The Office of Public Health Practice Alumni Spotlight Series: Elena Dixon ('22)
Elena Dixon ('22) Saint Louis University graduate and Data Coordinator at Nurses for Newborns recently did a Q&A with the Office of Public Health Practice about public health and learning at SLU.
What is the most important thing you learned at SLU?
It is hard to narrow in on just one thing that I learned, there were so many important things I learned at SLU. First learning about the social determinants of health has shaped my approach to work and life. I also loved the integration of St. Louis community into the SLU coursework. Public health in practice and impacting the community around us.
Where are you currently working and what was your path to this job?
I am the Data Coordinator for Nurses for Newborns, a home visitation program to address infant mortality, child abuse and neglect with programs in Missouri and Tennessee. I collect and analyze data from our Tennessee programs and reporting out program outcomes. After graduation, I took some time to find an agency that was a good fit for me where the qualifications were also a good match. It was hard the first summer after graduation to receive rejection letters, but I reminded myself that the interviews are two-way and I also needed to find the right fit company. I am grateful for the way things panned out because I really like the work I am doing at Nurses for Newborns.
What are you most proud of, professionally or otherwise?
In the past year, I have become responsible for collective impact statewide project for home visiting. Its a 5 year project targeting women of color and youth in foster care for prenatal care. There are several organizations statewide participating and I got to go to the meeting in Jefferson City with these organizations. It has been both humbling and rewarding experience to know that I am contributing to evidence-based practice to become a best practice across the state.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
In 5 years, I envision a return to school for my MPH, and I am considering a PhD in Epidemiology. In 10 years, I hope to be dedicating my career to finding root causes of public health problems, working towards health equity through community-engaged work. I really like the space where maternal and child health intersects with epidemiology to promote health equity starting with life’s early stressors. My BSPH provided a strong foundation for starting the public health journey. Having a broad background in fundamental public health areas help give an interdisciplinary perspective, especially with CPHSJ’s curriculum and service learning opportunities.
College for Public Health and Social Justice
The Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice is the only academic unit of its kind, studying social, environmental and physical influences that together determine the health and well-being of people and communities. It also is the only accredited school or college of public health among nearly 250 Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States. Guided by a mission of social justice and focus on finding innovative and collaborative solutions for complex health problems, the college offers nationally recognized programs in public health and health administration.