Let me take this opportunity to introduce
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| Marnie Purciel, CHPPD Student Assembly Liaison |
myself. My name is Marnie Purciel, and I am very excited to be the new APHA Student Assembly (SA) Liaison to the CHPPD Section. First, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am in my third and final year of a joint masters program in public health and urban planning at Columbia University. My interests are in GIS methods, health disparities, nutrition and physical activity-related chronic disease prevention, and in examining and changing the mechanisms through which neighborhoods affect health. I currently work for the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy at Columbia on a Built Environment and Health Initiative.
As your Section liaison, I will be an active participant in the SA liaison program as well as a member of CHPPD’s new student committee, of which I was a founding member. I am really looking forward to working with the student committee and the SA to recruit new student members to CHPPD, to advocate for CHPPD students' needs within the Assembly, to encourage student participation in CHPPD and SA activities, and to assist students in figuring out how CHPPD and APHA can help advance their careers. Although I am filling big shoes by taking on this role after Amy Carroll Scott set the standard of excellence so high, I have several new goals to help continue the tradition of strengthening the student voice within CHPPD. I will be a vocal advocate for CHPPD students within the Assembly by strengthening the connections between CHPPD members and the Assembly and by building the foundations for student involvement. I would like more of our students and regular members to take advantage of the National Mentorship Program as mentees and mentors. This will require strong and open communication and coordination between SA processes and CHPPD leadership. I will promote greater feedback about SA activities to CHPPD leadership, and I will communicate your input to the SA on issues that you feel are important to all students.
Please feel free to contact me with your ideas and suggestions, or even just to say hello. Although I’ve been a member of APHA for a few years now, I still struggle with the complexity of this organization. Any advice for a new committee member is welcome and appreciated. I am looking forward to working with CHPPD members and leaders to facilitate the entry of the next generation of public health professionals into APHA and CHPPD. Thank you for helping me to support student’s efforts to excel.
by Marnie Purciel
marnie_purciel@hotmail.com