Academic Health Department
Academic Health DepartmentWhat We Do
The TDH Academic Health Department (AHD) provides opportunities for students, faculty, and academic institutions to partner with the Tennessee Department of Health. The AHD centrally manages student experiences including internships, fellowships, medical residencies, and collaborative projects. The goal of the AHD is to engage students, educators, and new graduates in meaningful practice to protect and improve the health and well-being of people in Tennessee.
Contact: AHD.health@tn.gov
Students interested in a public health career can visit the Public Health Careers Explorer to see what could be a good fit!
Opportunities
Education: Engaging with timely, relevant topics to increase knowledge and skills. This two-way communication contributes to both Workforce Development and faculty connection with practitioners.
Relationship-building: Networking among practitioners, faculty, and students in areas of mutual interest builds and extends trust.
Practice-focused research: Relevant research opportunities are identified as stakeholders discuss needs, emphasizing the iterative cycle where research translates to practice and practice informs research.
Improving the public’s health: The ultimate goal is to ensure that prevention interventions are supported by science and effective in practice in order to improve the public’s health. This motive drives all other outcomes.
Focus Areas
| Focus Areas | Services Offered |
| Service Learning | Internships |
| Practice Experience | Fellowships |
| Workforce Pipeline Development | Shadowing |
| Institutional Engagement | Scholarships |
| Continuing Education | Classroom Visits |
| Connections to Research Opportunities | Expert TDH Staff Lectures |
| Exchange of Faculty and Staff | Tours of TDH Facilities |
| Academic Meetings and Symposia | AHD Affiliation Agreements |
Advisory Committee
The AHDAC helps guide the strategic direction of the Tennessee Department of Health’s Academic Health Department in service to academic institutions, students, and the public health workforce including advisement on programming, goals, objectives, and sustainability. The AHDAC is composed of 11 faculty members representing public health programs at 11 Tennessee institutions of higher learning.
Amir Alakaam
MPH Program Director
University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Taylor Dula
Assistant Dean for Student Services
East Tennessee State University
Julie Grubaugh
Undergraduate Program Director
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Garrett Harper
MPH Program Director
Trevecca Nazarene University
Brad Hawkins
MPH Practicum Director
Vanderbilt University
Ilias Kavouras
Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs
University of Memphis
Jareese K. Lee
Director, Program Management, School of Global Health
Meharry Medical College
Miranda Sanford Terry
Director, Public Health Programs
Tennessee State University
Heather Tillewein
Assistant Professor
Austin Peay State University
Christian Williams
Chair, Department of Public Health
Belmont University
Bethany Wrye
Chair, Dept. of Health and Human Performance
MIddle Tennessee State University
Partnerships
Our partner organizations include the Tennessee Public Health Association, Health Occupations Students of America, and tnAchieves. Through these partnerships, we engage high schoolers, those looking to pursue a degree in public health, and those already in degree programs. We offer a number of scholarships to support conference attendance and higher education in health-related fields as part of our strategic mission to build a robust public health workforce.
Internships
Apply for Placement
Are you a college student looking for an internship and a better understanding of what we do in public health? We offer experiences for both in-state and out-of-state students. Assisting the Department of Health (TDH) in understanding what you want to learn helps us identify the best opportunity available. If we find that your interests and our needs align, we will contact you to discuss placement. Please note all applicants must be at least 18 years old and high school graduates or equivalent at the time of placement.
The application for Spring 2027 has closed. The application for Summer 2027 will open January 15, 2027.
Please email us at AHD.Health@tn.gov with questions.
Jada Bowen
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, South-Central Local Health Department
School: University of Tennessee, Southern
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health Education
Jayla Carter
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Chidiebere Chukwuka
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Hannah Chunn
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, South-Central Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Degree: Master of Public Health
Riley Connelly
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Zahra Hanif
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Mid-Cumberland Local Health Department
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health Administration
Michaela Gelande
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Mid-Cumberland Local Health Department
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health and Human Performance
Daniel Gormezano
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Science, Data Science
Cle’Asja Heard
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Matthew Jenkins
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Elizabeth Kalio
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Lisa Kim
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Child Development
Erika Kirtz
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Johns Hopkins University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Arshia Malhotra
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry
Madison Marsee
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Orlandric Miree
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Amber Morris
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Walden University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Sejal Neas
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Karia Nelson
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Walden University
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Public Health
Alisa Osborne
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Hofstra University
Degree: Master of Health Administration
Dhrusha Pandya
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Science, Healthcare Informatics
Christian Patterson Jr.
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, West Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Martin
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health and Human Performance
Madeline Porterfield
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Lipscomb University
Degree: Doctor of Pharmacy
Halley Russell
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Mira Schwadron
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Metadel Takele
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Science, Biostatistics
Tobey Tolar
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health Administration
Holiness Uhuegbu
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of Alabama, Birmingham
Degree: Master of Public Health
Vicky Vo
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: University of Pennsylvania
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Nursing
Maryam Abdolmaleki
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Tunika Akpala
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Eastern Carolina University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Breyanna Bemley
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health Information Management
Shila Bhatta
Placement: Office of Overdose Response Coordination
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sana Boghani
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Madison Collins
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sarah Cooper
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Alabama
Degree: Master of Science, Applied Statistics
Megh Dixit
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Medicine, Health & Society
Tracy Donovan
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Kennedy Estrada
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Meharry Medical College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Jessica Ferguson
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Belmont University
Degree: Master of Business Administration
Dianna Frick
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Shelley Johannesson
Placement: Office of Rural Health
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Nicholas Joyner
Placement: Office of Health Planning
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Science, Applied Data Science
Hannah Marsh
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, East Regional Health Office
School: University of the Cumberlands
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Taylor Mayes
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Biology
Cynthia McLean
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Southeast Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Degree: Master of Public Health
Gahssan Mehmood
Placement: Office of Health Planning
School: University of South Carolina
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Public Health
Shreeya Moolamalla
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Molecular and Cellular Biology
Chyanne Morrison
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Ellie Morrison
Placement: Office of Health Planning
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Amie Norris
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Alabama, Birmingham
Degree: Master of Public Health
Merete Oakes
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Northeast Regional Health Office
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Oluwafunmilaya Ogundeko-Olugbami
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Esther Osime
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Isaac Owusu
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Pooja Patel
Placement: Office of General Counsel
School: Florida State University
Degree: Juris Doctor, Public Health & Law
Karli Pettitt
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, East Local Health Department
School: Carson-Newman University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Food and Nutrition
Anna Podgorny
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Memphis
Degree: Master of Public Health
Lyba Qureshi
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Youstine Tadros
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Kavi Tailor
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Maddie Williams
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: Purdue University
Degree: Master of Arts, Health Communication
Deja Wilson
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Cydney Wright
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Katrina Zabransky
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Rachel Adams
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: University of Tennessee, Martin
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health and Human Performance
Jacob Browning
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Louisiana State University
Kaitlyn Burns
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Health Sciences
Owen Cai
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Medicine, Health & Society
Gloria Collao Aldave
Placement: Office of Informatics and Analytics
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Science, Healthcare Informatics
Kalvyn Crummie
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Upper-Cumberland Regional Health Office
School: Tennessee Technological University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Healthcare Administration
