Alumni

Our Stempel College alumni are helping make the world a healthier and safer place for all. Many have gone on to secure positions in health, government, academia, tech, and more.

PH.D. GRAD LANDS ROLE AS DIRECTOR OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AT HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN WEST VIRGINIA

Abir Rahman ’21 is the Director of Epidemiology at the Cabell-Huntington Health Department (CHHD) in West Virginia. “I am very grateful that they gave me this responsibility from the very beginning,” he said. “When I joined, we were experiencing a COVID-19 surge, and lots of COVID cases were coming in. I never had the opportunity to work on case investigations while in school, but now I get to work on them in my current role.” Abir’s team also works on outbreak

management and monitors disease trends.

PUBLIC HEALTH ALUMNA IS NOW THE CEO OF JACKSON NORTH MEDICAL CENTER

Marie Sandra Severe ’15 is a force to be reckoned with. After graduating with a doctorate in Public Health, with a concentration in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Marie continued a post-graduation career that ultimately landed her the role as an executive at Jackson Health System. This nonprofit academic medical system works to ensure all residents of Miami-Dade County receive care. Today, Marie is the Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Jackson North Medical Center in North Miami Beach, Florida. “I think one of the keys to my success throughout my career is humility and an eagerness to learn. I did not have to know everything, but I had to remain open to receiving feedback and being willing to think critically to address problems,” she said.

DIETETICS AND NUTRITION ALUMNA TURNED USDA SCIENTIST

“Do you have plants, animals, or seeds with you?” It’s a question travelers get asked before entering the United States after taking a trip abroad.

“The reason they are asking is that you mustn’t introduce anything foreign into our agricultural system,” said Deirdra Chester ’03, a science advisor with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). “Our job is to ensure that we protect American agriculture related to plants and animals.”

As a science advisor for the USDA, Deirdra is part of a team of scientists whose task is to ensure anything that could potentially harm the U.S. is kept out. Preparation for a role in government took years of education and persistence, and it all started in the state of Florida. “I am happy I chose this path, although it has not always been easy,” she said.

In 1992, Deirdra was inspired by a food science class to secure her bachelor’s and

master’s degrees in nutrition and food science from Florida State University. In 1998, she chose to continue her education and pursue a doctoral degree. Her grades, grit, and determination landed her the prestigious McKnight Doctoral Fellowship, awarded at the time to African Americans pursuing postgraduate degrees in Florida—the fellowship has since opened its applicant pool to include Hispanics. Deirdra applied and was soon accepted to the Ph.D. program in Dietetics and Nutrition at Stempel College. It’s there where she learned she wanted to work in government and not academia.

“You work hard to get through a Ph.D. It’s very grueling, and you’re constantly proving yourself,” she said. “What I realized with academia is that it’s the same concept. I was open to teaching on the side, but I felt I could make an impact as a government scientist.”

After graduating, Deirdra secured a scientist position with the USDA – an agency she’s been working with for 18 years. She credits her Ph.D. with helping her prepare for a career in government. “If you can get a Ph.D. and do the dissertation and get out the door, it puts you in a position that you can pretty much do anything and navigate any system.”

— Deirdra Chester ’03

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