About
The Public Health Student Association (PHSA) has been established as an organization dedicated to facilitating community service and opportunity for students at the University of Florida. PHSA will strive to enrich the University of Florida and Gainesville communities through widespread promotion of public health to promote interest, awareness, and understanding of the public health profession.
Who can join PHSA?
Membership in this organization is open to all enrolled students at the University of Florida. Non-enrolled students, spouses, faculty, and staff may be associate members; however, they may not vote or hold office.
2024 Executive Board
President
Lauren McDonald
Lauren is an MPH student concentrating in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her public health interests include alcohol and other drugs education, health disparities among the LGBTQ population, and mental health.
The individual in this role will organize and preside over PHSA meetings, develop semester-specific strategic plans, and appoint committee chairpersons in collaboration with the Vice President. They will also have the authority to appoint ad-hoc committees and serve as an ex-officio member on all committees. Monthly meetings with the PHSA advisor and MPH program director will also be conducted to ensure effective communication and alignment with broader program objectives.
Vice president
Ally Mattia
Ally is an MPH student concentrating in Biostatistics. Her public health interests include oral health, maternal health, and health disparities among the deaf and hard-of-hearing population.
The Vice President’s role is to oversee the update of PHSA’s official documents, including appointing committee chairpersons in collaboration with the President. Additionally, the incumbent will supervise all standing PHSA committees and act as a crucial liaison between PHSA and the American Public Health Association. Regular meetings with the PHSA advisor will be conducted to ensure effective coordination and communication.
Treasurer
Vincent Mei
Vincent is an MPH/PhD student in Biostatistics. His public health interests include health access, equity, and destigmatizing mental health and drug use.
The Treasurer will manage the PHSA funding account, which is exclusively allocated to PHSA funds and maintained in a readily accessible savings account. Attendance at the Board of College Councils budget training is essential to ensure proficiency in financial matters. Acting as a liaison between the College Council and PHSA, the incumbent will facilitate effective communication. Detailed and accurate records of all monetary transactions involving PHSA and its committees will be meticulously maintained. Collaborating with the President, the individual will play a key role in preparing annual and semester budgets for PHSA.
Secretary
Paige Tepper
Paige is an MPH student concentrating in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her public health interests include mental health and Type 1 Diabetes management.
The Secretary is tasked with diligently taking minutes at general meetings and preparing them for distribution and approval at the subsequent meeting. Maintaining an accurate record of general meeting attendance and implementing a point system for eligibility is also within their purview. In collaboration with the President, the individual is responsible for preparing a written meeting agenda. Furthermore, they coordinate, collect, and compile committee reports. Regular bi-weekly updates to all Public Health graduate students will be disseminated under their direction. Additionally, close collaboration with the PHSA Historian is expected to create publicity for PHSA events and maintain the Department Calendar.
historian
Veronica Lima
Veronica is an MPH student concentrating in Epidemiology. Her public health interests include mental health, sexual health, social determinants of health, chronic diseases, and alcohol and drug abuse.
The Historian is responsible for maintaining and maintaining the PHSA Instagram ensuring that it accurately reflects the organization’s activities and initiatives. Collaboration with the PHSA secretary is crucial for creating effective publicity for PHSA events and maintaining the Department Calendar. Additionally, the individual will oversee the maintenance of the PHSA bulletin board, strategically located adjacent to the Public Health student lounge in the HPNP building.
Combined degree representative
Devin Valdes
Devin is a Bachelors/MPH combined degree student concentrating in Epidemiology. Devin’s public health interests include reproductive and sexual health, minority health, health disparities, global health, clinical epidemiology, HIV/AIDs, and Community-Based Participatory Research.
The primary responsibility of the combined degree student is to act as a liaison between fellow combined degree students and the MPH program, advocating for the specific needs and concerns unique to this demographic. Despite being MPH students, it is acknowledged that those concurrently pursuing other degrees have distinct requirements. In close collaboration with the advisor and President, the combined degree student plays a crucial role in ensuring that the voices and concerns of their peers in the combined degree programs are effectively communicated and addressed within the broader MPH program.
Online student representative
Chyna Miller
Chyna is an online Master of Public Health (MPH) student specializing in Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her public health passions revolve around exploring the intersection of arts and public health, and she has a keen interest in health communication. Notably, Chyna is the visionary creator and founder of the Public Health Plug, an after-work-hours seminar series designed to offer valuable professional development opportunities to the online MPH student community. This initiative is tailored to the needs of a predominantly full-time working student population, reflecting Chyna’s commitment to enhancing her peers’ educational and career advancement prospects in the online MPH program.
Like the Combined Degree Representative, the primary responsibility of the Online Student Representative is to act as a liaison between fellow online students and the MPH program, advocating for the specific needs and concerns unique to this demographic.