22 – 23 Cohort

Community Partners & Projects

Nurse Practitioner Alliance of Alabama

Scope-of-practice regulations limit the ability of nurse practitioners in Alabama to meet the needs of their patients. HPAs have been working with NPAA to assess Alabama nurse practitioners’ perceptions of this issue and gauge their understanding of what is known as “full practice authority.” In the fall semester, HPAs developed a survey for NPAA to distribute at its annual state-wide conference. Based on the responses, the team spent the spring semester assisting NPAA with a communications plan to address misconceptions and inspire nurse practitioners to engage with the policy process. The team developed some educational materials, available here and here!

Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution

Throughout the fall semester, HPAs working with GASP discussed several issues related to air quality, sustainability, and municipal leadership. Ultimately, the team decided to develop a proposal for the City of Birmingham to establish an Office of Sustainability. After extensive research and engagement with officials from peer cities, the team met with city officials to discuss their proposal. Throughout the spring, the team further refined their proposal and continued their relationship with both GASP and Birmingham officials, resulting in an implementation plan for the City to establish an Office of Sustainability and Resilience.

Greater-Birmingham Arts Education Collaborative

In 2021, the State Department of Education adopted a resolution formally recognizing March as Arts in Education Month. The HPA team working with the Arts Collab drafted a similar resolution for the City of Birmingham to do the same, including action items for the City to promote arts education. The resolution and recommendations are part of a broader initiative to ensure equitable access to the arts for all preK-12 students in the Birmingham area. On March 7, 2023, the resolution was passed unanimously!

Students

Ami Dave

Ami Dave is a part of the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program pursuing her undergraduate degree in Public Health with a concentration in Global Health studies as well as her Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Organization. She is fascinated in combining her interest of medicine and public policy to advocate for impactful change in Birmingham and around the world. 

Aahil Rajpari

Hi! My name is Aahil Rajpari, and I am a senior studying Political Science and Public Administration from Hoover, Alabama. I am interested in exploring health policy and advocacy, understanding how nonprofits and organizations work with government officials to create effective, lasting change for the Greater Birmingham community. I am excited to learn about how to become a better advocate for my community through working with these organizations!

Erik Angus

Erik is a dual-degree MBA/MPH candidate who is passionate about studying the intersection of public health, technology, and business. He has over 5 years of experience professionally in healthcare technology and enjoys the opportunity to work on solving problems that help improve health outcomes. At UAB he has competed in the Global Health Case Competition and is excited to make an impact as a health policy ambassador.

Kristie Muya

Kristie Muya is a senior majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in sociology and is on track to complete the MSMBS program in the spring. Kristie is in the GCL Honors program, a student leader in the Student Multicultural and Diversity Programs, and is passionate about addressing community needs through direct service. As a Health Policy Ambassador, she hopes to learn how to utilize her passions and academic background to promote health equity through policy.

Jamia Haynes

Enrolled in the Health Behavior PhD program in the Ryals School of Public Health, Jamia Haynes is a 2nd year doctoral student, epidemiologist, and health management and policy professional. Jamia’s love for health policy is uprooted from her life experiences, community, and family. She is a native of West End, Anniston, AL, the city known for the Monsanto Company’s PCBs dumping grounds, Ft. McClellan, and Anniston Army Depot. Although PCBs were banned in the US in 1979 due to extreme toxicity and non-biodegradable materials, Jamia’s family had already suffered the consequences that increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and a plethora of other chronic illnesses. Jamia is passionate about all things public health and believes everyone— regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and educational background— should have access to healthy and sustainable living environments. Her long-term goal is to establish the Haynes Foundation, a non-profit healthcare clinic whose mission will be to serve marginalized communities to improve overall community health and healthy living with a vision to work towards access to comprehensive healthcare for the clients served.

Ritika Samant

Ritika Samant is a senior at UAB majoring in Neuroscience and Fast Tracking an MPH with a concentration in Health Behavior. She is passionate about both health intervention research, especially with regards to health disparities, and how that can inform health policy. In the future, she hopes to bridge public health and medicine by not only treating the patients in front of her but also the upstream factors that play into community health.

Mikayla Rigsby

Mikayla Rigsby is a 3rd year in the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s Program pursuing her Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Organization as well as her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience. Her passion for public health comes from her desire to address social determinants of health, improve minority health, and target health problems at their origin through policy work. She is excited to support community partners in their goals and learn more about policy implementation.

Anantha Korrapati

Hello! My name is Anantha, and I am a senior studying Neuroscience and Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Organization. My public health passions include environmental health as well as maternal and child health. As a health policy ambassador, I am excited to connect my experiences with healthcare communications, applied sciences, and community outreach to support an organization that improves health outcomes.

Kevin Joseph

I am a sophomore Immunology major planning to pursue a Master of Public Health. I am passionate about the intersections of health equity, social justice, and government action.