Isabella McShane is a dedicated advocate and health equity professional committed to addressing the social and environmental determinants of health. She graduated from Occidental College in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban Environmental Policy and a minor in Public Health, and is expected to graduate from UCLA with her MPH in 2027.

Isabella is currently a Health Navigator at Community Health Project Los Angeles, working in the field of harm reduction to contribute to the overall health of the community. Her career demonstrates a strong focus on the critical intersection of health and housing. She previously held two internships at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, D.C., focusing on Housing Policy and Health and Housing Integration.

Isabella is deeply involved in community organizing, serving with the Chinatown Community for Equitable Development. In this capacity, she helps run mutual aid efforts and strategizes with vulnerable tenants to fight displacement.

In addition to her professional work, Isabella is a postpartum and abortion doula, providing client-centered, nonjudgmental support with a focus on serving people who use drugs. Her doula practice reflects her commitment to harm reduction, reproductive justice, and meeting people where they are.

How do you spend your free time?
“In my free time, I like to try new restaurants and cafes, play video games, and belt out ballads in the karaoke room.”

Why did you join the EMPH program?
“The focus of my career has been identifying and applying interventions that create meaningful change while helping people navigate complex and often exclusionary systems. I joined the Executive MPH program to build on this work and strengthen my advocacy for communities both on the ground and in policy spaces.”