We are absolutely delighted to welcome our new Advocacy Officer, Michele Baker. Michele has a strong background in public health with a focus on epidemiology, health education, research and project implementation.
Michele will be taking the lead on our You’re Sweet Enough project which aims to create a healthy food environment where the public can easily make healthy choices. Specifically, her work will focus on advocating for government and private sector policies and decisions related to healthy and unhealthy beverages.
In today’s blog, we take you behind the scenes to learn more about Michele and what inspires her.
Tells us about your career journey so far.
I hold a Bachelor of Health Sciences with minors in Public Health and Chemistry from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). Prior to my current role as an Advocacy Officer, I served as a Project Coordinator of the Opioid Response Network and a consultant for the Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network Coordinating Office and Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC). During my time with UMKC, I also served as an Undergraduate Researcher, Epidemiology Teaching Assistant and Supplemental Instructor, Anatomy & Physiology Teaching & Lab Assistant, and Diabetes Prevention Program Facilitator. As a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) and Kansas Public Health Fellow, I strive to continually spread my passion for prevention, community health research, and education during my endless quest for growth and enlightenment.
What inspired you to pursue a career in public health?
Public health appealed to me due to its aim of creating a relatively larger impact by improving health on a population level vs individually. Additionally, I believe that preventing disease before its onset and reducing the impact of existing disease are important for every nation. This is especially crucial for countries like St. Kitts and Nevis, where the healthcare landscape may not be as expansive as that of larger countries. As a public health professional who was born and raised in St. Kitts and Nevis, I am excited to join the efforts of those working to improve our nation’s health.
What role do you think policy plays in improving the public’s health?
Epidemiology was my favourite course during my undergraduate studies. During the section on Epidemiology and Public Policy, Professor Semarge spoke about macroenvironmental factors of health which impact communities and microenvironmental factors of health which are specific to an individual.
One of the main takeaways was that macroenvironmental factors like health policies are usually more effective, much easier to change, and make health more accessible and equitable. As hard-working, busy individuals who have limited time to make health-related decisions, we often end up choosing the easiest, quickest, and most convenient options when it comes to food, physical activity, and our everyday lifestyles. Health policies help to shape our environment by making healthier choices the easier “default” choices. By introducing health policies, health becomes a built-in background part of our everyday lives instead of a series of challenging choices to be faced each day.
What are you most looking forward to about working with Lake Health and Wellbeing?
Working with Lake Health and Wellbeing has opened the door to my long-held dream of being a part of the efforts to introduce sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) health policies to St. Kitts and Nevis. I am excited to gain more experience and grow professionally in the areas of advocacy and policy. I am looking forward to seeing an improvement in the health of Kittitians and Nevisians.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself?
I am always thinking of the next dish I am going to attempt to cook or bake. I love designing menus, planning new ways to present my food, and introducing new dishes to my family and friends. Last Christmas, after creating the menu and cooking a majority of the dishes, my Aunt Nelta officially announced that she is “passing the mantle” to me. It was heartwarming and scary at the same time but, I guess I am ready. It means so much to me that my family is very encouraging and supportive of my cooking and baking endeavours.
When you’re not working, how do you spend your time?
I spend my free time cooking, baking, reading, singing, listening to music, and conversing with family and friends. I also love taking walks as I find them to be beneficial mentally as well as physically. I especially enjoy spending time with my 5 year old niece, Ava, who is always a joy to be around and makes every day brighter.
We are very much looking forward to working with Michele and if you’d like to contact her about our new sugar-sweetened beverages project, you can send leave her a comment below or send her an email
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