03 Mar Maite Medina, RN, Named 2026 Levin-Gordon EMPH Scholarship Recipient
The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Executive Programs Office in the Department of Health Policy and Management is proud to announce Maite Medina, RN, as the recipient of the 2026 Levin-Gordon Executive MPH Scholarship.
A second-year student in the Executive MPH (EMPH) program and a District Public Health Nurse with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Maite was selected for this honor based on her exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and professional demeanor throughout her first year in the program.
“Being selected for the Levin-Gordon Scholarship was completely unexpected but meaningful,” said Maite. “I am really grateful for the generosity and feel truly honored to be selected.”
For many clinical professionals, the transition to health policy and management involves a significant shift in perspective. For Maite, a bilingual Registered Nurse and Certified Infection Control Practitioner, the EMPH program provided a “lightbulb moment” regarding the mechanics of the healthcare system.
“As a nurse, I was trained to focus on the patient in front of me. Coming into this program, I carried that lens. I thought of finance and business operations as secondary to the real work of improving health outcomes. This program completely flipped that assumption. I’ve come to understand that it is crucial to speak the language of finance and truly grasp how systems are funded, how resources are allocated, and where incentives are aligned or misaligned. These decisions shape health outcomes at a population level far more than any single clinical intervention. If you don’t understand the business of health, you can’t change it.”
Maite notes that understanding how systems are funded and where incentives are aligned is what truly shapes health outcomes at a population level—often more than any single clinical intervention.
Since beginning the program in 2024, Maite’s career goals have crystallized. While she remains deeply committed to her roots in health equity and serving immigrant communities, she is now looking toward nurse leadership to drive systemic healthcare transformation.
“Every class in this program has made me a stronger nurse, and I’m leaving with a genuine interest in exploring a path in nurse leadership. I’m not sure exactly what that path looks like yet, but I’m excited to find out. I remain committed to health equity, which is one of the main reasons I became a nurse and pursued this degree. The EMPH program has strengthened my confidence as a leader and equipped me with a whole new set of skills to help me better serve the communities that need it most.”
As graduation in June 2026 approaches, Maite offered some homestretch advice for her peers.
To the first-year students: “The summer consulting project is approaching. Use the Spring quarter wisely and start seeking out your project now so that you’re set up for success—and can actually enjoy your summer!”
To her cohort, the EMPH Class of 2026: “We are so close! I am looking forward to finishing this journey together and celebrating our accomplishments. We got this!”
Congratulations to Maite on this well-deserved honor!
“To everyone reading this, thank you for being part of the EMPH community! I’m excited to step into this next chapter and would love to stay connected. Find me on LinkedIn.”
About Levin-Gordon Executive MPH Scholarship
The Levin-Gordon Executive MPH Scholarship provides a scholarship in the amount of $2,500 towards tuition for a promising second year student in the EMPH Program based on academic achievement. Awardees are selected in consultation with program faculty for exceptional work, leadership, and demeanor during their first year in the program.