Blog

Meet Alyssa Zohrabian, MPH, Director of Communications at the Nassau County Department of Health. A Stony Brook University alumna, Zohrabian has spent more than a decade working in public health, using education and communication to help protect and improve the health of Long Island communities.

 For Jonell Ashby, MPH ’26, public health is about more than addressing individual health challenges. It’s about advocating for health equity, empowering individuals through education, and creating opportunities for healthier futures.

Meet Pascale Fils-Aime, MPH, MBA, LSSYB, an alumna of Stony Brook University who now serves as an Applied Practice Experience Coordinator and Instructor in the Department of Public Health at SUNY Old Westbury. Through her work with students, Pascale promotes cultural humility, health literacy, and hands-on learning to help prepare the next generation of public health professionals.

To celebrate National Health Education Week, October 19–23, Stony Brook University’s Program in Public Health is highlighting alums making a difference through health education, disease prevention, and community engagement. Meet Ashley Cervino!

For Aaliyah Schwenderman-Randall, M.A., pursuing a PhD in Population Health at Stony Brook University is about more than advancing her research. It is about using research to better understand and address the health inequities that affect communities that have historically been overlooked.

“Through community-based programming, I saw how data and strategy could be used to improve people’s lives,” Kristi recalls. “Many of the professionals doing the work I admired held a Master of Public Health, so I applied to Stony Brook’s Program in Public Health as soon as I returned.”

The Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) is one of the few graduate degrees where professional experience is just as valuable as the curriculum. Because of this, the majority of MHA students in non-residential programs are department managers, clinicians, and administrative leads while also being students.If you’re wondering if you can handle both, the answer is a resounding yes. But it requires more than just a calendar; it requires a strategic overhaul of how you manage your day.

If you’re considering a Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), you aren’t just looking for a degree; you’re looking for a seat at the table where high-level decisions are made. The healthcare landscape is shifting rapidly. As the population ages and new technologies emerge, there is a greater need for skilled leaders in healthcare. Here are the top career paths you can pursue with an MHA in 2026.

Meet Ricardo Lizano, a current student in Stony Brook University’s Program in Public Health, whose journey is rooted in lived experience and driven by a deep commitment to equity. From the Bronx to the classroom, Ricardo brings a perspective that reminds us public health isn’t just about data and policy—it’s about people, access, and the systems that shape everyday life.

Tenzin Tsomo, a first-year MPH student at Stony Brook University, brings a deeply personal and globally informed perspective to her work. Drawing from her experiences growing up in a Tibetan refugee community, she is passionate about addressing disparities in healthcare access and strengthening systems that support underserved populations. In this Q&A, Tenzin reflects on her journey into public health, the issues that drive her, and the impact she hopes to make both locally and globally.