Rashmi Dhital
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Kelly Estilette
Placement: Office of Health Aging
School: Tulane University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Joanna Foster-Leavy
Placement: Division of Health Disparities Elimination
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Addisten Gieske
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, South-Central Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
James Hill
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Mariam Ibraheem
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Catherine James
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sara Katie Jones
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sewly Khatun
Placement: Office of Health Planning
School: Missouri State University
Degree: Master of Science, Project Management
Ann Lopez
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Layla Love
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Healthcare Management
Layke-Michal Lowery
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Orlandric Miree
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sephora N’sapo
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Brystal Pearson
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Nashville State Community College
Degree: Associate of Science, Business Administration and Management
Jeremy Pond
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Upper-Cumberland Regional Health Office
School: Tennessee Technological University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Healthcare Administration
William Roberson
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Evamarie Sampson
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Madeline Spradley
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
William St. Clair
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Upper-Cumberland Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Claire Stephens
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: Belmont University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Rashell Vasquez
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Emory University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Vicky Vo
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: University of Pennsylvania
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Nursing
Allison West
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Western Kentucky University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Celia Wilson-Patino
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: University of Georgia
Degree: Master of Public Health
Blessing Awolade
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Emily Barr
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health Administration
Annakathryn Berry-Brown
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, South-Central Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Southern
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health Education
Karl Brown
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Disease and Disease Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Kierra Calhoun
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, West Regional Health Office
School: University of Memphis
Degree: Master of Business Administration
Jesse Carlson
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Epidemiology
Lily Cravens
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Anaya Dishmon
Placement: Division of Health Disparities Elimination
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Medicine, Health & Society
Gracelyn Eaves
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Treasure Ebikwo
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Emory University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Mercy Falade
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Autumn Ganis
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of Alabama, Birmingham
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ahmed Imami
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
Samantha Kendall
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Schience, Rehabilitative Health Sciences
Laura Ketron
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Emberlyn Kilburn
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, South-Central Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Southern
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health Education
Khadija Kuyateh
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: Emory University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Lia Nagge
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Jasasra Nour
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Andrea Nutsugah
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Caroline Petersen
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Geographic Information Science & Technology
Jessica Potter
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, East Regional Health Office
School: University of New England
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sam Rahbin
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Neuroscience
Adeline Rivera
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, South-Central Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Southern
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Alyssa Rudolph
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: Belmont University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Erica Seal
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, East Regional Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Priscilla Sekpey
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ja-Kayla Small
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, South-Central Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Southern
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health Education
Aquisha Sparkman
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, South-Central Regional Health Office
School: Southern New Hampshire University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health Information Management
Meagan To
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Medicine, Health & Society
Morgan Turner
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Jahya Winters
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Kaylee Wright
Placement: Division of Community Health Services, West Regional Health Office
School: Union University
Degree: Master of Social Work
Peter Adediji
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Bless-me Ajani
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Annakathryn Berry-Brown
Placement: Lawrence and Giles County Health Departments
School: University of Tennessee, Southern
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Abbie Campbell
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness, Waterborne and Zoonotic Program
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Alanna Kate Cruz
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Boston University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Bel Dalton
Placement: Division of Laboratory Services
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Alexander Douglass
Placement: Office of Health Statistics
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Deja Frazier
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Holly Frye
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office and Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Keona Gwinn
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Meharry Medical College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ailaina Harper
Placement: Wilson County Health Department
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Community and Public Health
Sana Hasan
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Albert Ko
Placement: Office of Overdose Response and Coordination
School: Harvard University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Katie Lukasiak
Placement: Office of Health Planning
School: Liberty University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Emily Maples
Placement: Sevier County Health Department
School: Maryville College
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Developmental Psychology
Gahssan Mehmood
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: University of South Carolina
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Mustapha Aliyu Muhammad
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Karia Nelson
Placement: West Regional Health Office
School: Walden University
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Public Health
Derrick Nyantakyi Owusu
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment, Tennessee Cancer Registry
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Bomi Ogunlari
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Kimberly Okafor-Mbaso, MD
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Mariagorathy Okonkwo
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: University of Iowa
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Epidemiology
Adaora Onuigbo
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Meharry Medical College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Esther Osime
Placement: Office of Health Aging
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Khusi M. Patel
Placement: West Regional Health Office
School: University of Alabama, Birmingham
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Psychology
Brittany Phung
Placement: Williamson County Health Department
School: University of Memphis
Degree: Master of Public Health
Kiana Roberson
Placement: Division of Community Health Services
School: Grand Canyon University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Gabriela M. Romero Frias
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of Minnesota
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sabrina Sabir
Placement: Office of General Counsel
School: University of Alabama
Degree: Juris Doctorate
Ashley Smith
Placement: Division of Community Health Services
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Community Health Worker Training Program of Tennessee
Morgan Elyse Streat
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Chloe Urias
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness, Traumatic Brain Injury Program
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Isaiah Varella
Placement: Office of Health Planning
School: Harvard University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Noah Wren
Placement: Office of Informatics and Analytics
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Autumn Brazzell
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Carson Newman University
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Mae M. Brooks
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Tulane University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Connor Brown
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Lee University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Disaster Management
Emma Catherine Fennell
Placement: Office of General Counsel
School: Belmont University
Degree: Juris Doctorate
Makenna Frenia
Placement: Division of Health Disparities Elimination, Office of Rural Health
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Marlyn Holguin
Placement: West Regional Health Office
School: University of Memphis
Degree: Master of Public Health
Kayleigh Kuhn
Placement: West Tennessee Regional Health Office
School: University of Memphis
Degree: Master of Public Health
Montaja McMullen-Crockett
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Meharry Medical College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Annalise Mitchell
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: Belmont University
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Emily Moore
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Doctor of Medicine
