortality rate through nutrition interventions. Concurrently, she works as an intern at PATH researching the current donor landscape in Latin America for Maternal and Child Health initiatives. Through the Global WACh certificate program, Hana hopes to build a strong professional network of people who have the same goals and visions as she does.

Lisa Orii

Lisa Orii is a Ph.D. student in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. Before starting her Ph.D., she received a B.A. in Computer Science and Philosophy from Wellesley College. Her research examines the delivery of healthcare with human-centered technologies in low- and middle-income countries. Her recent projects include enhancing data security for a mobile medical record system in a national HIV care program in Malawi and designing and implementing a mobile application that provides contraceptive education and decision support for youth in Kenya. Moreover, she is passionate about improving the quality of care for vulnerable communities. Through the Global WACh Certificate Program, Lisa hopes to equip herself with the skills and knowledge to bridge the technical and health domains. She is also excited to join a community that is grounded in a shared passion to improve health globally.

Yvette Rodriguez

Yvette is a PhD student in the UW School of Nursing. She is a Latina of Mexican American and Puerto Rican descent from San Antonio, TX. She has a B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University-San Antonio and a B.S. in Nursing Science from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. As a graduate student at the University of Washington, she has had the opportunity to assist with global health research in-person in Peru and remotely in Kenya and Argentina. Her research interests include infectious diseases, health disparities, adolescent health and adolescent health advocacy, and innovative digital health technologies. Her dissertation will focus on utilizing patient-centered health technologies to support adolescents and their mental health needs during tuberculosis treatment in Argentina.

Thania Solar Del Valle

Thania, a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington and originally from Costa Rica, holds an MD from the University of Costa Rica. Her experience as a medical doctor serving women, adolescents, and children ignited her passion for understanding and addressing the pathologies affecting these populations through research, tailored interventions and advocacy. She is particularly interested in studying global healthcare systems’ impact on reproductive health and advancing genetics and vaccine research, as well as implementing evidence-based interventions for the rights and well-being of women, adolescents, and children worldwide. Thania aims to deepen her expertise in global health research and leadership through the Global WACh certificate program, where she seeks to build professional networks and gain insights into effective strategies for promoting the health and rights of these populations on an international scale.

Akane Sugimoto Storey

Akane is a student in the Doctor of Global Health Leadership and Practice (DrGH). She has an MSc in Maternal and Infant Health and a BA in International Studies. She has over ten years of experience in midwifery practice, clinical capacity building, midwifery education, and health systems strengthening with a focus on maternal and newborn health, sexual and reproductive health, community-based health services, and management and leadership. Prior to beginning her DrGH, she implemented USAID-funding programming in Afghanistan focused on strengthening quality of care across the Afghan health system, primarily in targeted rural areas. Her experience includes midwifery practice and clinical direction at a midwifery-led center in southern Mexico, clinical direction at a direct-entry midwifery program in the USA, and working with community-based organizations in Mexico, Central America, and the USA. Akane is passionate about scaling community-based, right-sized, person-centered models of care and strengthening the connections between the components of health systems. Through the Global WACH certificate, she hopes to strengthen skills for project and program leadership, build professional networks, and continue to develop strategies for enabling the health and wellbeing of women, adolescents, children, newborns, and families.