In this episode of the Courageous Public Health Podcast, Zoila Reyna, MPH, shares what it looked like to walk away from work she loved—without knowing exactly what would come next.

From quitting jobs without another offer lined up, to sleeping on a friend's couch so she could rebuild her life in Los Angeles, to eventually founding Public Health Hired, Zoila reflects on the risks, uncertainty, and persistence that have shaped her path.

This conversation explores courage, reinvention, and self-trust—and what happens when you stop settling for a life that no longer fits.

Meet Zoila Reyna, MPH ✨

Zoila Reyna, MPH is the Latina founder of the woman-owned company of an evidence-based method for getting jobs, known as Public Health Hired. Since the COVID-19 Pandemic she has been offering tailored interview preparation, resume reviews, job alerts and provides a community of practice filled with active workshops, trainings and weekly office hours.

Her Mentor Sessions are legendary for providing live job searches using her advanced LinkedIn algorithm, speedy resume tailoring and interview preparation that seals the deal for job offers – as demonstrated with nearly 400 individuals getting hired thus far across nonprofits, hospitals, government, philanthropy, large NGOs, and associations within public health and community health.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from UCLA and Masters in Public Health from UC Davis. She recently quit her 7 year stint as a Senior Consultant for the Kaiser Hospital Foundation in Southern California where she worked on various socioeconomic initiatives and workforce development efforts.

She is now fully dedicated to Public Health Hired and enjoys gardening while working from home in Los Angeles and lives with her son and daughter.

Conversation Highlights 🎙️

• Letting Go Without a Backup Plan — Zoila reflects on quitting jobs before knowing what would come next—and the fear, judgment, and uncertainty that came with those decisions.
• There's Got to Be More — Even while succeeding professionally, she realized the rest of her life no longer felt aligned—and made the difficult decision to start over in Los Angeles.
• Asking for Help Changed Everything — Zoila shares the pivotal moment she asked a friend if she could sleep on her couch while rebuilding her life and career.
• Learning to Navigate Corporate Spaces — She reflects on working in environments where her expertise was questioned and what it took to adapt without losing herself completely.
• Building Public Health Hired — What started as career guidance during the pandemic became a nationwide mentorship community helping public health professionals pursue more aligned and meaningful work.

"I was quitting without having a job." — Zoila Reyna, MPH

Stay in Touch 🔗

With Zoila Reyna, MPH

LinkedIn ↗: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoilareyna/

Website ↗: https://www.phhired.com

Instagram ↗: https://www.instagram.com/publichealthhired/

With Dr. Kristi McClamroch

LinkedIn ↗: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-mcclamroch

Website ↗: https://www.CourageousPublicHealth.com

Follow for weekly reflections on courage and leadership ↗: http://eepurl.com/jcgQv6

Public Health Consulting to Support You 🤝

We partner with public health, healthcare, nonprofit, philanthropic, and government organizations to design and facilitate interactive workshops for women leaders in public health — turning courage into a leadership skill so it becomes an organizational strength.

If your organization would benefit from this kind of support, we'd love to connect. Reach out on LinkedIn ↗ or through our website ↗.