Held April 8 at the Clinical Research Center, the discussion brought together six department alumni to discuss how their training continues to shape their work and how current students can prepare for a rapidly changing professional landscape.
The panel featured Alyssa Falise, Ph.D., M.S.P.H. ’17, lead epidemiologist at the American College of Medical Toxicology; Rodney Jacobs Jr., J.D., M.P.A., M.P.H. ’21, chief of the Office of Civil Rights and Labor Relations for Miami-Dade County and adjunct professor at Florida International University; Marissa Coppola, 4+1 M.P.H. ’22, a Ph.D. student in Prevention Science and Community Health; Alessandra Maggioni, 4+1 M.P.H. ’22, a medical student at Florida International University; Joba Odediran, M.P.H. ’22, associate director of career readiness at the University of Miami Toppel Career Center; and Tyra Marrs, M.P.H., M.P.A. ’24, assistant director of health and well-being at the University of Miami.
Expanding the Definition of the Field
Panelists described their health training as a lens that shapes how they approach complex challenges.
For Maggioni, the field expanded her understanding of patient care beyond the clinical encounter and helped connect medicine to prevention and the broader conditions affecting health.
Dr. Falise described a path shaped by curiosity and data, while Marrs pointed to the discipline as a natural fit for her work in student wellness and education.
Others spoke about how the field helped them connect different areas of interest. Jacobs said his military, legal and public administration experiences all pointed him in this direction, particularly as he recognized how many issues in government and policy were, at their core, health-related.
“I felt that oftentimes we were couching issues in the legal domain or with our municipal governments that were really healthcare issues,” he said. “I think everything kind of starts and ends with public health.”
Odediran also emphasized the flexibility of the degree, noting that the skills developed through the program extend well beyond traditional health roles.
Together, their experiences reflected the versatility of the training and the range of careers it can support.
From Classroom to Practice
When asked what aspects of the program continue to influence their work, they pointed to both technical and professional skills developed during their time in the program.
Qualitative methods, statistics, coding, data management, communication and research methods were all cited as tools they continue to use across roles. Several panelists also pointed to specific classroom experiences that changed how they approach problems and communicate their work.
“Your learning doesn’t really end in this classroom. This classroom’s just the beginning,” one panelist said.
Conference presentations and research opportunities also played a key role. Presenting at meetings such as the American Public Health Association annual meeting gave students the opportunity to engage with broader conversations in the field while building confidence and professional networks.
Networking, Relationships and Career Readiness
A consistent theme throughout the discussion was the importance of relationships.
Panelists encouraged students to make the most of their time in the program by building connections with faculty, classmates, mentors, staff and community partners. Those relationships, they said, often become the foundation for future opportunities, whether through recommendations, jobs, collaborations or introductions to new professional circles.
They also emphasized that networking should not be limited to formal settings. Classmates, capstone partners, internship supervisors and faculty members can all become part of a student’s long-term professional community.
The panel also offered practical advice for entering the workforce. Students were encouraged to develop hard skills that can set them apart, stay open to nontraditional roles and tailor their experience to the positions they want to pursue.
Panelists acknowledged that job searches can be challenging but stressed the importance of persistence, flexibility and using the resources available through the University.
“There's going to be a lot of no’s, but just keep going, you’ll get to where you need to go eventually,” Marrs said. “It’s part of the process and part of transitioning from school to adulthood.”
A Shared Lens Across Sectors
Public health training showed up in different ways across sectors, shaping how they approach their work.
Odediran emphasized the importance of applying core skills in real-world settings, particularly when it comes to working with data and communicating impact.
“I’m having to not only collect the data and tell a story with it, I’m also having to present it to deans, to the provost, to different partners,” she said.
Dr. Falise also pointed to the lasting value of epidemiologic training, particularly in shaping how she approaches research and analysis in her current role.
Across roles and industries, the panelists returned to a shared perspective: public health provides a framework for understanding complex challenges and developing solutions that extend beyond any single discipline.
The event offered students practical insight into career paths while reinforcing how their training can be applied across sectors.
“Students were very impressed and appreciated the unique opportunity to hear from and engage directly with recent graduates about their experiences and advice in ways they could relate to,” said Rosa Verdeja, M.Ed., director of academic affairs, associate director of the curriculum committee and co-director of graduate programs administration.
Written by Deycha Torres Hernández, published April 8, 2026.
