Danielle Rodriguez
Refugee Health Contracts and Health Promotion Coordinator, State of Utah Department of Health • PLC 2006

Degree(s): MSc Information & Communication Technology for Development, Postgrad in Global Mental Health : Refugee Trauma & Torture Recovery

Professional background, interests and expertise: I serve as the Refugee Health Contracts and Health Promotion Coordinator for the State of Utah Department of Health. The Department of Health holds contracts with sixteen separate health care and refugee resettlement entities providing services in support of trauma recovery, LTBI treatment, health screening and health promotion to newly arrived refugees. One of the initiatives I drive through my work is facilitation of the Governor's Refugee Wellness Advisory Committee consisting of stakeholders from resettlement agencies, academia, public health, medicaid, health plans, refugee community organizations, and the Refugee Services Office. This Committee has dedicated 2018-2019 to trauma-informed care and investigating the mental health service delivery environment within the state. I received my masters in Information and Communication Technology for Development from CU Boulder with an interdisciplinary focus in Biostatistics through Anschutz Medical Campus. My field research experience brought me to work on a mHealth project under the supervision of the Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kenyatta National Hospital and Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi and Eastleigh, Kenya. I learned much from this experience, working under the direction of the Director of Anschutz's "Inworks", and developed skills in design thinking which is about developing solutions to complex problems using equal parts empathy and evidence, creativity and practicality to match human need with feasibility. I remain interested in maternal health and maternal mental health, as well as in telemedicine's potential toward increasing access to healthcare specialists in rural areas, such as refugee camps, and the community health worker model. I've worked with the State of Utah for the Refugee Services Office and Department of Health since 2014, as a family counselor, an instructor, a job developer and a youth program coordinator prior to my current position. I currently instruct as an adjunct professor for Utah Valley University.

Hours available for mentoring per month: 8-9

Best professional advice: There are many dimensions of public health beyond the science of health: legislation/policy, financing, science based services, multi disciplinary education, (in my field the role of international agencies), links to economic development, human rights, research evaluation / ethics. A leader in this field should be well versed in
all of these and value interdisciplinary intersects to address the world's greatest challenges. With the current situation with refugees, this is the worst crisis the world has seen, with the number of displaced people surpassing post WWII. I think if you're interested in this field, it's important to tend to your self-care as you'll encounter heartbreak and trauma
but also incredible displays of the power of human spirit and collective communities of survivors. It's inspiring and you will grow through vicarious resiliency. The field requires a socially sensitive practitioner with energy as the challenges won't wane.