How did you become interested in your field of public health?
As a new nurse I was drawn to public health almost from the start of my career. I realized early on that I liked the mix between working at the individual level of home visits, teaching prenatal classes, and working in schools, and the broader population level of health promotion and population health. The emphasis on social justice and equity that is inherent in public/community health practice also resonated strongly with my own personal and professional lens.
It is really important to use the program to your own advantage — think about what you want to get out of it and make it work for you.
What lead you to DLSPH?
After working in public health for several years I realized that if I wanted to move forward and have career options I needed to increase both my knowledge and skill in relation to public health theory and practice. The program at DLSPH (then the Department of Behavioural Science) provided that mix. At the time, (1986!) health promotion was beginning to gain prominence; I was in the master’s program in 1986 when the Epp report, the Ottawa Charter and Action Statement for Health Promotion came out. These documents then framed much of my learning at the time, as well as my subsequent practice. In many ways, these documents created the foundation for both my teaching and my nursing practice more broadly.
In what ways has your DLSPH experience had an impact on your career?
The MHSc program (now MPH) provided me with the theory, practical skills, and more important the critical lens that has guided my practice for the last 25 years. Equally important, it directly led me to my doctoral studies. Following my MHSc I worked as a co-investigator and research coordinator for a two-year project looking at children and community participation; the primary investigator was Dr. Ilze Kalnins, then a professor in Behavioural Science. This project taught me valuable research skills and convinced me that I needed to continue my education. Because I was known in the department, having done both my MHSc and subsequent research there, I was admitted to the doctoral program; the first student to be admitted without a thesis-based master’s degree. In this way, my experience at DLSPH led directly to my current position at Ryerson.
Was there a specific faculty member or course that was particularly influential?
Dr Ilze Kalnins, Dr. Joan Eakins (my PhD supervisor) and Dr. Raisa Deber were all especially influential.Was there a specific faculty member or course that was particularly influential? Dr Ilze Kalnins, Dr. Joan Eakins (my PhD supervisor) and Dr. Raisa Deber were all especially influential.
What have you been doing since leaving DLSPH?
Initially I went back to public health after obtaining my master’s degree in 1988. From 1989 to 1991, I worked as a research coordinator. In the early 1990s I also worked as a clinical nurse consultant in what was the teaching health unit in Toronto Public Health, a counselor at the AIDS hotline (now the sexual health hotline) and taught prenatal classes. I have had a full-time teaching position since about 1995 and am currently a tenured Assistant Professor at Ryerson.
What advice would you give to younger alumni or current students who aspire to follow a similar career path?
Don’t be afraid to go into open doors, even if they do not seem to be the ones that you expected. Careers do not need to be linear; take opportunities as they arise. Most of what I have done in my career has been the result of good preparation, critical thinking and serendipity.
What would you say to a prospective student who is considering DLSPH?
It is not the actual content of the courses that is the most important — it is the lens that frames the program, and the willingness to take risks in learning. It is really important to use the program to your own advantage — think about what you want to get out of it and make it work for you.