Spring 2025 Newsletter

Spring 2025 Newsletter

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A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

In these challenging times, I wish to express my sincerest appreciation for our corner of the world – the UCLA community of public health champions, scientists, and leaders inspires us every day. UCLA Chancellor Dr. Julio Frenk has been leading UCLA Connects: Listening Exercises and his March 7th meeting with the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health was encouraging. It was wonderful to come together as a community and we are inspired by Dr. Frenk’s energy, dedication, and leadership.

We are coming up on the 30th anniversary of the EMPH program and have been reaching out to graduates across all cohorts. The response has been so heartening. Graduates from the last three decades have expressed interest in mentoring, getting involved in alumni events, and serving as preceptors for summer consulting projects. I’ve been so grateful for the outpouring of interest. More to come on this huge milestone for the EMPH program.

Each year during Winter Quarter, the second-year EMPH students complete a business plan related to public health and present it to their peers in front of a panel of industry judges. I’d like to thank our judges and alumni mentors who worked with our students during this important project. Your expertise and passion for the program is so inspiring. The business plans showcased ground-breaking healthcare ideas, and I’m so proud of the hard work and innovation from the Class of 2025.

Each quarter we have a group of MHA students who complete their capstone project. I’d like to congratulate them on their findings, a testament to honed insights, knowledge, and passion for public health. In this issue, we share the capstone experience from three students. Don’t miss it.

The HPMAA “Leaders of Today, Leaders of Tomorrow” Annual Awards Dinner is one month away, coming up on Tuesday, May 20th, where Dustin Corcoran, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of the California Medical Association, will be honored as the Leader of Today Awardee. We are excited to say that our very own Dr. Leah Vriesman has been selected as the 2025 Ira Alpert Service Awardee. We are looking forward to celebrating these healthcare leaders at the dinner, honoring our ExecHPM graduates and those who will be joining the honors societies of Delta Omega and Upsilon Phi Delta, and recognizing the EMPH Sinaiko Business Plan Awardees, the Ann G. Quealy Scholarship Awardee, and the MHA Outstanding Student Award. It’s going to be a great evening. As a reminder, all those eligible to participate in the 2025 Commencement receive complimentary admission. I encourage you to attend.

Wishing everyone a successful spring quarter and you’ll be hearing from us again in July with our Summer Quarterly Update.

All my best,

Kyle Sullivan, MSW

Director, Executive Programs in HPM
Interim Director, EMPH Program