Sofia Anne Junette M. Fernando, BSN, RN, PHN, is currently a Clinical Nurse II at UCLA Health, working as a registered nurse in the Nethercutt Emergency Department at the UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, responding to medical emergencies for those who come through their ED doors. Designated as a “STEMI Receiving Center,” with an established protocol for getting heart-attack patients from the field to their Cardiac Catheterization Lab in 90 minutes or less, Nethercutt ED is also approved for Pediatrics (EDAP) and is a Primary Stroke Center.

Born in the Philippines, Sofia moved to the United States when she was in 10th grade. She studied and lived in Orange County until she moved to Los Angeles to study nursing in college. She holds a Bachelor’s in Nursing from California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) and AA degrees in Medical Technology, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Nutrition and Foods from Fullerton College.

The key experiences that have shaped Sofia’s career so far include being a public health nurse; public health rotations in nursing school; participation in the TELACU Educational Foundation with White Memorial Hospital and Alta Med in connecting with the community and participating in different Alta Med locations; and Emergency Medicine in Nursing for almost two years. Sofia also worked in the heart of DTLA in a Trauma 2 Hospital, serving the community and providing emergency and trauma services.

Sofia decided to pursue the Executive MPH program at UCLA when she realized she wanted to explore the community side of nursing and public health, and gain a bigger picture beyond clinical. “I’d like to focus on prevention instead of just the cure,” she said.

Her primary passion or focus within public health is to expand community clinic access, educate the population, and to reduce the need to go to Emergency Departments if applicable.

She is looking forward to getting to know her EMPH cohort and learning from their diverse experience, and is expected to graduate in 2028.