In a conversation with two UCI Public Health alumni and board members who are currently serving a term, they reveal unexpected twists in their diverse career journeys and share how they are giving back to the UCI Public Health community.
Kristina Faeldan ’08, MPH, ’12, president of the chapter, holds three UCI degrees: a bachelor’s degree in public health sciences as well as health policy, and a Master of Public Health in sociocultural diversity and health. She is joined by Nandini Kannan ’15, the vice president of the chapter, who also completed a double major from UCI, one in public health sciences and psychology. She too earned a Master of Public Health degree in socio-medical sciences from Columbia University with a certificate in health promotion research and practice.
Why did you decide to pursue a public health undergraduate and graduate degree?
Kristina: I came to UCI with the intention to pursue science or engineering, as is common for children of immigrant parents who are often encouraged to pursue STEM degrees. Public health degrees became available at UCI while I was an undergraduate, and after taking a few courses, I discovered it was a good fit for me. I loved the principles of public health: focus on populations and community – not just individuals – prevention in addition to treatment; focus on vulnerable populations and closing healthcare gaps; and importance of social and cultural determinants of health. I decided to major in both public health sciences and policy because I was interested in both the science and policy sides of public health, and I thought I would be a better public health practitioner with a wider breadth of knowledge. Public health is a double-edged sword – it is broad so there are many exciting career paths to pursue, but it can also be overwhelming to choose where to focus. When I graduated, whether it was unfortunate or fortunate timing, the 2008 recession influenced my decision to go back to school and pursue my MPH degree. I felt that a graduate degree would help me qualify for more public health work opportunities and solidify my specific interests in public health.
Nandini: Much like Kristina, I felt the pressure to pursue a science-related path during my undergraduate years, which is why I chose to major in biology. But I was yearning for more and knew medical school was not my end goal. In my third year and after a few public health and psychology courses, I made the decision to change my major to psychology and public health sciences. Reflecting on the last year of my undergraduate career, though stressful, was the best year because I felt like I was learning and experiencing a field I love. I could see how much more applied and in practice it was, which is where I wanted to be. My only regret is that I experienced a tiny slice of public health, which is why I also pursued an MPH degree to dive deeper into the field.
Has Public Health always been part of your career journey?
Kristina: Every position I have had since graduation has been related to public health, and this demonstrates how broadly applicable a background in public health is. My first position was in health policy and management consulting, then health philanthropy, and now, I work for a healthcare system. My public health knowledge as well as hard and soft skills attained in both undergraduate and graduate school helped me throughout my career. Currently, as a senior project manager for Kaiser Permanente National Delivery System Strategy and Innovation, I support capital planning, major and minor renovations, and new building planning. Simply put, we find space solutions for hospital and medical office departmental needs. This work utilizes health policy and management, healthcare administration, health systems, writing, and presentation knowledge/skills attained through the requirements of my public health majors.
Nandini: It feels like we are two peas in a pod because I feel fortunate to share that all my experiences have also been related to public health. Even personal experiences have helped shape my journey. After my undergraduate career, I became a full-time caretaker for my mom and saw first-hand the barriers to getting care and having to act as an advocate for her. That experience prepared me for most of my roles which have been centered around addressing social determinants of health. I oversaw multiple health equity and wellness access programs, connected patients and communities with high needs to an array of resources and information, navigated compounded issues from COVID and the associated restrictions, and in my current role, vetted all patient and family educational materials with an equity and accessibility lens at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as an education and training specialist.
What message do you have for undergraduate students?
Nandini: No one is forcing you to go to class in college so it is a stark wake-up call for many high schoolers who must balance priorities for the first time. In the first few years, many undergraduates might feel small like I did but never think that you fade away in the background of 400 students. Instead, sit closer, and be engaged – you never know when a professor will remember you. I still remember feeling surprised when a professor recognized me from a past class. Even if you feel like you’re just a number in the masses, your opinion, voice, and engagement matter. With all the professors and people within the Program of Public Health who advocated for me, I felt valued, supported, and genuinely acknowledged.
What advice do you have to give to graduate students?
Kristina: Take advantage of all the different opportunities you are offered! After getting some exposure for two years in the non-profit sector after my undergraduate degree, I believed that getting an MPH would position me with better opportunities, open doors for me, and strengthen what I learned in undergrad with tailored and targeted knowledge. Be open to opportunities even if the connection to your interests may not initially be clear. You never know what may spark your interest or what you really excel at. Each experience will guide you in your studies and career. Make the most of your interactions with your graduate professors and peers in your cohort to build your professional network and learn from their lived experiences.
Why did you choose to join the Public Health Alumni Association?
Nandini: You don’t appreciate what you have until it is gone so it’s nice to come back into this role and remember the great times that I had while at UCI, especially with the shared sense of community in UCI Public Health. When I moved back to California last year, I knew I wanted to get involved with the alumni chapter in order to give back, celebrate the program, and bring together our diverse peers at UCI. It’s an exciting time to be part of UCI Public Health, under the new home of CoHS and its soon-to-be school title.
Kristina: To add to what Nandini said, it’s great timing for me to step into this role at this point in my career. It has been so fun to get reacquainted with UCI and actually very valuable for me to practice my leadership and management skills outside of my job duties at Kaiser Permanente. To be honest, I hesitated before joining because I have been out of touch with the school and alumni happenings, but it’s nice to represent the older public health alumni and hopefully engage all public health alumni across generations.
