103: Losing Hope in Public Health During The Pandemic But Coming Out Ahead with Shel Lessington, MPH, CHES

Interview with Shel Lessington, MPH, CHES

Episode 103 of The Public Health Millennial Career Stories Podcast:

Shel Lessington, MPH, CHES currenly works as a Patient Engagement Specliast at the Epilepsy Foundation. She is a dynamic, goal-driven public health professional experienced in community outreach, patient care, project management, and research.

Shel began her collegiate career in English at Hampton University. She then completed her undergraduate by getting her Bachelors of Science in Biology at the University of South Carolina – Columbia.

After graduating, she went on to be a Case Management Specialist for Youth Leadership Development Institute at Columbia Urban League, Inc where she was shifted into a Program Coordinator and Assistant for the I Am Woman Health Initiative. Shel then shifted into a Patient Care Technician II position at Medical University of South Carolina.

Shel went on to get her Master of Public Health at The George Washington University. She was very active during her time here. Shel was a Study Coordinator at Somerset County Health Department, a Community Conversations Facilitator at Montgomery Community Health Improvement Process, a Public Health Intern Protocols Subcommittee at Health Montgomery Behavioral Health Task Force, an African Affairs Committee Intern at UN Association of the National Capital Area, a Policy Research Intern at National Association of Community Health Centers, and a Summer Fellowship for Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

After graduating, she became a Community Health Education Specialist at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Shel then moved onto Project Specialist for PRAPARE at National Association of Community Health Centers.

Shel then shares her experience in losing hope in public health during the pandemic. She then dove into entrepreneurship opening her own cleaning business which she continues to run. She currently works as a Patient Engagement Specialist at the Epilepsy Foundation.