Priya Mehra

For me the Bloomberg School is a place for greater self-discovery.  My background in public health has been varied.  As an undergrad I studied political science and did internships in the US Senate and in the NY State Senate.  After graduating, I wanted to get my feet wet in direct public health practice so I joined AmeriCorps where I directed a health outreach organization in the slums of Pittsburgh.  This community was in great need of primary care services so I stayed in the area to help start up a Federally Qualified Health Center.  I then went back to DC where I did research for Senator Ted Kennedy and non-profit health lobbying through a law firm.  After gaining a perspective on domestic health care and policy I took my maiden voyage to India, my father's homeland, where I evaluated programs for anti-trafficking organizations. 

Empowering the under-served, especially women and children is really what motivates me.  I looked to Hopkins to help sharpen my skills and refine my goals.  There is a lot of talk about Hopkins being the number one school of public health but that shouldn't be what attracts you to Hopkins.  Come here for the students and the professors.  There are students here from just about every continent and with so many unique experiences, from training pumas in the jungle of Bolivia to rolling out PEPFAR in Africa, to advising the Korean government on the best vaccines for hepatitis.  Everyone is passionate about public health and enthusiastic to learn from one another.  My expectations are continually exceeded by the goodwill and sincerity of the students and faculty.  It's an honor and a thrill to be here!