Ellie Nadelmann
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Disease and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Damilare Ogungbesan
Placement: Division of Community Health
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Professional Science, Healthcare Informatics
Adamma Olisa
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Hannah Ostrander
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Eastern Washington University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Callie Pierce
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Nick Pringle
Placement: Office of Overdose Response and Coordination
School: Harvard University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Rashmikaa Ranganathan
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Imogene Ragan
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: Milligan University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science
Abby Robertson
Placement: Division of Community Health Services
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health and Human Performance
Catie Scannell
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health & Climate Studies
Anika Shah
Placement: Office of Primary Prevention
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Medicine, Health & Society
Parth Sinojia
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Rhodes College
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Neuroscience
Cheyenne Smith
Placement: Hawkins County Health Department
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Community Health Worker Training Program of Tennessee
Gretchen Wade
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Leslyne Watkins
Placement: Wilson County Health Department
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Gwendolyn Wilks
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Felicia Wright
Placement: Tennessee Integrated Food Safety Center of Excellence
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sarah Zeng
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Medicine, Health & Society
Jalah Bates
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Meharry Medical College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ashley Beck (Raney)
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Jordan Brock
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Miranda Dailey
Placement: Wilson County Health Department
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Nathan Dockery
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Jenny Donaldson
Placement: Washington County Health Department
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Dionne Gray
Placement: Southeast Regional Health Office, Emergency Preparedness
School: Grand Canyon University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ophelia Imuze
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Augusta University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Teddy John
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
LaCrisha Johnson
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Meharry Medical College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Aaleyah Kelso
Placement: Mid-Cumberland Regional Health Office
School: Meharry Medical College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Alexa Kifer
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Emory University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sarah Kousky
Placement: West Tennessee Regional Health Office
School: Union University
Degree: Master of Social Work
Kendall Mack
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Jordan Malone
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Jasmine Mumpfield
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Gabrielle Olivastro
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Belmont University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Rachel Seligstein
Placement: Division of Communicable and Emergency Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Karen Williams
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Capella University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Alexandra Bird
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sophia Cross
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
Nikita Cudjoe
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Public Health
Valeria Eadler
Placement: Centennial History Project
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Public History
Holly Eaves
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Belmont University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Kaylee Ebner
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Catharine Fennell
Placement: Office of General Counsel
School: Belmont University
Degree: Juris Doctor
Cheyenne Gallina
Placement: State Laboratory
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sumon Ghosh
Placement: Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy, Epidemiology
Gracie Hitchcock
Placement: East Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Child and Family Studies
Zachary Huff
Placement: Montgomery County Health Department
School: South College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ayanna Jones
Placement: Division of Health Disparities Elimination
School: Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, General Health Sciences
Amanda Knecht
Placement: Office of Human Resources and Talent Management
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Business Management
Makayla Leake
Placement: East Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Kelly Longhini
Placement: Region IV Public Health Center Pathways to Practice Scholar
School: Emory University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ashlynn Malone
Placement: East Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Alana Marcum
Placement: Centennial History Project
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Arts, Public History
Shaxper McCarver
Placement: Office of General Counsel
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Juris Doctor
Jasmine Mumpfield
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Celeste O’Brien
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Degree: Master of Public Health
Alisa Osborne
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Belmont University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Apeksha Phulgirkar
Placement: Division of Community Health Services
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sharla Rahman
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Brina Ratangee
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Medicine, Health, & Society
Emma Rouston
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: Tufts University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Hannah Schluter
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Haniya Shariff
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Olivia Welch
Placement: Master of Public Health
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Mary Zetterberg
Placement: Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office
School: University of Memphis
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ligia Maria Alfaro-Cruz
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Melissa Allison
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: George Washington University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Benjamin Antwi
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Carla Augustin
Placement: Mid-Cumberland Regional Health Office
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Bessie Boclaire
Placement: Health Licensure and Regulation
School: Nashville State Community College
Degree: Associate of Applied Science, Administrative and Professional Technology
Rebeca Cisneros Rivera
Placement: Wilson County Health Department
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Health Care Management
Lauren Clayton
Placement: Mid-Cumberland Regional Health Office
School: Belmont University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Anna Marie Cooksey
Placement: East Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Enrique Covarrubias
Placement: Wilson County Health Department
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Management
Lauren Davis
Placement: Southeast Regional Health Office, Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Degree: Master of Public Health
Catherine Fuko
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office, Epidemiology
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Dionne Gray
Placement: Southeast Regional Health Office, Emergency Preparedness
School: Grand Canyon University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sydney Hall
Placement: Southeast Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Degree: Master of Public Health
Natalie Hasbrooke
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Helena Horsley
Placement: Southeast Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Communication
Skyler Hughes
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Education
Helen Iang
Placement: Wilson County Health Department
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Obinna Ikwuka
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Julianne January
Placement: Bradley County Health Department
School: South College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sophiya Marsani
Placement: Wilson County Health Department
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
James Mason
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office, Emergency Preparedness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Nikki Mastrud
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Emory University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Tevin Mathew
Placement: Region IV Intern, Traumatic Brain Injury Program
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Morgan O’Brien
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Anthony Ozoh
Placement: Office of Informatics and Analytics, Data Governance
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Science, Health Care Informatics
Suprithi Pingle
Placement: Newborn Screening and Birth Defects Surveillance Program
School: Emory University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Blake Qualls
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Austin Peay State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Jordan Shipley
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Yasmine Shivere
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Medicine, Health, & Society
Tia Valentino
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Belmont University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Kelsey Warren
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Ruoyu Zhang
Placement: Public Health Assessment, Office of the Cancer Registry
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Science, Biostatistics
Lindsey Allison
Placement: Monroe and Loudon County Health Departments
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Abanoub Aziz
Placement: Division of Population Health Assessment
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Science in Professional Science, Biostatistics
Kaileigh Cash
Placement: Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Immunizations Program
School: South College
Degree: Master of Public Health
Courtney Chaston
Placement: Upper Cumberland Regional Health Office
School: Tennessee Technological University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Biology
Maya Clinton
Placement: Division of Health Planning
School: Western Kentucky University
Degree: Master of Healthcare Administration
Mimi Coffey
Placement: Office of Strategic Initiatives
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Dalton Ford
Placement: Waterborne and Zoonotic Disease Program
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Fatima Garcia
Placement: Wilson County Health Department
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Community and Public Health
