Interview with Breanca Merritt, PhD, MA
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Highlights from this episode:
- Journey to public policy and becoming director of policy at trust for america’s health
- Transforming from uplifting voices through journalism to using stories to inform public policy work
- The importance of education policy and how this intersects with health systems and social determinants of health
Episode 202 of Public Health Careers
Breanca Merritt, PhD, MA is the Director of Policy at Trust for America’s Health .
She is a research-based storyteller who thinks social problems are complex and that community members know more about their experiences than we do. Her professional goal is to meaningfully engage residents, policymakers, and local leaders in timely, evidence-informed policy decisions to help inform her work.
She conferred a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at University of Oklahoma and a Master of Arts in Political Science in Public Policy and Public Administration at Texas A&M University where she began her professional journey as a Graduate Research Assistant at Texas A&M University, working on the Project for Equity, Research, and Governance. She continued her research as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, contributing to the Oklahoma Public Health Training Center and serving as Project Manager for the Youth and Family Assets Program.
After earning her PhD in Health Promotion Sciences at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Breanca worked as a Senior Research Analyst at the Indiana University Public Policy Institute. She then became the Founding Director of the Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy. She further expanded her professional scope as the Chief Health Equity and ADA Officer at the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and served as an Adjunct Professor and Community Scholar at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Currently, she is the Director of Policy at Trust for America’s Health .
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Breanca Merritt, PhD, MA on LinkedIn
