Public Health Careers Consultant Program

Each year, the University of Michigan School of Public Health Careers Office collaborates with a wonderful group of student leaders representing master's students from each academic department as well as the Undergraduate program, Online program, and PhD students.

The Public Health Career Consultants are 2nd year student leaders who:

  1. Gather feedback and insights about the career development needs of their peers and
  2. Respond to those needs by sharing tailored career resources and announcements with students, facilitating a department/program-specific career event, and providing constructive suggestions regarding Michigan Public Health career services and programming.

  Student Experience: "The emails and outreach from the Career Consultant were a fantastic way to stay knowledgeable about my job prospects and networking events going on throughout the school."

  Career Consultant Experience: "I really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with people from different departments and backgrounds and to meet new folks to network with! I have found that I bring up my experiences in this program in job interviews, and it has given me very useful skills. It also forced me to work on my career planning and to take advantage of all the amazing resources the careers team has to offer, which was incredibly helpful."

Public Health Career Consultant Services

  • Monthly messages with department-specific internship & job postings
  • Department career exploration or preparation event
  • Student career needs assessment development & distribution
  • Summarized report of needs assessment findings
  • End of the year services evaluation design & distribution
  • Career services & programming consultations

Public Health Career Consultants

Ruoer BeiBiostatistics Career Consultant: Ruoer Bei

Ruoer is a second-year master's student in Biostatistics. She is interested in clinical trials and using data analysis to address real-world questions. In her role as the Biostatistics Career Consultant, Ruoer will support students, especially international students, in finding internship and job resources to bridge the information gap. Outside of school, Ruoer enjoys cooking a lot!

Aaryana StringfellowEpidemiology Career Consultant: Aaryana Stringfellow

Aaryana is a 2nd year MPH student in Epidemiology with a concentration in General Epidemiology. She is interested in working with maternal and infant health at the county and state level. As an Epidemiology Career Consultant she is dedicated to supporting students in their career journeys this school year. Outside of school she enjoys finding new hobbies and playing with her cat Amethyst.

Natalie CrippsHealth Behavior and Health Equity Career Consultant: Natalie Cripps

Natalie is a 2nd year MPH student in Health Behavior & Health Equity. She is interested in environmental health advocacy and centering community voices through such initiatives and public health approaches. In her role as the Health Behavior & Health Equity Career Consultant, Natalie is dedicated to supporting her fellow students' career goals and professional development. In her free time, Natalie enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with friends in nature.

Mahalakshmi SivashankaranHealth Management and Policy Career Consultant: Mahalakshmi Sivashankaran

Mahalakshmi Sivashankaran is a 2nd year MHSA student in the Department of Health Management and Policy. She is passionate about pursuing a career as a Health Systems Manager at a Large Health system, where she aims to leverage her expertise in optimizing efficiencies and enhancing patient access to healthcare services at both the local and state levels. In her role as a Health Management and Policy Career consultant, Mahalakshmi is deeply committed to empowering students by providing comprehensive guidance, fostering their professional development, and equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the dynamic healthcare landscape successfully. In her spare time, she likes to create art as an amateur artist, read non-fiction novels, and spend time with friends.

Carol LeeNutritional Sciences Career Consultant: Carol Lee

Carol is a second-year MPH student in Nutritional Sciences with a keen interest in how food can aid in managing chronic diseases and in helping people make dietary changes. As the Nutritional Sciences Career Consultant, Carol is dedicated to assisting her fellow students in planning their post-graduate career paths and providing specific career resources for international students. Outside of school, she enjoys grocery shopping, cooking, working out, and going on road trips.

Danielle SmithPhD Career Consultant: Danielle Smith

Danielle is a 3rd year PhD candidate in Epidemiology. She is interested in the concept of well-being and its implications in maternal outcomes. In her role as the PhD Career Consultant, Danielle is committed to supporting her fellow students in their transition from student to career person. Outside of school, she enjoys playing volleyball and kayaking when the weather allows.

Taylor HallPopulation Health & Sciences Career Consultant: Taylor Hall

Taylor is a 2nd year Online MPH student in the Population and Health Sciences program. She is pursuing a certificate in Applied Epidemiology and Healthcare Accounting and Finance. She is interested in using the knowledge and skills gained related to disease prevention and reducing health disparities within the healthcare field as a medical professional. In her role as the Population and Health Sciences Career Consultant, Taylor is dedicated to supporting the needs of her fellow online MPH peers and bridging the gap between remote and residential learning at the University of Michigan. Outside of school, she enjoys traveling, cooking, reading and spending time with family and friends. Taylor is very excited to be serving the Online MPH program yet again, for her second time as a Career Consultant.

Shakira WoodsUndergraduate Career Consultant: Shakira Woods

A Detroit native, Shakira is a 2nd-year BA student at the School of Public with a dual minor in Asian Languages and Culture and Information Science. She is interested in working in healthcare management, global health and maternal and child health. In her role as the undergraduate Career Consultant, Shakira is dedicated to empowering her peers by providing them with resources and opportunities to enhance their professional development and prepare them for successful careers that allow them to make a difference in the health of populations. Shakira enjoys practicing calligraphy, reading, and spending time with friends and family outside of school.