Jennifer Hinson
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Sara Jacobs
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Medicine, Health, & Society
Mahitha Kasturi
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: Emory University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Amanda Krueger
Placement: South Central Regional Health Office
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Degree: Master of Public Health
Devon Lewis
School: University of Alabama, Birmingham
Degree: Master of Public Health
Heather Mendez
Placement: Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
School: University of Florida
Degree: Master of Public Health
Julius Morris
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Lipika Narisetti
Placement: Division of Family Health and Wellness
School: Vanderbilt University
Degree: Bachelor of Arts, Medicine, Health, & Society
Kayley Pyles
School: Western Kentucky University
Degree: Bachelor of Science, Public Health
Isabella Reid
Placement: Northeast Regional Health Office
School: East Tennessee State University
Degree: Master of Public Health
Judyi Smith
Placement: Rutherford County Health Department
School: Master of Science in Professional Science, Health Care Informatics
Degree: Middle Tennessee State University
Mary Adeyemo
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Lamiya Adri
School: Vanderbilt University
Anjola-Oluwa A. Ajayi
School: Vanderbilt University
Gbemisola Akinteye
School: Vanderbilt University
Ariana Allgood
School: Not applicable
Nicole Anderson
School: Vanderbilt University
Kajol Dahal
School: East Tennessee State University
Vyshnavi Dandanayakula
School: Not applicable
Genevieve Delano
School: Vanderbilt University
Holly Eaves
School: Belmont University
Alex (Cole) Farmer
School: East Tennessee State University
Lauren Finklea
School: Georgia State University
Adyson Goldberg
School: Tennessee Technological University
Anna Gordon
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Thilini Gurusinghe
School: University of Missouri
Imelda Gutierrez
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Ashton Helveston
School: Vanderbilt University
Corianne Johnson
School: Vanderbilt University
Giselle Oliver
School: Belmont University
Ben Pederson
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Caroline Peterson
School: Columbia University
Claire Piercey
School: Lipscomb University
Keerthi Reddy Chaduvula Venkata
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Silas Taiget
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Ziad Ahmed
School: Not applicable
Sandra Anazor Obianuju
School: East Tennessee State University
Geeta Bhattari
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Emilie Bordeau
School: East Tennessee State University
Jeri Dossett
School: East Tennessee State University
Brittany Gutierrez-Kitto
School: Vanderbilt University
Alan Holloway
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Chisom Nwankeki
School: East Tennessee State University
Rylie Payne
School: East Tennessee State University
Laney Puhalla
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Nyia Sayle
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Imuwahen Uzzi
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Britt Willis
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Olubukola Adenyemo
School: Tennessee State University
Kendall Basham
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Gabrielle Chesak
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Savannah Childress
School: Vanderbilt University
Madeline Kiger
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Paula Lara
School: Not applicable
Salem Negasi
School: Belmont University
Alyssa Powers
School: Belmont University
Abigail Anderson
School: East Tennessee State University
Robert 'Bobby' Berger
School: East Tennessee State University
Nathan Beuerlein
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Amanda Blackwedler
School: East Tennessee State University
Aaliyah Cannon
School: Austin Peay State University
Maya Carter
School: West Virginia University
Raegan Coleman
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Carol Davis
School: Emory University
Megan Davis
School: Vanderbilt University
Mariah Dee
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Meredith Denny
School: Vanderbilt University
Dannielle Gibson
School: Vanderbilt University
Sophie Goldenberg
School: Vanderbilt University
Mya Gray
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Kyle Hart
School: Vanderbilt University
Noufa Khan
School: University of Washington
Tucker L. Finch
School: Berea College
An Le
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Jordyn Lesh
School: Tulane University
Yufei Long
School: Vanderbilt University
Hannah M. Duiven
School: Vanderbilt University
Celeste O’Brien
School: Belmont University
Mariagorathy Okonkwo
School: Tennessee State University
Mariam Olutusin
School: University of Memphis
Jason Pan
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Jazmyn Pickstock
School: Belmont University
Rishi Pillai
School: Vanderbilt University
Jennifer Sanchez
School: East Tennessee State University
Sarah (Grace) Scephens
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Siddharth Sheth
School: University of Texas, Dallas
Alycia Shipley
School: Vanderbilt University
Barrett Smith
School: Vanderbilt University
Natalie Smith
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Clair Umstead
School: Vanderbilt University
Polly Warner
School: George Washington University
Joshua Woods
School: Vanderbilt University
Emily Xaysongkham
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Kendra Yokely
School: Tennessee State University
Cohort List Forthcoming
Lillian Adamson
School: Belmont University
Deviyani Bajpai
School: Belmont University
Megan Ballew
School: Liberty University
Augustine Chung
School: Vanderbilt University
Dreama Coats
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Mary Ferris
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Octavia Forrest
School: Belmont University
Joshua Ho
School: Saint Louis University
Amy Moody
School: Nebraska Medical College
Jesslyn Sloan
School: Belmont University
Mariah Cabrello
School: Vanderbilt University
Abby Carpenter
School: University of Tennessee, Health Science Center
Austin Fernandez
School: Vanderbilt University
Rachel Jameson
School: Vanderbilt University
Kristyne Mansilla-Dubon
School: Vanderbilt University
Yolanda McDonald
School: Vanderbilt University
Kathleen McGuire
School: East Tennessee State University
Donia Mousley
School: Belmont University
Ben O'Connell
School: Emory University
Krusha Patel
School: Tennessee State University
Olivia (Claire) Robinson
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Jacob Shultz
School: East Tennessee State University
Robert Stilz
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Cassidy Townsend
School: Belmont University
Cyndy Vasquez
School: Johns Hopkins University
Anna Wisotzkey
School: Vanderbilt University
Levi Blazer
School: Belmont University
Hannah Hull Ocker
School: East Tennessee State University
Trenton Jiles
School: Belmont University
Maggie Morris
School: East Tennessee State University
Isaac Stovall
School: Not applicable
Alberta TwiYeboah
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Simur Halefom
School: Not applicable
Ashley James
School: Not applicable
Janelle Wenstrup
School: University of Missouri
Cohort List Forthcoming
Latisha Baker
School: Tennessee State University
Mary Landau
School: University of Florida
Colton McKay
School: Not applicable
Taylore Melton
School: University of Tennessee, Martin
Cassandra Oliver
School: Vanderbilt University
Morgan Osbun
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Haley Renner
School: Not applicable
Iqra Sheikh
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Sherard Stephens
School: Vanderbilt University
Amy Su
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Inyene Ukpong
School: Belmont University
Caitlin Washburn
School: Vanderbilt University
Ashli Alexander
School: Vanderbilt University
Erin Boshers
School: University of Alabama, Birmingham
Meave Brennan
School: University of Albany
Keni Gray Timmons
School: East Tennessee State University
Farrah Hasan
School: Vanderbilt University
Mackenzie Jackson
School: Vanderbilt University
Lauren Kuzma
School: East Tennessee State University
Alison (Yu) Qiao
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Laura Shaw
School: Meharry University
Anagha Ashokan
School: Johns Hopkins University
Richard Brawley
School: University of Tennessee, Martin
Kirsten Cottingham
School: Meharry University
Emoni Degon
School: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Chris Elmlinger
School: Emory University
Peter Hsu
School: Vanderbilt University
Kasey James
School: Emory University
Christopher Justus
School: University of Tennessee, Health Science Center
Jamie Means
School: Meharry University
Jessica Milholm
School: Kansas State University
Autumn Montgomery
School: Meharry University
Tiana Moorer
School: Berea College
Muna Muday
School: Vanderbilt University
Varvara Probst
School: Vanderbilt University
Justine Rolava
School: Austin Peay State University
Smita Saji
School: University of South Florida
Chanasawan Souvannasing
School: University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Ihouma Tasie
School: Meharry University
Julia Vesely
School: Tennessee Technological University
Marcelle Bulla
School: Belmont University
Natalie Cagianese
School: Kent State University
Heather Grome
School: Vanderbilt University
Haily Howard
School: Austin Peay State University
Amanda Johnson
School: East Tennessee State University
Josephine Kutting
School: Liberty University
Sarah Mayberry
School: Vanderbilt University
Brent Newman
School: Tennessee State University
Jaehyun Shin
School: Vanderbilt University
Adam Tomlinson
School: Austin Peay State University
Helene Treu
School: University of Alabama, Birmingham
Anup Challa
School: Vanderbilt University
Monika Conrad
School: Austin Peay State University
Jacinta Ejirefe
School: Liberty University
Teanna Hayes
School: Austin Peay State University
Katrece Holland
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Randi Jacobson
School: Austin Peay State University
Estrella Ndriansay
School: Middle Tennessee State University
Yesenia Sanchez
School: Morehead State University
Tiarra Williamson
School: Tennessee State University
Olatayo Akindele
Jessica Barnett
John Maxwell
Micah McGlathery
Sylvie Muhimpundu
Meghana Parikh
Margaret Smith
Jennifer Trumbo
Yes, but not all. Starting Fall 2025, the Academic Health Department will fund a select number of internship projects. Interns will also be able to apply to unpaid internships as well. During the application process, project descriptions will make clear whether you are applying to an unpaid or paid opportunity.
If an intern is accepted for a paid internship with the Department of Health, they may work up to 400 hours with payment within the start and end dates of their contract. After their contracted end date has been reached, they are no longer entitled to payment even if they have not reached 400 hours total.
Spring Semester: September 1st to September 30th of prior year
Summer Semester: January 15th to February 15th of same year
Fall Semester: March 15th to April 15th of same year
Fall internships are August-December
Spring internships are January-April
Summer internships are June-August
Most interns complete 200-400 hours by working part-time or full-time. If an intern is accepted for a paid internship with the Department of Health, they may work up to 400 hours with payment within the start and end dates of their contract. After their contracted end date has been reached, they are no longer entitled to payment even if they have not reached 400 hours total.
Depending on the program’s requirements and our office’s needs, interns can complete their experience by working a minimum of two days per week, and up to full time. In submitting your application, please be specific about your time constraints.
