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In this episode, Sujani sits down with Anita Balan, a project director at the American College of Preventive Medicine. They discuss Anita’s journey through grad school and the pit stops she took along the way, and ways to add to your skills toolkit by seizing opportunities outside of formal education.

You’ll Learn

• How Anita discovered public health through a peer education opportunity on campus
• How politics and public health are closely intertwined
• The importance of being open to different opportunities that may not necessarily be in your direct field of work
• Anita’s experience and reflections on taking a break in between grad school
• How you can upscale your school without needing formal education
  • How volunteering is a valuable way to add skills to your toolkit
• How to cope with failures and feelings of low self esteem
• What’s next for Anita and how she is gathering information for her future career path through informational interviews

Today’s Guest

Anita Balan is a Project Director at the American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM). Currently, she is responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of multiple grants funded through a cooperative agreement between ACPM and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, aimed at to strengthen public health systems and improve population health through national partnerships. Three of her projects focus on building the capacity of physicians, health systems and collaborating organizations to prevent diabetes, reduce hypertension and address COVID-19 among disproportionately affected populations. She provides staff support for the preventive medicine residency program directors and the Graduate Medical Education Subcommittee. Ms. Balan is a strong advocate for health promotion and disease prevention, investing in public health, public health law, addressing structural barriers and eliminating health disparities. She earned her MPH in Prevention and Community Health from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University and is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES). She serves on the boards of the National Capital Area chapter of the Society of Public Health Education (NCA SOPHE) and the South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA). She is a believer in life-long learning and enjoys being a student of Indian Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance.

Resources

• Learn more about the Emerging Leaders in Public Health Program 
• Learn more about becoming a Certified Health Education Specialist
• Learn more about Vote Smart
• Learn more about the American College of Preventive Medicine 
• Listen to the previous episode with Joanna Suder and Gwyneth Eliasson 
• Listen to the previous episode about informational i

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