The UMD School of Public Health Alumni Network has been re-energized with the leadership of a new group of officers who are planning activities that will connect UMD SPH alumni (as well as those who graduated from the colleges that pre-dated the formation of the School of Public Health in 2007) for networking, educational and recreational opportunities. Welcome to the new leaders!
President
Jennifer Clerie ’16 (Community Health)
Senior Data Manager at the Emmes Company, LLC
Jennifer graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park School of Public Health in 2016 with a BS in Community Health and from the University of Maryland Global Campus with a Master of Business Administration in 2021.
Jennifer currently works as a senior data manager at the Emmes Company providing data management support and oversight of data management staff on multiple clinical trials for private and public sector clients. Jennifer previously worked at Health Analytics as a project manager overseeing health economics and outcomes research for pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients. Some research studies she has supported and authored have been published in Psych Congress, The American Journal of Gastroenterology and presented at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy conferences.
Jennifer has a passion for improving public health across the world through high-quality research design, effective operations and project management, and strategic decision-making. Her goal is to combine her public health and business knowledge to lead the operations of public institutions and corporations. She is thrilled to continue on the SPH Alumni Network Board as President and cultivate a relationship with alumni near and far.
Vice President
Christopher Silayan DeVore '14 (Community Health), MPH
Senior Manager, Legislative Affairs at the Alliance of Community Health Plans and President and CEO of Matet’s Kitchen
Christopher is a health policy influencer, representing the interests of non-profit community health plans and advocating for policy change before the Congress. Christopher also owns and operates Matet’s Kitchen, a Filipino food brand based in Washington, DC, with his mother and sister.
Prior to his current roles, Christopher advised on health policy for Members of Congress and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the Chief of Staff and Legislative Director to Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Christopher developed and executed the Congresswoman’s legislative strategy which led to a $1.2 billion increase in funding for HBCU’s and Minority Serving Intuitions. As the staff lead for the Black Maternal Health Caucus, Christopher was the lead architect of the Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act which increases funding and supports for stillbirth prevention across the nation. The bill was signed into law by President Biden.
Christopher has also served as the Co-Chair of a policy work group for the National Academies’ Genetic Population Health Action Collaborative. The work group sought to identify the ethical, legal, and social implications of genetic screening to inform national precision medicine policy. Christopher is credited as an author on the work group’s findings which have been published in Health Affairs and the Journal of Law and the Biosciences.
Christopher is a 2014 graduate of the Community Health program at the University of Maryland and went on to receive his Master of Public Health degree in Health Policy and Graduate Certificate in Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology from Emory University in 2018.
Secretary
Jameson Roth ’17 (Family Science)
Senior Account Manager, McCabe Message Partners
A creative storyteller at heart and in the health sector, Jameson provides strategic account management as a Senior Account Manager with McCabe Message Partners. Using a message-centered approach, Jameson manages earned and paid media outreach, targeted communications planning, and creative development for Alzheimer’s clinical trials recruiting older adults and multiple foundations focused on improving age-related care. Jameson joined McCabe Message Partners in 2022. Previously, she led digital event planning and diversity efforts related to premedical student and applicant services for a D.C.-based healthcare association.
Jameson believes in the power of community; she dedicates her time and energy to creating an engaged School of Public Health Alumni Association to better serve and inspire students, faculty, and the greater University of Maryland community. By working together with her alumni network colleagues and serving on the Alumni Association Board of Governors, Jameson directs coordinated initiatives to uplift and share public health knowledge and opportunity with the greater University of Maryland Community. She’s thrilled to give back to the School of Public Health through service on the Alumni Network Board.
Treasurer
Aparna Pooleri '19 (Public Health Science)
Consultant at Potomac River Partners
Aparna is a 2019 graduate of the University of Maryland with a BS in Public Health Science and a minor in International Development. Currently, she is a Sales & Education Specialist at Biossance, a clean and cruelty-free skincare brand.
As an undergraduate, Aparna was involved with Beta Psi Omega, the co-ed biology fraternity, and served as a Teaching Assistant for Anatomy & Physiology. After graduation, Aparna worked primarily in the public sector. As a Strategy Consultant for IBM, she provided business process improvement services to the SEC and acted as a Project Manager in IBM's pro-bono consulting practice. At Corner Alliance, as a Consultant I, her team assisted FEMA in creating a novel web application for Alerting Authorities to streamline and standardize their alerting processes, thus reducing delays and removing errors in emergency notifications.