Communicable and Environmental Diseases & Emergency Preparedness - The Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness Division (CEDEP) works to track the spread of diseases and to make sure that Tennesseans are ready for both disease and non-disease emergencies. CEDEP has thirteen different program areas, and routine activities include disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and prevention, and emergency preparedness.
Communication - The Office of Communication and Media Relations coordinates, directs, and executes the department’s overall external and internal communication strategy in alignment with and supporting TDH’s mission and goals. OCMR’s prime objective is to provide accurate, consistent, and impactful information through digital, social, and traditional communication and media platforms to diverse audiences, constituencies, partners, and stakeholders.
Family Health and Wellness - The Division of Family Health and Wellness (FHW) comprises Maternal and Child Health, Special Supplemental Nutrition, and Chronic Disease and Health Promotion programs. Family Health and Wellness programs are provided in all 95 Tennessee counties through a network of local and regional health departments.
Health Disparities Elimination - The Division of Health Disparities Elimination works to decrease gaps in health outcomes and improve access to health care and services. Key priorities are prioritizing and advancing health equity, Increasing health access, improving accessibility, and engaging and supporting communities.
General Counsel - The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal support to the Department regarding typical state, in-house counsel matters such as contracts, public records, and HR, provides advice and amendatory language regarding legislative proposals, drafts and shepherds rules through the rulemaking process, provides legal advice for the health-related licensing boards, and investigates and pursues disciplinary cases against health care licensees who violate their practice act. Students applying for a placement with this office must have completed at least one year of law school, with two years preferred.
Informatics and Analytics - The Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA) focuses on data and the team’s role in promoting data to drive insightful public health decision-making at TDH. OIA consists of three units that each work on aspects of the data lifecycle: Data Governance, Core Informatics, and Advanced Analytics and Visualization. Together, OIA has contributed to TDH’s data landscape through data analysis, dashboard development, data release guidelines, development of data suppression best practices and setting standards for health informatics and interoperability.
Local Health Departments - Local health departments are essential components of the public health system, responsible for safeguarding and enhancing the health and well-being of communities in their jurisdiction. They carry out a wide range of functions that include disease control and prevention, health education, and promotion, as well as maternal and child health services. Additionally, they monitor and regulate environmental factors affecting public health, such as food safety, water quality, and air quality. In times of emergency, local health departments play a crucial role in disaster preparedness and response. They also oversee health inspections of various establishments and track the occurrence of diseases through surveillance systems. Ensuring access to healthcare services, conducting community health assessments, and advocating for public health policies are among their key responsibilities. By collaborating with other healthcare providers, policymakers, and community organizations, local health departments work to address health disparities, promote wellness, and protect the health of their communities.
Overdose Response Coordination - The Overdose Response Coordination Office (ORCO) was established in 2018 as TDH’s division for overdose prevention and response. The office provides structure and support to the department’s efforts, oversees grant-funded activities, and cultivates and expands partnerships to strengthen the state’s public health response to the overdose crisis.
Primary Prevention - The Office of Primary Prevention (OPP), created in 2015, serves as a hub for many of the primary prevention efforts at the Tennessee Department of Health, collaborating across the department and with external partners to protect, promote and improve the health and prosperity of people in Tennessee. The Office of Primary Prevention is staffed by an Office Director, Primary Prevention Coordinator, Clinical Director, Evaluation and Assessment Director, and a Built Environment and Grants Coordinator. The office also supports the work of seven regional Healthy Development Coordinators and typically hosts at least one Commissioner’s Fellow and intern.
Population Health Assessment - The Division of Population Health Assessment (PHA) collects, maintains, analyzes, and reports data from federal and state surveillance systems that collect data on disease incidence/prevalence, hospital visits, and behavioral health indicators across the state of Tennessee.
Regional Health Offices - Regional health offices play a pivotal role in healthcare coordination, serving as intermediaries between central office and local health departments. Their responsibilities encompass resource allocation, public health planning, and the oversight of healthcare service delivery within a specific geographic area. In addition to ensuring equitable access to healthcare resources, they are crucial in disaster preparedness, disease surveillance, health data analysis, health promotion, and education. Collaborating with various stakeholders, such as local health departments and community organizations, regional health offices work to improve healthcare outcomes, address health disparities, and advocate for policies that benefit the region's population. Their specific roles may vary by location, but they play a vital role in ensuring that healthcare services and public health initiatives are effective, accessible, and tailored to the needs of the communities they serve.
Strategic Initiatives - The Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) links and leverages TDH strategies and resources with local knowledge, energy, and leadership. They guide the department’s strategic planning process and support Tennessee’s County Health Councils with the help of local, regional, and central office TDH staff and TDH partners to implement upstream, innovative solutions to public health challenges. We do this through process facilitation, technical assistance, policy expertise, and relationship-building.
We provide our interns with a variety of experiences within the Department of Health, including field trips and weekly intern seminars.
Yes! We offer internships in our seven regional offices, many of our local county health departments, and at our central office in Nashville.
TDH does not offer housing for interns, but some offices can give recommendations based on the area.
Clinical practicums are handled through a separate process. We utilize current affiliation agreements with several Tennessee schools and Western Kentucky University to provide opportunities to these students. We are not currently establishing affiliation agreements with additional colleges outside the state of Tennessee. If you are interested in a clinical practicum, please email AHD.health@tn.gov and we will connect you with the office that organizes clinical practicums.
Yes! Our Public Health Executive Fellowship is a one-year, paid position for recent graduates to help them hone their interests in public health while working within TDH.
While completing an internship with TDH does not entitle the intern to a job, many interns have gone on to work for TDH.
Public Health Executive Fellowship
The Tennessee Department of Health's (TDH) Public Health Executive Fellowship is a prestigious career development and mentorship opportunity for recent graduates interested in public health. The program allows fellows to gain practical, hands-on experience addressing critical public health challenges with the support of an experienced team. More than an internship or practicum, the length of the program and full-time nature of the experience allow fellows to become integral contributors to the mission and vision of TDH.
The Public Health Executive Fellowship is a one-year program that can be extended for a potential second year. Based in Nashville, the fellowship provides exposure to the diversity and depth of work performed in a state health department. Along the way, fellows serve as core members of the TDH team.
Fellows will apply to a home office based on their individual career goals and interests. The home office will be the primary factor in determining the fellow’s responsibilities and projects. The fellow’s work plan is also tailored to support professional growth along their desired career path. 2026 - 2027 home offices are listed below. Through work with these home offices, Fellows develop professionally across the eight domains of the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals as set by the Public Health Foundation (PHF).
2026 - 2027 Host Sites
Description of Program Area:
The Syndemic Coordination (SC) Program resides within the Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness (CEDEP) division at the Tennessee Department of Health and engages in efforts to address the interconnected epidemics of HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STI), substance use disorder, and viral hepatitis in Tennessee. To address this syndemic, the SC Program engages a variety of programs within the Department of Health, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and a variety of community-based organizations including all of Tennessee’s syringes services programs (SSP).
This fellow would report to Amber Coyne, the Syndemic Coordination Director, but would also work closely with and have access to mentors across the HIV, sexually transmitted infections, substance use disorder, and viral hepatitis syndemic, offering a unique and dynamic fellowship opportunity.
Responsibilities:
- Lead the development of regional and county profiles quantifying the net impact of the HIV, STI, substance use disorder and viral hepatitis on mortality in Tennessee.
