Tyler Weber

When did you begin your Fellowship?

July 2011

Where is your Fellowship?

I spend half my time at the Milwaukee Health Department on 4 month rotations through a variety of different programs including, but not limited to, communicable disease, emergency preparedness, violence prevention, and community health. The other half of my time is spent at Walnut Way working with the Lindsay Heights Neighborhood Health Alliance on a number of different community health initiatives.

What were you up to prior to your Fellowship?

Before moving to Milwaukee I was out in Minneapolis, Minnesota finishing up my Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health with a Global Health Concentration at the University of Minnesota and working with the Refugee Health Program at the Minnesota Department of Health.

What inspired you to take the Fellowship route rather than a different type of job/school/etc.?

I carry a strong interest in service learning and community programming. The fellowship placements in state, local, and community public health programs, accompanied by an extensive support network of diverse health professionals, made for a very attractive opportunity.

What are your main areas of interest within public health?

My main interest at the moment is in improving birth outcomes in low resource settings, at home and abroad. More specifically, I want to work to accomplish this by working through public-private partnerships, community collaborative efforts, and conducting and utilizing program evaluations.

Do you have any advice for those interested in the Fellowship?

Take the initiative and apply! This fellowship will challenge your current knowledge and force you to step outside yourself.

Do you read a public health journal/blog/website regularly? If so, what?

I very much enjoy checking into the Global Health Hub every week. There are an overwhelming number of health issues on the planet but there are even more opportunities overcome them. The Global Health Hub does a nice job of giving information about both the problems and solutions.

I also love the Zunia knowledge exchange website, but you’ll just have to check it out yourself…www.zunia.org.

Who is one of the coolest public health people you’ve met?

I must give a shout out to my friends Dr. Osman Ahmed and Asli Ashkir back in Minneapolis, MN. They are hard working, dedicated, and delightful individuals that are tirelessly improving the health of the Somali community both in Minnesota and Somalia.

What is one public health-related activity in your community that you are proud about?

Well I’m new to Milwaukee, but I can say that I’m already impressed with the number initiatives and individuals that are working to better the health of Milwaukee. From the City Health Department to the neighborhoods, there are a lot of involved and incredible people.

What is one public health achievement you think will happen in the next 25 years? What is one you would like to see in the next 25 years?

I would like to see more research and programs that highlight and emphasize the importance of collective action and the environmental structures that support it. Even public health we sometimes miss the fact that we are an outcome of whom and what are around us. I see a stronger push in the future towards the wide recognition of topics such as collective efficacy, structural peace, and community resilience.