Interview with Dorian Johnson
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Highlights from this episode:
- How The PHuncle was inspired by the idea of being the cool, knowledgeable uncle who makes public health relatable and approachable
- Why public health messaging needs to be more engaging, accessible, and human-centered to truly address deeper behavioral and societal issues
- How conversations with people outside of public health can help you become a stronger and more effective communicator
- Why stigma remains a major barrier to effective health communication, prevention, and care
- How public health career journeys are often non-linear, and why staying authentic in professional spaces matters
- The realities of content creation and why impactful health communication must balance evidence-based information with emotional connection and storytelling
Episode 263 of Public Health Careers
Dorian Johnson is also known at The PHuncle.
Dorian is a public health educator, curriculum developer, and health communications strategist who believes that most public health messaging doesn’t fail because it’s wrong – it fails because it doesn’t stick.
His work lives at the intersection of health equity, storytelling, and behavior change, helping organizations move beyond box-checking education toward messages that actually resonate with people’s lived experiences.
He earned his Associate of Science in Fitness Specialist at Suffolk County Community College and he worked as a personal trainer for several years. He then got a Bachelor of Arts in Global Health at Arizona State University. He has worked as a Care Coordinator for Family & Children’s Association.
Dorian currently works as a Public Health Fellow II at Suffolk County Department of Health Services. He is also currently pursuing his Master of Public Health in Social & Behavioral Sciences at Kent State University.
Links from show
New York State Public Health Corps