- Collaborate with staff across the HIV, STI, and viral hepatitis section including the Syndemic Program Coordinator to develop a syndemic service locator tool inclusive of testing, prevention, and treatment services across this syndemic Tennessee to facilitate access in Tennessee.
- Participate in the section’s outbreak response team to detect clusters, prepare for an outbreak response, and partner with jurisdictions to respond to increased morbidity from HIV, sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis, or emerging pathogens.
- Submit at least one abstract to a conference and publish at least one report, brief, manuscript, or other professional document advancing the understanding of this syndemic in Tennessee.
- Support the Tennessee Harm Reduction Project ECHO learning series to advance the implementation of evidence-based harm reduction strategies in Tennessee to mitigate this syndemic.
Qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited program in public health or health-related field within the last twelve months and prior to the start of the Fellowship (November).
- Masters-trained (e.g., MPH) or higher candidate.
- Skills in data management and analysis with a preferred experience using R, Tableau, and/or ArcGIS.
- Demonstrated public speaking, facilitation, and/or presentation skills.
- Proven flexibility and responsiveness to evolving programmatic/project needs.
- Strong interpersonal skills that promote successful collaboration and partnership building among diverse stakeholders.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
- Experience in using Canva for visual communication and/or an interest in gaining proficiency with Canva.
Employment Details: State Employee, base salary of $48,204 with State of Tennessee benefits and with the potential of an increase in salary if offered a second year
Description of Program Area:
The Division of Family Health and Wellness (FHW) Communications team supports internal and external messaging for the Division of Family Health & Wellness, which encompasses Maternal and Child Health, Special Supplemental Nutrition (WIC), and Chronic Disease and Health Promotion programs delivered across all 95 Tennessee counties. The team manages branding and compliance review for division materials, shepherds content through the department's approval chain, produces internal communications for FHW leadership, and supports staff training on department communication and productivity tools.
Responsibilities:
- Supporting web and digital accessibility remediation efforts tied to ADA Title II compliance, including tracking and documentation
- Drafting and editing internal communications, including staff-facing updates and leadership messaging
- Creating educational documents and materials that explain FHW's programs and work to internal and external audiences
- Supporting training sessions on Microsoft 365 tools (Outlook, Teams) and other communications platforms used across the division
- Assisting with document review and branding-standards compliance for FHW-produced materials before they move through the division's approval process
Qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited program in public health or health-related field within the last twelve months and prior to the start of the Fellowship (November).
- Bachelor's degree, preferably in public health, communications, journalism, English, graphic design, or a related field
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with attention to detail and accuracy
- Graphic design experience, including but not limited to Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) and/or Canva
- Comfort working with Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Teams) and willingness to learn division-specific tools and platforms
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a collaborative, virtual office environment
- Interest in public health communications, health education, or state government operations
Employment Details: Contract Employee*, base salary discussed at time of offer and with the potential of an increase in salary if offered a second year
*Contract employees are not employees of the State of Tennessee and are, therefore, ineligible for Tennessee state benefits.
Description of Program Area:
Within the Division of Population Health Assessment, the Injury Surveillance Program (ISP) and Occupational Health Safety and Surveillance Program (OHSSP) work to improve the health and safety of Tennesseans through surveillance, data linkage, epidemiologic analysis, and dissemination of findings that inform prevention strategies, policies, and public health practice. Both programs work closely together and reside in the Office of Population Health Surveillance in the Division of Population Health Assessment. The ISP’s primary focus is to link crash report data from the Department of Safety and Homeland Security to health record data from the Department of Health. This data linkage enables the ISP and partners to monitor fatal and non-fatal motor vehicle traffic crash injury trends and understand how different crash factors contribute to health outcomes among road users in Tennessee.
The OHSSP works with available data sources to assess and track workers’ health within the state. These data sources include HDDS, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and national sources such as Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The fellow will have the opportunity to work with multiple statewide surveillance systems, including hospital discharge data, mortality data, BRFSS, and occupational health datasets. The fellow will lead a collaborative project spanning both surveillance programs that integrates multiple public health data systems to answer a high-priority injury or occupational health surveillance question. Findings will be translated into reports, data briefs, presentations, and other products that support public health action and decision-making across Tennessee. Under the joint mentorship and supervision of experienced epidemiologists in both programs, the fellow will gain practical experience in injury surveillance, occupational health surveillance, epidemiologic methods, scientific communication, and dissemination of public health findings.
Additional opportunities may be available based on the fellow's interests and program priorities, including conference presentations, manuscript development, and special analytic projects. The fellow will also have opportunities to participate in professional development activities, collaborate with multidisciplinary partners, and contribute to statewide public health initiatives.
Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with epidemiologists from two surveillance programs on at least one multi-data system project.
- Conduct epidemiologic analyses using surveillance data.
- Develop reports, fact sheets, dashboards, social media products, and scientific presentations.
- Present findings to internal and external partners.
- Assist with surveillance activities and quality improvement initiatives.
- Contribute to manuscripts or conference abstracts when appropriate.
Qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited program in public health or health-related field within the last twelve months and prior to the start of the Fellowship (November).
- Master's degree in public health or a closely related field.
- Attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.
- Strong experience managing and analyzing public health data (SAS preferred).
- Interpersonal skills that aid in team communication, efficiency, and collaboration.
- Demonstrated ability to write for diverse audiences.
- Interest in learning visual communication tools such as Canva.
Employment Details: State Employee, base salary of $48,204 with State of Tennessee benefits and with the potential of an increase in salary if offered a second year
Description of Program Area:
The Division of Strategic Initiatives includes the Office of Community Collaboration and Impact (CCI) and the Office of Strategic Planning. This position will support the work of both offices but will be supervised by the CCI Data and Evaluation Manager.
CCI supports Health Councils in all 95 counties across Tennessee. Our office aims to strengthen the impact of Health Councils in improving community health and addressing health disparities. We support Health Councils in several project areas: Data and Evaluation, Health Assessment and Planning, Community of Practice, Tennessee Vitality Toolkit, and Community Development. This position will primarily support CCI’s Data and Evaluation program.
This position will also support the Director of the Office of Strategic Planning. This office is responsible for the planning, implementation, communication, and evaluation of key departmental priorities.
Responsibilities:
- Assist with the development, implementation, and reporting of the biannual County Health Council Assessment.
- Assist with the research, development, design, and publication of County Data Packages.
- Assist with other projects that support capacity-building of Health Councils, including but not limited to the in-person Community of Practice Spring Summits.
- Support the facilitation, coordination, and documentation of activities involved in developing a large-scale departmental strategic plan.
- Collect, analyze, and synthesize data to inform strategic planning, decision-making, and progress monitoring.
- Prepare visuals related to strategic planning priorities.
- Some travel required for strategic planning facilitation, divisional meetings, Health Council gatherings, and other events as needed.
- This is a hybrid position, reporting in-person to TDH Central Office in Nashville at least 1 day per week.
Qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited program in public health or health-related field within the last twelve months and prior to the start of the Fellowship (November).
- Master’s Degree in public health, social sciences, public policy, or related field.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, especially Excel.
- Strong skills in qualitative and quantitative data collection, analysis, interpretation, and communication.
- Experience with survey development, experience in REDCap and Tableau preferred but not required
- Experience creating dashboards, reports, presentations, maps, data visualizations, or other communication tools.
