In my work, I focus on addressing the epidemiological principles of surveillance, assessment, and implementing public health programs, policies, and scientific research. While (Seneca Scientific Solutions+) specializes in Indigenous health, we work to uplift all marginalized groups in every community and culture across the globe.

Indigenous health advocacy, practice, grant writing, research, conference presentations, and partnership outreach and engagement are key components of my everyday work.  In addition, I am very involved in the business development, quality assurance, and capacity building components of SSS+.  I maintain our company’s website, network at supplier diversity conferences, pursue funding and completed various government Minority-Owned Business certifications for the company.

After just hitting one year in this role, I have worked on an array of projects that relate to my education at UBSPHHP.  One example is  our Indigenous COVID-19 response funded by the NYS Department of Health in 2023. We developed three key interventions to address Native health disparities: 1) health literacy training on COVID-19 basics and prevention; 2) a Patient Navigation Tool for preventing severe COVID-19; and 3) a guide for developing an “All Hazards” Tribal Emergency Operations Center. Each component required fundamental knowledge of infectious disease epidemiology, interpreting and disseminating public health data, using reliable health resources, and presenting scientific information clearly — all of which were heavily prioritized throughout the MPH program. 

Additionally, we submitted an abstract detailing this project for the 2024 Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists’ (CSTE) Annual Conference. We were selected to present our work at a week-long event in Pittsburgh. I delivered a 10-minute presentation summarizing our work and its impact to 50-100 epidemiologists working in state and tribal health departments.  I also served as moderator for five presentations.  Leaving the conference, I felt a sense of completion, realizing how my UBSPHHP journey had equipped me for this experience.  

In addition, UBSPHHP is the reason I got involved in this fulfilling work. I was a student in Mr. Seneca’s “Principles of Field Epidemiology” course when it was first offered in Fall 2022. We had a great classroom dynamic, leading me to work with him on other public health projects at SSS+. Words cannot express just how grateful and appreciative I am for his mentorship, experience, wisdom, and support. His passion for Indigenous health, commitment to community engagement, and ethical approach to his work has solidified my decision to pursue a lifelong career in public health and tribal health equity.

This career has opened my eyes to just how severe the inequities are in our local marginalized communities. My family and I are all Buffalo/Niagara Falls natives. Until I started this job, I never once considered the suburbs like Cheektowaga, Tonawanda, and West Seneca all come from Indigenous surnames. I also learned that Buffalo Creek, one of my childhood play areas, was an encampment for the Senecas fleeing from the federally issued Sullivan Campaign. 

We do not give this enough attention in our city, and learning about it made me realize just how many ongoing injustices we often overlook. The invisibility of Indigenous peoples has weighed heavily for generations. Our goal should be a future that ensures the health and wellbeing of Native communities, not just today, but for the next seven generations. The motivation I have to make this change keeps my career interesting and exciting.  Every single day is a new challenge!   

Another exciting aspect is the partnerships we have formed with other community-based organizations in the Buffalo area. I’m on the board of the Fruit of the City AKA FruitBelt Coalition, where I’ve volunteered since 2019. They work towards similar community health goals for the city of Buffalo, concentrating on the Eastside. Recognizing this synergy, we signed a partnership agreement and have started some preliminary work to support the Coalition’s mission. We’ve also joined the Partnership for the Public Good (PPG) list of partners across multiple sectors, including health, environment, population data, and education. 

Every UBSPHHP student learns the “3 P’s of Public Health.” I believe we should consider Partnerships as a fourth essential “P” because of their crucial role in enhancing population health. Because of this job, I have a remarkable and exciting opportunity to partner with people in my social circle and assist them in reaching their community health goals as well. 

I think every public health student should get involved with a community-based organization like Seneca Scientific Solutions+ (SSS+) or the Fruit of the City.  I also believe every UB student should be introduced to Indigenous health.   

These are the folks on the ground floor who know the issues, how it’s really impacting the community, and how to best work with the community. Analyzing these issues from a topical distinct perspective (might not) give you the same level of awareness and understanding. 

