Kristin Roadman (she/her) graduated from the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health in December 2023 with her Master of Public Health, majoring in Urban Health with a minor in Maternal and Child Health (MCH). Dornsife’s MCH Program is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration through its MCH Public Health Catalyst Program. Kristin’s interest in MCH stems from a desire to improve health outcomes for women and increase access to reproductive services to achieve greater health equity. Having lived in several cities across the U.S., Kristin felt compelled to shift her career focus to advocate for policies and programs that address health disparities in urban areas and remove barriers to help people live their healthiest lives. Prior to obtaining her MPH, Kristin completed her Master of Public Administration at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and was selected to serve as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF). The PMF program is the Federal Government’s competitive flagship leadership development initiative where approximately half of finalists obtain two-year appointments. Kristin has worked in agencies focused on emergency management, environment, and immigration, which has broadened her understanding of how prevalent public health issues are in our society.
Currently, Kristin works for UIC, where she manages programs designed to support faculty and students, including the Community Health Advocacy program, which uses a multidisciplinary approach to address health disparities in urban areas through health innovation. Kristin also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Drexel University. While pursuing her MPH at Drexel’s Dornsife School of Public Health, Kristin completed her Applied Practical Experience with the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice and her Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) with Maternity Care Coalition (MCC) and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children where she produced a brief for Thriving PA. The work she completed highlighted how MCH programs can improve health outcomes for the perinatal population and their families, address health inequities, and reach more pregnant people and new mothers who need support. Connect with Kristin on LinkedIn!
In her blog entry Kristin reflects on her experiences collaborating with the Maternity Care Coalition (MCC), the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, and Thriving PA. She shares insights into her efforts to support advocacy initiatives aimed at launching a Perinatal Psychiatry Access Program in Pennsylvania, all while applying MCH Competencies 1 (MCH Knowledge Base/Context) and 7 (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility). “This experience helped me further realize how I can use my passion and interest in writing as a tool to advocate for critical policies aimed at promoting health equity and enhancing quality of life for individuals.” Learn more about Kristin’s contributions here!