- Understanding of basic strategic planning principles.
- Excellent oral and written communication with diverse audiences, willingness and comfort level in presenting data and milestones.
- Ability to facilitate meetings with a diverse audience.
- Willingness to assist in administrative tasks and to plan, manage and report on project activities.
- Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, and relationship-building skills.
Employment Details: State Employee, base salary of $48,204 with State of Tennessee benefits and with the potential of an increase in salary if offered a second year
Description of Program Area:
The Office of Health Planning is housed within the Division for Public Health Infrastructure and is responsible for the creation of the State Health Plan, oversight of the of the Certificate of Public Advantage, and the administration of the Joint Annual Reports. The State Health Plan serves as Tennessee’s state health improvement plan, contemplating the factors that determine health, considering the resources that can be utilized to improve health, and coordinating the people who lead the way in making Tennessee healthier. The State Health Plan is informed by the State of Health report, which serves as the statewide health assessment. The State of Health report overviews 100+ metrics to assess the health status of Tennesseans and support data-driven decision-making. The State of Health is updated annually and published in a report, data dashboards, and infographics.
Responsibilities:
- Collect, clean and format data for the annual State of Health report.
- Update and develop data dashboards for the State of Health.
- Update and develop infographics for the State of Health.
- Assist with the implementation of the State Health Plan.
Qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited program in public health or health-related field within the last twelve months and prior to the start of the Fellowship (November).
- Master’s Degree in public health, social sciences, public policy, or related field (preferred, but not required).
- Attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent interpersonal, teamwork, and relationship-building skills including the ability to work with remote and hybrid teams effectively.
- Intermediate level proficiency in MS Office and MS Excel, and Tableau.
Employment Details: State Employee, base salary of $48,204 with State of Tennessee benefits and with the potential of an increase in salary if offered a second year
How to Apply
The window for the 2026 - 2027 fellowship application has closed. Please revisit this page in August 2027 to prepare for our next application window.
| Steps | Description | Timeline |
| Step 1 | Submit application and required material within the timeframe found via the Academic Health Department (AHD) Webpage | August 27 - September 18 |
| Step 2 | Host offices evaluate applications | 1-2 Weeks After Deadline |
| Step 3 | Host offices interview candidates | 4 Weeks After Deadline |
| Step 4 | Placement(s) announced | 6 Weeks After Deadline |
| Step 5 | AHD begins onboarding fellows | 7 Weeks After Acceptance |
| Step 6 | Fellows attend orientation in Nashville and fellowship begins | 8 Weeks After Acceptance |
Current Fellows
Rebecca Liu
Office of Primary Prevention
Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, I hold a Bachelors in Public Health from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy from Emory University. Over the course of my master’s program, I had the opportunity to intern with the Georgia Alcohol Prevention Alliance, where I gained valuable insights and experience in developing and advocating for policies to improve public health.
I am passionate about health policy and evaluation, particularly as it relates to the social determinants of health. I am eager to contribute my knowledge and skills to the field and to learn from fellow public health professionals. I look forward to networking with state leaders and collaborating with other state or local agencies across Tennessee to improve the health and well being of all Tennesseans.
Elyse Streat
Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
Originally from Franklin, Tennessee, I hold a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Master of Public Health, with a minor in epidemiology, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before graduate school, I worked as a health coach for three years, gaining hands-on experience in preventive health and behavior change, which helped shape my interest in population-level public health work. Toward the end of my master’s program, I had the opportunity to intern with the Tennessee Center for AIDS Research (TN-CFAR) and the Tennessee Department of Health Central Office, where I gained valuable experience in public health research and STI surveillance efforts.
I am passionate about health education and disease prevention, particularly in the areas of infectious disease and community health. I am excited to continue working within the Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness (CEDEP) Division, learning from experienced public health professionals, and supporting public health efforts across the state.
Tia Watts
Division of Family Health and Wellness, Injury Prevention Section
Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, I acquired a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University’s Roger Hadfield Ogden Honors College in Baton Rouge. Directly following my undergraduate program, I entered a Master of Public Health program concentrating in Epidemiology at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. Throughout the course of my collegiate experience, I grew a passion for transforming healthcare and developing core competencies in patient care management, advocacy, health equity work, mental health programming, and reproductive health justice.
During my master’s program, I accepted an opportunity to be an inaugural maternal health research fellow with Morgan State University’s Maternal Health Research Collaborative Center in partnership with Meharry Medical College’s Maternal Health Excellence Center, supported by HRSA. At the present day, I am serving as a Scientific Advisory Committee Member for the Maternal Health Excellence Center at Meharry Medical College where I share my insights and valuable experience as a public health researcher, strategist, and practitioner.
I am devoted to improving and protecting the health and well-being of individuals, communities, and populations through high-impact programmatic efforts and research, specifically through a life course approach. I welcome the opportunity to connect with state agencies, leaders from the health department, and collaborate with community stakeholders to ultimately strengthen equitable access to care and resources for all Tennesseans.
Benjamin Antwi
Division of Communicable and Environmental Diseases and Emergency Preparedness
Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Program
A resident of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, I am originally from Kumasi in Ghana, where I practiced Physician Assistantship for close to five years. I earned my Master of Public Health from Middle Tennessee State and my Bachelor’s in Physician Assistantship from the University of Health and Allied Sciences.
I am passionate about addressing socio-environmental determinants of health among the general population through research and practice. My special interests are infectious disease prevention in healthcare settings and addressing the dangers of antimicrobial resistance. I believe this fellowship provides the right opportunity and resources to learn from seasoned experts to develop the competencies and skills I need to address infectious disease concerns in Tennessee healthcare settings, while improving the health of all Tennesseans.
Bege Mallam
Office of Health Planning
Originally from Northern Nigeria, I hold a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Kaduna State University, Nigeria, and a Master of Public Health from Tennessee State University. Over the course of my master’s program, I had the opportunity to intern with the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN), West Tennessee Healthcare through the Tennessee Hospital Association (THA), and the TDH Jackson/Madison Regional Office, where I gained valuable insights and experience in public health.
I am passionate about health education and communication, particularly in the areas of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. I am eager to contribute my knowledge and skills to the field and to learn from fellow public health professionals. I look forward to networking with leaders from the health department and other collaborating state agencies, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the health and well-being of Tennesseans.
Krista Cole
Division of Family Health and Wellness
Originally from Bristol, Tennessee, I earned my Master of Public Health (MPH) with a major in Global Health, and concentration in Community Health Development from Emory University. I simultaneously earned my Certificate in Public Mental Health from Emory. My public health interests span many health topics including, but not limited to, community health and mental health.
Fascinated by health and wellbeing, and healing, health and society has always been a concentration of mine. I have an artistic and engineering mindset, and my goal has always been to figure out what elements can come together to create the healthiest, happiest, and most self-actualized societies. That said, over time, I have concentrated my work in public health leadership. My formal, research experience has been in topics like maternal and child health, health disparities, nutrition, health technology, global mental health education, medical information sciences, physical health, affect, substance abuse, student happiness, spirituality, musicians, and communication between patient and doctor.
I have worked tirelessly to positively impact the health of Tennesseans during my time as a Public Health Executive Fellow for the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH). My role has involved leading and motivating others, coming up with innovative ideas, making key decisions, and driving current public health initiatives. My experience has been invaluable to my public health career in government. I feel I have gotten to work to spread compassion, peace, and healing while gaining impactful skills.
