Public Health SPOTlight Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Most of us didn't end up exactly where we thought we would when we first stepped into public health. And if you've ever felt quietly guilty about that — like you've somehow veered off the path you were supposed to be on — this episode is for you.

Sujani gets personal in this one. She shares how she went from planning to be a dentist to stumbling into public health through an elective course and a John Donne poem that stopped her in her tracks. She talks about landing her dream job — and then building PH SPOT on the side because she couldn't ignore a problem she kept seeing. And she reflects on what it's meant to become a mother twice over, go on leave, and ask hard questions about what the next chapter of her career actually looks like.

The through line? None of it was the plan. And all of it was exactly right.

This episode is part of PH SPOT's 2026 theme — The Future-Ready Public Health Professional — and kicks off our Q1 focus on adaptability, transferable skills, and navigating a career that doesn't always go in a straight line.

In this episode:

• Why Sujani's original plan had nothing to do with public health
• The moment a John Donne poem changed everything
• How PH SPOT was born from a mentoring problem
• Why non-linear careers aren't a detour — they ARE the path
• Three things every public health professional needs to remember when they feel off-track
• A 5-minute reflection exercise to help you see how far you've actually come

🔗 Join PH SPOT+ : phspot.org/club🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter: phspot.org/signup

The public health workforce is evolving faster than ever — and careers in this field no longer follow a straight line. In this episode, we're sharing a special replay of our Q1 PH SPOT+ member panel, where three public health professionals joined moderator Meghan Haffey for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about what it really means to adapt to the future of work.

This panel is part of PH SPOT's 2026 programming theme — The Future-Ready Public Health Professional — and kicks off our Q1 focus on workforce trends, transferable skills, and navigating a field that's changing in real time.

The conversation covers what excites these professionals most about the future of public health, the biggest shifts they're seeing in the workforce right now, how they've personally navigated adaptability in their own careers, and what early and mid-career professionals should start doing differently today to future-proof their careers.

Meet the panelists:

• Meghan Haffey, DrPH, MPH — Moderator, PH SPOT Mentor, Associate for Scientific and Medical Research at Knowesis Inc.
• Marybec Griffin, PhD, MPH — Assistant Professor & MPH Program Director, Fairfield University
• Nour Sharara, MPH — Strategy & Partnerships, Field Intelligence Inc.
• Keshini Saggar, BDS, MBA, MPH — Communications & Project Lead, Harvard Medical School; Head of Marketing & Community Relations, Nucona Research

In this episode:

• Why public health is becoming more interdisciplinary — and what that means for your career
• How transferable skills open doors you never expected
• What adaptability actually looks like in practice (beyond the buzzword)
• The role of curiosity, relationship-building, and showing up online in building a future-ready career
• Areas of public health that are ripe for innovation and change

🔗 Join PH SPOT+: phspot.org/club🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter: phspot.org/signup

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!

This is a new monthly series to provide you with updates on events happening inside the Public Health Career Club community:

The Public Health Career Club has moved to an always-open enrollment model to provide support whenever public health professionals need it, with a new seven-day free trial available for both premium and light memberships.

Here's what to expect in April:

• Four-part workshop series on "Launch Your Idea" for turning concepts into reality - Part 2 & 3 continues this month (April 1 & 12)
• New member orientation (April 3)
• Peer session on global mental health (April 5)
• Monthly social hour for networking and connection (April 17)
• Office hours with mentors specializing in job applications, industry transitions, and policy (April 23, 29, 30)
• Special presentation on the Consumer Drug Take Back program (April 24)

Head over to phspot.org/club to learn more about the community and sign up for the seven-day free trial of either the premium or light membership.

Support the show

Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Marissa McKool, the founder and creator of McKool Coaching and the Redefining Rest Podcast for Public Health Professionals. They discuss burnout in public health professionals and how life coaching can be helpful in working through burnout.

