Jen is a first-generation PhD student in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She was born and raised in Wapato, WA – a small, rural community located on the Yakama Reservation that continues to inspire her academic work and organizing efforts. Jen is passionate about the intersection of community, public health, and equity. Her doctoral research is focused on how we can best integrate epidemiological methods into community-centered work and evidence-based policy development to address health inequities. Jen received her BS in Psychology from Seattle University and her MPH in Global Health Epidemiology from the University of Michigan.
Jen’s project focuses on developing a public health education program that aims to provide community members with additional knowledge, skills, and language that complement their current expertise so that they can advocate for the public health needs of their community.