This work is also extremely rewarding and always gets me excited for the next day. A great example is our work with the Indigenous Peoples Day Committee in Rochester. I had the opportunity to help organize and implement their annual Indigenous People’s Day event for the city, a community-led initiative that promotes authentic Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) culture, history, and customs. We attended planning meetings throughout the year, vendored at the event representing SSS+, and helped with set-up and clean-up.  

While research is an essential component of public health, community health practice is really where the rubber meets the road. And events like Indigenous Peoples Day are amazing forums where we can witness the impact of this work in action. And it is this rewarding feeling that gives me the energy and drive to give it my all, every day in this job. 

My presentation at CSTE was a significant accomplishment, as it utilized every aspect of my epidemiology education at UB. I leveraged my coursework, field training, research and capstone experience to present our work confidently to an audience of local, state, tribal, and federal epidemiologists. The presentation was well-received by our audience, including the head of the CSTE Tribal Epidemiology subcommittee. 

Similarly, my acceptance into the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board’s Tribal Epidemiology program was also an important accomplishment. I, along with seven other Tribal health professionals from across the country, spent a week in Portland taking intensive Tribal epidemiology methods classes, with monthly follow-ups to work on a funded research capstone project. They have also offered career-long technical support for any prospective epidemiology projects, including grant proposal review, clarification on epidemiologic concepts, and relevant Native health resources.

Writing is an absolutely critical skill to have in this field - especially grant writing. When I first started this job, I thought I was a top-notch writer with the skills to win every grant. Over time, I realized grant writing is a science in itself and requires a much different approach than the more traditional technical writing we do in epidemiology. Learning how to write persuasively, cohesively, and succinctly is a challenging mix.

Another important skill is professional communication. Whenever we apply to a new funding source or seek a new partnership, we always send a thoughtful introductory email detailing who we are, what we do, and why there is synergy in our collective work. Some of our current partners have expressed how impressed they were with this email as it reflects our company’s work ethic, organization, and approach to working with other public health entities. Other examples, such as talking clearly, responding to emails timely, and coordinating meetings, are other great skills to have in this field.

Last is resiliency. You can put your heart and soul into a grant proposal, perfectly fit the eligible criteria, get glowing reviews, and somehow still get rejected. The name of the game in this field is having thick skin. The competition is extensive and there is only so much funding to go around. Being resilient in the face of rejection is critical to sustaining our work and propelling us towards a better future for (Indigenous peoples). It is said to be a Seneca Chief, “you have to have skin seven thumbs thick.”

UBSPHHP is a core reason I had the skills to enter this field with confidence. I continually reference class presentations, textbooks, and analytical assignments from all my MPH classes. They provide a very robust and an easy-to-understand overview of the public health principles relevant to our work. I would highly recommend all MPH graduates save their coursework and notebooks so they can reference trustworthy and reputable sources in their career. 

My field training, culminating project and research experience at UB were also critical to my training. Both the culminating project and research really bolstered my understanding of writing a scientific manuscript and presenting evidence in various scientific formats, like with Perry Poster Day. My field trainings at the ECDOH Office of Epidemiology and Disease Control and NYSDOH Office of Healthcare Epidemiology and Infection Control also helped bridge the gap between conducting epidemiological research and implementing guidance in public health practice.

About once every school year, I scheduled a resume review session with the Career Design Center. They provided invaluable insights into the quality of my resume, ways to make visual improvements, and recommendations on professional experiences. They also provided advice on using LinkedIn effectively, crafting a professional profile, and interacting with online recruiters. The UB Career Design Center staff are incredibly knowledgeable and offer invaluable assistance in preparing students for their job searches. 

Additionally, I used the UB’s “Big Interview” course to learn the basics of interviewing in today’s job market. Right before my final year in the MPH program, I took the time to listen to their videos, practice responses to various questions and learn models (and) formulas for responding to tricky questions. I also practiced with a seasoned Career Design Center staff member who reinforced my knowledge and gave encouraging words of advice.