38: Founder and CEO of The Black Health Commission with Rebecca Desir, MPH

Interview with Rebecca Desir, MPH

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Highlights from this episode:

1. Founder and CEO of The Black Health Commission
2. Creating community for Black+ folks to discuss health
3. 10 Years experience implementing community health programs

Episode 38 of Public Health Careers

Today we have a public health professional with over 10 years of proven experience in planning and implementing community health programs, fundraising and corporate social responsibility in the healthcare and non-profit sectors.

Rebecca got her Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion at Florida Atlantic University. She worked as a Registered Pharmacy Technician for CVS Health. She was also the Founding President of FAU’s Chapter of SISTUHS.

Rebecca then went on to do her Master of Public Health at Florida International University Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work. She talks about how she found a gap in public health social media and how this inspired her to go on to create her nonprofit – The Black Health Commission.

After graduating from her Master of Public Health, Rebecca went on to be a Health Promotions Manager at American Lung Association. She was also the 2016-2017 Events Chair for Central Florida Urban League Young Professionals. Then she went on to become a Consumer Health Educator at Strategies Now, Inc.

Rebecca then transitioned into a Program Manger role at Central Florida Urban League for a short period while she looked for a more permanent role. The full time role she got after this was as a Community Health Program Manager at AdventHealth Central Florida where she currently works.

Last, but definitely not least, Rebecca founded the nonprofit The Black Health Commission, Inc where they work to promote health equity + social justice through education, research + advocacy. Listen to her share her coming full circle to do work that she found a gap for in public health during her MPH.