bronte lea

I grew up in Australia, moving to Portland, Oregon, when I was ten, then to Utah for college. All beautiful, but stark in their cultural differences, these populations vary greatly in their attempts to handle societal issues--especially those centered around health care. I graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Health, Society & Policy, and returned to Portland to build on my academic and volunteer learning experiences in a professional setting. 

Through HSP, I gained a thorough knowledge of why a population will suffer addiction, poverty, illness, and inequity, as well as how these issues can be mended. It’s these evidence based programs and policies which crafted my overarching goal to use the power of a health system as a community leader to better reach at-risk communities. The humanist and economic benefits of solving our health crisis are too apparent to ignore, and now is a crucial time to advocate and force this change. This is a shared goal for many students and graduates of the HSP program, and we have the tools--we are empathetic and industrious, ready to do the gritty ground work until rising up to influence legislative change. 

Stemming from rich service experiences in women's shelters throughout Southern Utah and Las Vegas, as well as an independent project aimed at detecting sex trafficking victims, my main passion is for connecting women and children with health and safety centered resources. 

Since returning to Portland, I’ve met with dozens of leaders in the health and social service field, sharing my plans and interests with dedicated professionals and learning more about their paths and ideas for making an impact. I’m currently interviewing at mission driven, non-profit organizations to gain ground level experience for a couple of years before applying to the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, where I plan on completing an MPH in Health Management and Policy. I’m so thankful for my time in Utah, and the experiences I gained through the rigorous curriculum and emphasis on service learning, Rural Health Scholars, and University of Utah community programs.