Growing up in British Columbia, I watched wildfires turn skies orange, shaping my passion for environmental health. At YSPH, I built expertise in climate change, wildfires, and air pollution. Dr. Krystal Pollitt, associate professor of epidemiology (environmental health) and a fellow Canadian, has been an incredible mentor, guiding me in designing a thesis on wildfire smoke in my home community. I also led air quality projects with NASA DEVELOP, the Healthy Air Network, the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, and the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions...

The opportunity to pursue doctoral training at Yale was a dream come true. When I arrived at Yale, I hoped to study how residential factors influence cancer risk, prognosis, and long-term survival. Working with Dr. Xiaomei Ma, professor of epidemiology, I was able to pursue this interest while complementing my studies with courses at the Yale School of the Environment and applying advanced spatial methodology to my research. I received the prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health...

Working in The Substances and Sexual Health (SASH) Lab has been a dream come true and has allowed me to support Black girls through research designed for and by them. Dr. Ijeoma Opara, associate professor in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department and director of The SASH Lab has been an incredible mentor, teaching me how to blend research with advocacy in ways that truly uplift this community. Her guidance has shaped my love for mixed-methods research and my approach to public health. Being a part of this important work has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my time at YSPH...