You’ll Learn

• Marissa’s journey from working directly in public health to life coaching 
• Why Marissa decided to start McKool Coaching and the Redefining Rest Podcast for Public Health Professionals
• What burnout is and why it is such a big issue among public health professionals
• How changing your mindset is the first step in working through burnout and other adversities
• Actionable tips on how to start working through burnout and getting more rest
• How important it is for public health professionals to branch out and continue innovating through different fields

Today’s Guest

Marissa McKool, MPH, is a former public health leader turned career and life coach who helps public health professionals eliminate their burnout without quitting their job. Marissa received her MPH from Emory University and held several leadership roles in government and academia working on sexual violence prevention and reproductive health, before finding herself burning out. Through coaching, she was able to eliminate her stress without anything outside of her changing and now helps others do the same. She is also the host of the Redefining Rest Podcast for Public Health Professionals, where she helps listeners reduce their workload, create more time, get more rest, and feel better.

Resources

• Connect with Marissa on LinkedIn and Instagram
• Sign up for McKool Coaching’s Burnout Recovery Mini-course 
• Listen to Marissa's podcast 
• Listen to Kara Loewentheil's podcast
• Learn more about the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
• Listen to the previous episode with Leshawn Benedict
• Listen to the previous episode with Nitin Mohan.

Other PH SPOT resources:

• Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this form
• Never heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.
• Be notified when new episodes come out, and

Support the show

Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!

 Today’s career tip is on informational interviews! 

Knowing what kind of career you want to one day have can give you a strong sense of control and peace of mind. It might not seem easy to conceptualize something that far into the future, but today's Quick Career Tips episode will help you do exactly that.

What You'll Learn from this Episode:

• What a career vision is
• Why it’s important that you draft a career vision
• How you can get started with drafting a career vision that guides your next career move!

Featured on the Show:

• Design your dream public health career: A career program to help you gain clarity and confidence in your career path and take action towards your goals.
• Leave us a review
  • On Spotify
  • On Apple Podcast

Other Resources:

• Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this form
• Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.
• Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contribute

Support the show

Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!

In this episode, Sujani is back again with Kira Riehm, a psychiatric epidemiologist and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. This time, they talk about using Twitter as a tool for public health professionals and the benefits and opportunities the platform has in store. 

You’ll Learn

• Why Kira first started to use Twitter for professional purposes
• What Kira mainly uses Twitter for and how she navigates through the platform
• How Kira’s usage of Twitter changed since the pandemic
• How others working in public health have used Twitter 
• How Twitter can be used to find various career opportunities and build professional relationships
• How Kira found her postdoc work through Twitter
• What challenges using Twitter professionally may present
• How Twitter differs from LinkedIn as a platform for public health professionals and researchers

Today’s Guest

Kira is a psychiatric epidemiologist and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Epidemiology at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The primary aim of her research is to understand the causes, correlates, and consequences of mental health disorders among adolescents. Drawing on a wide variety of data sources, she designs research studies that involve the application of rigorous epidemiologic methods to answer pressing questions about youth mental health and substance use. Her work has been published in JAMA Psychiatry, Pediatrics, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and American Journal of Public Health.

Resources

• Follow Kira on Twitter and LinkedIn 
• Follow Julia Raifman on Twitter
• Follow Kerry Keyes on Twitter  
• Listen to the previous episode with Kira. 
• Subscribe to the Johns Hopkins Newsletter 
• Follow the On Canada Project on Instagram 

Other PH SPOT resources:

• Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this form
• Never heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.
• Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public h

Support the show

Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Tahani Waqar, a physician and community health researcher at Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan. They discuss what public health or community medicine is like in Pakistan and how Tahani’s love and passion for public health came to be. 

You’ll Learn

• Tahani’s journey from clinical medicine to community health and research work
• What projects and research work Tahani has done and what areas of community health she is interested in
• What a day in the life of Tahani’s school and work is like
• How the community medicine residency program is structured at Aga Khan University 
• The biggest challenges that Tahani has faced in her professional journey so far and how she has overcome them
• Advice from Tahani for others interested in public health and early career public health professionals
• What the public health system in Pakistan is like and what unique challenges it brings to public health professionals working in Pakistan

Today’s Guest

My name is Tahani. I hold a bachelor's degree in medicine (MBBS), graduated in 2017. I am currently enrolled in the community medicine residency program, a synonym for public health in Pakistan, in one of the most prestigious institutions in Pakistan, Aga Khan University Hospital. My first work experience in public health was in the National Committee of Maternal and Child Health. I am extensively trained in providing Family Planning Contraceptive Methods. Since then I have been very much interested in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and improving S&R health status in Pakistan. 

