On this episode of the podcast, we have Jerome Viloria, who I met through the dance community. Our journeys have followed similar journeys of integrating our identity into our art and our careers serving the AAPI community, through the theme of art as a form of wellness.

Jerome is a queer, non-binary public health professional based in Astoria, NY by way of the Hudson Valley. With a BA in Biology and minor in Philippine Studies, they moved on to pursue an MPH in Community Health Sciences & Practice at NYU, answering a call to destigmatize sexual and mental health by means of community-level education.

As a mid-career level public health practitioner, they have amassed experience in sexual and mental health research; community programming; grant writing; academic advising; and teaching at the University-level. On the artistic side, they have been a musician and dancer for 17 years, covering strings (violin, viola, cello), percussion (piano, kulintang), indigenous dance (Maranao, Maguindanao, T’boli, Tausug, and Yakan), modern (hip-hop, jazz funk, waacking), and singing (tenor). They have the best of both worlds, helping  forge a path to something only they can create.

Jerome is currently pursuing their Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at NYU, with a focus in nonprofit leadership, workforce development, and education. They seek to understand sources of health information, how they formulate our beliefs, and how community engagement can inspire positive health behavior change. They’re excited to take the next step in cultivating themselves as a nonprofit leader at Apicha CHC. Outside their professional realm, Jerome is an active musician, dancer, and gamer. You can find them performing with Kinding Sindaw during Queensboro Dance Festival 2025! Here is the  performance schedule.

And if you’re in the NYC area July 26th, we invite you to attend the 2025 NYC Summer Filipino Community Resource & Health Fair at APICHA. More info here!