In my current work, I am continuing to lead and motivate others, but also increasing the amount of people I can provide leadership to, coming up with more innovative ideas and continuing working on publications, continuing to make key decisions, and continuing to drive current public health initiatives. One example of a project I am working on is a statewide health improvement project where I am a lead and primary contributor. I continue to be grateful to be mentored by the highly skilled, collaborative, and compassionate leadership at the TDH, and to gain the unique experience in public health at the state government level.
I am hopeful that my work with the state of Tennessee will provide a measurable impact on community health development as I continue to lend my skills and passion to the work I do. Also, I am so grateful that I can continue to help spread compassion and help others to live healthy lives.
Miranda Givens
Office of Strategic Initiatives
After growing up in rural Grundy County, Tennessee, I completed both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Public Health from Middle Tennessee State University. During my undergraduate journey, I also minored in Aging Studies to bolster my understanding of aging populations and ways to impact their journey through the highs and lows of traveling through older adulthood.
My experience with the Office of Strategic Initiatives (OSI) working under the strategic planning umbrella has opened so many doors. Over the past year, I have had the privilege of planning, facilitating, and evaluating several significant projects and initiatives that have not only aligned with the Department's goals but have also moved the department towards fulfilling its mission. I have worked on projects including the planning and execution of a retreat for Executive Leadership focused on fostering cohesive communication and aligning our strategic goals with actionable plans at all levels of the organization. I developed and facilitated a targeted activity focused on enhancing communication and breaking down information silos, fostering a collaborative environment that encourages transparency and teamwork across departments. I have also done a comprehensive comparison page of state strategic plans, which provided valuable insights for our department’s strategic positioning. I also took on the role of organizer and leader for the Tennessee Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council (TN PCaQoLAC). These accomplishments have not only reinforced my commitment to the Department's mission but have also demonstrated my capability to deliver impactful results in a collaborative and strategic manner.
My goal during the second year of my fellowship is to successfully continue to manage the Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council and work closely with the Office of Health Aging (OHA). I will be focusing on continuing to sharpen my skills through the ample opportunities that the Executive Fellowship has opened for me and to make meaningful connections.
Mariah Horton
Office of Strategic Initiatives
Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, I earned my Master of Public Health from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and my Bachelor of Public Health from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Over the past year, I assisted in the implementation of the Community of Practice Summits. I contributed to the creation of briefs on Early Relational Health and the Social Determinants of Health while also developing a team one-pager. Additionally, I assisted in grant reporting and writing the annual Community Health Assessment (CHA) report. I also had the opportunity to present on Positive Childhood Experiences and Early Relational Health while helping create a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) training.
In my second year, I will be focusing on three key areas. The first is evaluating and improving the CHIP training. The second is reformatting the CHIP training from an in-person to virtual. The third is becoming a subject matter expert in Positive Childhood Experiences and Early Relational Health and creating more educational materials around these topics.
My participation in these tasks has deepened my understanding of public health within state government while enabling me to deliver meaningful contributions to the department. I am excited to continue into a second year, eager to further expand my skill set and continue to make an impact.
Dietetic Internships WIC Rotation
We offer dietetic interns the opportunity to complete a WIC rotation in many of our rural county health departments throughout the state. For a placement with a metro health department, interns should contact the metro nutrition director and follow the process in place for the specific metro health department. If your academic program is interested in partnering with TDH, a faculty member will follow these steps:
Review Active Affiliation Agreements
If your school or program is not listed, complete an application for agreement. Submit application. Follow the link to the application for agreement. Follow the instructions, complete the application, and submit it.Review application status. Once an application is submitted, you will be updated on its status. We cannot guarantee all applications will be approved.
Plan Rotations
When an agreement is fully executed, contact the regional nutrition director in your area to plan the student rotations. The contact information for nutrition directors is provided below.
Students who are interested in a dietetic rotation with TDH should reach out to their faculty internship advisor to coordinate their rotation.
Active Affiliation Agreements
Below are all active affiliation agreements for dietetic/nutrition internships with the Department of Health. For institutions with a current agreement, a new application is not required. The Department of Health will conduct quarterly reviews of expiring contracts to determine eligibility for renewal. Dietetic programs do not need to contact the Department of Health to initiate this process.
| Institution | Discipline | End Date |
| Auburn University | WIC/Dietetic Internship | TBD |
| Be Well Solutions | WIC/Dietetic Internship | 11/02/2030 |
| Gulf Coast | WIC/Dietetic Internship | 10/14/2029 |
| Iowa State University | WIC/Dietetic Internship | 3/25/2030 |
| NHC Dietetic Internship | WIC/Dietetic Internship | 8/29/2029 |
| Nutrition Ink | WIC/Dietetic Internship | 11/03/2029 |
| Tennessee Technical University | WIC/Dietetic Internship | 7/31/2031 |
| University of New England | WIC/Dietetic Internship | 7/31/2030 |
| University of Tennessee, Chattanooga | WIC/Dietetic Internship | TBD |
| University of Tennessee, Martin | WIC/Dietetic Internship | TBD |
| Western Kentucky University | WIC/ Dietetic Internship | 07/31/2030 |
Tennessee Regional Nutrition Directors
Regional Contacts
East:
Alexa Dukes, MS, RD, LDN, CLC
p. 865-549-5350
c. 865-599-3280
alexa.dukes@tn.gov
Mid Cumberland:
Ila Mae Avitia, RDN, CLC
p. 615-650-7026
ilamae.avitia@tn.gov
Northeast:
Shannon Roark, MS, RDN, CLC
p. 423-979-4597
c. 423-202-6404
Shannon.roark@tn.gov
South Central:
Jennifer Eastep, MS, RD, LDN
p. 931-490-8336
c. 931-384-9163
jennifer.eastep@tn.gov
Southeast:
Elizabeth Held, RDN, LDN, CLC
p. 423-201-8027
Elizabeth.held@tn.gov
Upper Cumberland:
Carey Workman, MS, RD, LDN, CLC
p. (931) 646-7512
c. (931) 265-4197
carey.workman@tn.gov
West:
Amy Riggins, MS, RD, LDN, CLC, IBCLC
p. 731-421-6762
c. 731-697-1518
Amy.Riggins@tn.gov
*Updated 01.17.2024
Metro Contacts
Davidson:
Kelly Whipker, RDN, LDN, IBCLC
p. 615-340-0493
kelly.whipker@nashville.gov
Hamilton:
Jennifer Scanlan de Salmeron, RD, LDN, IBCLC
p. 423-209-8315
JenniferS@hamiltontn.gov
Knox:
Sarah (Lisson) Waldrupe, MS, MPH, RDN, LDN
p. 865-215-5052
sarah.waldrupe@knoxcounty.org
Madison:
Bonnie Webster, RD
p. 731-423-3020, ext. 2134
bwebster@madisoncountytn.gov
Shelby:
Edward Han, MS, RD, LDN, CLC
p. 901-222-9330
edward.han@shelbycountytn.gov
Sullivan:
Sutton Davis, MS, RDN, LD, CLC
p. 423-279-2782
c. 423-306-6017
sdavis@sullivanhealth.org
*Updated 01.17.2024
This Page Last Updated: October 1, 2026 at 8:14 AM