About the PHAA
PHAA’s vision is to foster growth and advancement in public health, by advancing the values and supporting the academic mission of the DLSPH and the University of Toronto.
PHAA’s mission is to promote fellowship among the alumni community and to foster relationships among its members and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH).
Role of the PHAA
The PHAA performs a number of important functions, which include:
- Promoting and facilitating alumni networking through events and activities.
- Operating an Alumni-Student Mentorship Program in partnership with the DLSPH.
- Acting as an important voice to represent public health alumni.
Contact Us
For further information, please refer to the PHAA Constitution or contact the PHAA at public.health@alumni.utoronto.ca.
How to get involved
There are many rewarding ways to become involved in the PHAA.
- Be a Mentor Join the PHAA-DLSPH Mentorship program, and share your experience, knowledge and passion for public health with a current student.
- Join a PHAA Committee There are many opportunities to join a PHAA committee that interests you most. PHAA Committees include: Finance, Mentorship, Awards, Events, Communications, Governance, and Strategy.
- Attend alumni networking events. Check out the Events Calendar
Emerging Public Health Leader Award
Recognition for a candidate demonstrating leadership in bringing about measurable positive change, using innovative approaches to change and motivating others to improve the field of public/population health in Canada.
Value: $500
Eligibility
Any recent (maximum 10 years) graduate member of any of the academic programs offered by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health Public Health Sciences may be nominated. Nominees must not be a chief executive (CEO) or similar role (ED of an organization, Deputy Minister, or Minister) nor have occupied that role in the past. This limitation will only hold for organizations with a budget of greater than $10 million. This means that EDs of the small organization will be eligible.
Criteria
- Leadership in bringing about measurable positive change in public/population health.
- Use of innovative approaches to change in research or practice.
- Ability to motivate others to adopt change.
- A commitment to evidence-based public health, and integration of innovative thinking to knowledge creation and practice
- Real and potential scope of impact.
- Peer recognition of leadership attributes.
- Impact on either a high burden common problem, either because it is a widely shared problem (e.g. disease prevention, health promotion) or an important problem within specific communities.
Nomination
- Nominator letter outlining the candidate’s achievements in leading public/population health (maximum 500 words).
- Two reference letters from colleagues working in public/population health outlining the impact of the candidate’s works.
- Candidate’s full curriculum vitae or resume
Submission
Please send nomination package electronically to public.health@alumni.utoronto.ca
Presentation
The recipient will receive a commemorative plaque presented at a Spring Alumni Event.
Deadline: March 1 of every year
Stay connected
You can keep in touch with the DLSPH through a variety of channels:
- LinkedIn: Join the Dalla Lana School of Public Health Students and Alumni Group on LinkedIn to stay informed with news and notifications about alumni events and activities.
- Email: Communicate with the PHAA Board at public.health@alumni.utoronto.ca.
- Mailing List: Make sure that you are on the mailing list to receive important notices about events and activities. To update your information click here.
DLSPH/PHAA Alumni-Student Mentorship Program
As public health professionals, we are keenly aware of the vast importance of building partnerships and sharing knowledge. The DLSPH/PHAA Alumni-Student Mentorship Program aims to seed this culture of collaboration among the next generation of public health professionals with the ultimate goal of extending public health’s impact locally, nationally and globally.
The program provides professional and personal development opportunities to both students and alumni. Mentors are matched with a current student based on shared areas of interest.
Students participating in the program gain useful advice regarding career and courses or practica, build networking contacts, and develop a general “feel” for work in their areas of interest.
Alumni mentors benefit from opportunities to stay current on educational offerings in their respective field, connect with other mentors, and engage with the School’s talented students and help them to prepare for a meaningful career in public health. The PHAA and the DLSPH support mentorship pairs in this process.
The program takes place over ten months, from February to November of each year. Contact the Program Co-Chairs Sarah Ko sarah.ko@utoronto.ca and public.health@alumni.utoronto.ca if you have further information.
Find out more
To learn more about the DLSPH/PHAA Mentorship program, please watch the DLSPH Mentorship Video.
Mentorship and committee membership opportunities
The Mentorship Program Committee is always looking for engaged and experienced alumni to be mentors and committee members. Being a mentor allows alumni to share their experience, knowledge, and passion for public health with a current student. Mentor applications for the Mentorship Program are due at the beginning of December.
Participating in the committee provides a unique opportunity to get to know both DLSPH students and alumni, and to contribute to the mentoring process. Committee responsibilities include mentor and mentee recruitment, the matching process, and planning program events.
Explore new opportunities
For Mentor and Committee member opportunities, please contact the Mentorship Program Committee at public.health@alumni.utoronto.ca.
C. P Shah Alumni Award
The C.P. Shah Alumni Award of Excellence in Public Health was established to recognize graduates of any of the academic programs offered by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health who have advanced the field of public/population health in Canada or its provinces/territories by his/her contribution and/or sustained efforts in one or more of the following fields:
Practice of Public Health:
Development of new delivery models of public health services;
Expansion of existing public health services in a creative manner to deliver added services;
Strong advocacy of public/ population health which resulted in new changes to healthy public policy.
Teaching:
Development of teaching programs/ material which excite and move forward the field of public/ population health education for undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and/or continuing education.
Research:
Applied or basic research which improves or modifies the delivery of public health and/or population health services
Download the C. P Shah Alumni Award Nomination form
Nomination
- Nominator letter outlining the candidate’s achievements in leading public/population health (maximum 500 words)
- Two letters of support
- Nominee’s full curriculum vitae or resume
Submission
Please send nomination package electronically to public.health@alumni.utoronto.ca
Presentation
The recipient will receive a certificate presented at the PHAA – AGM.
Deadline: July 1 of every year
For more information, please contact the Award Officer at public.health@alumni.utoronto.ca.
View past C.P. Shah Alumni Award recipients
Representing DLSPH alumni
The PHAA provides representation for public health alumni at the DLSPH’s School Council, an important voice for shaping the future of the School, as well as for the College of Electors for the Governing Council of the University of Toronto.
You can find information regarding the DLSPH School Council here.
The College of Electors is a committee of 44 alumni who are responsible for electing the Chancellor and eight alumni members (alumni governors) of the Governing Council of the University of Toronto.
The Governing Council is the senior governing body that oversees the academic, business and student affairs of U of T. It is composed of 50 members drawn from faculty, staff and students of the University as well as members of the community at large. Members of the Governing Council, including alumni members, serve as trustees of the University, and ensure that the Council’s decisions align with the University’s long-term interests.
To view a list of current members of the PHAA Board, click here.