Resources

• Learn more about Aga Khan University 
• The previous episode with Sophiya Garasia 
• Tahani’s tribute to Imtiaz Kamal

Other PH SPOT resources:

• Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this form
• Never heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.
• Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.
• Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contribute
• Upcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics
• Learn more about PH Spot's 6-week training program

Support the show

Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Dr. Nikita Sandeep Wagle, a physician-researcher from Mumbai, India who is currently working and studying in the US. They talk about Nikita’s experience as an international student and give advice for others who may be thinking about pursuing higher education in a different country. 

You’ll Learn

• Nikita’s journey into health care and what sparked her interest in public health
• Nikita’s research interests and what she is currently working on 
• Why Nikita was interested in pursuing her graduate degrees in the US as opposed to other countries
• What factors international students may want to consider when they’re thinking about pursuing higher education in the US
• Tips from Nikita on the application process and the process of moving to a different country
• Nikita’s experience as an international graduate student at UNC and Texas A&M
• The importance of having a support system and building a strong network in a new country
• Where to find academic and financial resources as an international graduate student 
• How Nikita’s Instagram page came into being and what she hopes to achieve from it

Today’s Guest

Dr. Wagle holds a PhD in Health Services Research from Texas A&M School of Public Health and a Masters Degree from Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill. Prior to coming to the US, she practiced briefly as a Physician in India. Her research focuses on cancer health equity. She is an incoming Principal Scientist in the Department of Surveillance and Health Equity Science at the American Cancer Society. 

Resources

• Nikita's Instagram
• Academeology Instagram as mentioned by Nikita

Other PH SPOT resources:

• Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this form
• Never heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.
• Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.
• Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contribute
• Upcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics
• Learn more about PH Spot's 6-week training program

Support the show

Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!

Today’s career tip is on career visions and the power that they hold!

Knowing what kind of career you want to one day have can give you a strong sense of control and peace of mind. It might not seem easy to conceptualize something that far into the future, but today's Quick Career Tips episode will help you do exactly that.

Specifically, you’ll learn:

• What a career vision is
• Why it’s important that you draft a career vision
• How you can get started with drafting a career vision that guides your next career move!

LEAVE A REVIEW!
If you are listening to this on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast or Spotify, please do leave us a review so that other public health professionals know what to expect and also for us to know how you are enjoying these episodes!

Sign up to our mailing list to be notified when the career program is available for enrollment!

Support the show

Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!

In this episode, Sujani sits down with Denise Chow, a 1st year MPH student studying at the Yale School of Public Health. Denise was accepted into all five MSPH/MPH programs she applied to and in this episode, she speaks about her application process and gives some great advice for others considering pursuing a graduate degree.

You’ll Learn

• How Denise came upon the field of public health and experiences led to her knowing it was the right field for her 
• What influenced Denise’s decision in pursuing an MPH vs. an MSPH and why she decided to enter the graduate degree right after completing her undergrad
• What considerations prospective students should make when deciding which schools and programs to apply to
• Denise’s decision making process and how she ultimately made the choice to study at Yale amongst the other schools she was accepted into
• Tips from Denise on how to strengthen applications for graduate school
• How having a solid support network is important through your education and career path, especially as a first generation student with unique barriers during the application process
  • How to go about building this support network
• Advice from Denise for others who may be considering higher education

Today’s Guest

Denise Chow is a 1st-year MPH student at the Yale School of Public Health. She recently graduated from University of California, Berkeley, studying Public Health and Education. Her research interests include mental health and well-being, qualitative and community-based participatory research, social and interpersonal relationships, and early childhood development among children, refugees, and displaced populations.

Resources

• Connect with Denise on LinkedIn 

Other PH SPOT resources:

• Share ideas for the podcast: Fill out this form
• Never heard of a podcast before? Read this guide we put together to help you get set up.
• Be notified when new episodes come out, and receive hand-picked public health opportunities every week by joining the PH SPOT community.
• Contribute to the public health career blog: www.phspot.ca/contribute
• Upcoming course on infographics: phspot.ca/infographics
• Learn more about PH Spot's 6-week training program

Support the show

Join The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers.

Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!