Aparna is passionate about health literacy, women empowerment, and sustainable development, and she is excited to serve her third term on the SPH Alumni Network Board!
Members at Large
Reenal Doshi '00 (Community and Public Health), MPH
Legislative Analyst, Health Resources Services Administration, a subagency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Reenal has more than 20 years of experience in health policy, communications, outreach, and event planning at the global, national level, state, and county levels. She has a BS degree in Community and Public Health from the University of Maryland, an MPH from the University of South Florida, and a Graduate Certificate in Management and Finance for International Health from Boston University.
At the global level, Reenal was a Delegate for the health sector at the United Nations (UN) Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa and helped write a position paper that was read at the UN General Assembly. In addition, Reenal served as a Fellow for the UN World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, where she carried out public health research and created communications materials for her department. At the national level, Reenal worked as a Congressional staffer for three members of Congress and served as a Communications and Outreach Director for a nationally recognized health advocacy nonprofit organization. At the state level, she worked as a Health Policy Analyst in the Medicaid Office of Policy and Compliance for the State of Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. At the county level, Reenal served as a Policy Director for a Prince George’s County, MD Councilmember.
Reenal loves to travel and has been to 28 countries so far. She is excited to serve on the SPH Alumni Network Board!
Isaiah Griffith '24 (Public Health Science)
2nd Year MPH student - Department of Health Policy and Management
Isaiah is a second-year Master of Public Health student in the Department of Health Policy and Management, also enrolled in the Accelerated BS + MPH program. Isaiah has interned for The Department of Health and Human Services, where he had the opportunity to advocate for resources and influence policy nationwide. Currently, he serves as a Graduate Assistant for the UMD Fellows Program where he mentors and prepares students to pursue internships and careers in public service. Driven by a deep commitment to DEI, he enjoys exposing students of color to career pathways in public health. Isaiah believes in mentoring and looks forward to continuing to mentor students and contribute to the inclusivity of SPH through his role with the UMD SPH Alumni Network.
Zachary Rabovsky '09 (Kinesiology)
Director of Practice Transformation, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
Zachary Rabovsky is the Director of Practice Transformation for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, where he is advancing innovative population health strategies for value-based care partners. Zach leads CareFirst’s Practice Consulting team who work with physicians and healthcare professionals to identify opportunities, recommend strategies, and support workflow redesign to improve affordability, access, quality, and equity for patients. He has also championed efforts to build partnerships across payers and providers and leads CareFirst’s alignment with the Maryland Primary Care Program through the Maryland Department of Health and The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Zach received his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy from The George Washington University. Zach has a passion for mentoring and developing a public health workforce that is ready to solve the many challenges facing our healthcare system. Zach believes public health professionals have an exciting and impactful role to play in improving health outcomes and healthy living that can be accelerated by the UMD SPH Alumni Network.
Georgia Parolski, MPH '22 (Environmental Health Sciences)
Program Manager, University of Maryland School of Public Health
Georgia graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park School of Public Health in 2022 with an MPH in Environmental Health Sciences and from the George Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2019. Georgia is currently working as Program Manager in UMD’S Department of Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health (formerly the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health) on the Maryland Safe Drinking WATER Study. Her public health research interests include environmental microbiology, climate resilience, food systems, and spillover events.
Lakeshia Watson, PhD '22 (Epidemiology)
Epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Lakeshia is a dedicated epidemiologist with the CDC’s National HIV Surveillance Branch, where she specializes in HIV surveillance and epidemiologic analysis. With a focus on understanding the complex interplay of social determinants of health and their impact on HIV outcomes, Lakeshia has contributed to national efforts in monitoring and reducing HIV transmission. Her work involves using data to inform national strategies aimed at reducing HIV transmission, improving care outcomes, and addressing disparities in HIV care and prevention. A committed advocate for health equity, Lakeshia brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for public service to the alumni board.
Valerie Westney '18 (Kinesiology), MPH
Reproductive Health Procurement Analyst, Connexi
Valerie is a Reproductive Health Procurement Analyst for Connexi, supporting the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program - Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project. Valerie supports the project by enhancing the health care experience in the communities served through transformative supply chain solutions. Prior to joining Connexi, Valerie obtained a Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from George Washington University in 2022.
Valerie is passionate about advocating for women's health, improving reproductive and maternal health outcomes for Black women, and promoting health equity. While serving on the UMD SPH Alumni Network, she hopes to inspire alumni and current students to join her in advancing these critical issues, fostering a more equitable and healthier future for all people.