Interview with Najma Dahir, BS
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Highlights from this episode:
- How the immigrant experience shapes her perspective on health and public health.
- The importance of grant writing in public health
- Why listening to community needs is essential for ethical research
- How hobbies play an important role in maintaining well-being
Episode 214 of Public Health Careers
Najma Dahir, BS is an Internal Consultant III, at a larger health insurer.
She conferred a Bachelor’s degree in Global Studies, and minor in Public Health at University of Minnesota where she volunteered with the Health Ambassadors program, focusing on health education for Somali elders. After her undergraduate studies, she became a CHW, Regional Coordinator at Hennepin County, where she coordinated immunization outreach across multiple counties.
She later transitioned to the role of Senior Planning Analyst at Hennepin County Public Works, working on a CDC-funded childhood lead poisoning prevention program. Afterward, she moved to King County, Seattle in Seattle as an Educator Consultant III, where she managed community grants and provided technical support for environmental health programs.
Currently, Najma works as an Internal Consultant III for Health Equity at Premera Blue Cross, where she focuses on health disparities and program design for underserved communities.
Najma is currently pursuing dual Masters in Public Health and Social Work at University of Minnesota School of Public Health.
Links from show
Medical Apartheid by Harriet A Washington
The Body Keep Score by Bessel Van der Kolk
Health Ambassadors at University of Michigan
Doctors Give Black Women Unneeded C-Sections To Fill Operations Rooms, Study Suggest – NY Times (The study)
