Public Health SPOTlight Podcast

REPLAY: Public health leadership in action, with Anjum Sultana

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!Last week I talked about "Leadership Skills Every Public Health Professional Should Develop" and mentioned two episodes from 2020 where I sat down with two amazing guests to discuss leadership.This week, I wanted to make sure you had a chance to listen to the second one of these episodes - with Anjum Sultana.--------In this episode, Sujani sits down with Anjum Sultana. Anjum is someone Sujani has known for a number of years and has interacted with via phone calls and messaging/email, but this was the first time they both "saw" each other (virtually), so it was a special conversation. Anjum’s advocacy and leadership work is also something that Sujani has been inspired by over the years.The conversation with Anjum is not only jam-packed with inspiration and motivation to be a leader in public health but also weaves tangible first steps for all of us to take.Public health needs many strong leaders to push agendas forward, and we hope that by sharing stories like that of Anjum's, you walk away feeling like you too can be a leader in public health.You’ll LearnHow Anjum defines leadershipWhether she intentionally chose to become a leader in her space, or it naturally occurredA bit about the young Anjum, her first memory of thinking that she could be a leader, and how her dad was an inspiration to her, which has resulted in the work she does in her communityAttributes of a good leader (skills to build on for anyone wanting to be a leader in their space), and skills Anjum wished she had gained early onThings students can focus on specifically while in school to set themselves up to become a strong leaderStep-by-step how we can go from feeling passionate about a topic/issue/cause to taking incremental action that leads to change. Whether leadership only comes from a management/senior-level role (hint: no it doesn’t)Whether leaders are born OR if leadership can be learnedChallenges Anjum faces as a leader in her spaceA final example where Anjum showed that she is a leader in her space: she talks about her journey first authoring Canada’s First Feminist Recovery Plan.It is the first nationally-focused one in the country and possibly the worldShe encourages the PH SPOT community to read it, make it your own, and reach out to her should you be interested in taking actionSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers. Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

REPLAY: Fuelling your leadership drive in public health with Nadia Akseer

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!Last week I talked about "Leadership Skills Every Public Health Professional Should Develop" and mentioned two episodes from 2020 where I sat down with two amazing guests to discuss leadership.This week, I wanted to make sure you had a chance to listen to one of these episodes - with Dr. Nadia Akseet.--------In this episode, Sujani speaks Dr. Nadia Akseer, an Epidemiologist-Biostatistician who has spent over 10 years leading research and analyses of clinical and population health datasets in the areas of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, as well as nutrition in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ethiopia and other low- and middle-income countries.In 2018, Nadia was identified as a Canadian Women Leader in Global Health, and in March 2019, she was awarded the 2019 Emerging Public Health Leader Alumni Award from the Public Health Alumni Association of the University of Toronto.We speak about the leadership drive Nadia possesses, when she decided she wanted to become a leader in her space, and whether you need to be in a management position to be a leader, amongst other topics. And of course, I couldn’t let her go without asking about her multiple meetings with Bill Gates, to present and collaborate on some of her work.You’ll LearnThe leadership drive, and what it isWhat leadership means to NadiaHow and when Nadia decided that she wanted to become a leader in this space she was passionate aboutWhether one needs to be in a management position to be a leader (hint: absolutely not)Natural born leaders versus people given the right opportunities to become a leaderHow Nadia goes about seeking new opportunities (as she is someone who thrives on being challenged and stimulated)A glimpse into the career path she took: from Biostatician at SickKids, to Global Health Research at SickKids, then to Harvard, and now at Gates VenturesHow her view of leadership has changed over timeVerbal Communication and its importance in good leadershipA leader Nadia looks up to: Dr. Zulfiqar ButtaReflections from her meetings with Bill Gates to present her research and work together on countries that have managed to reduce child stuntingSupport the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers. Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

Leadership Skills Every Public Health Professional Should Develop

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!Leadership in public health transcends job titles—it's about how we inspire action, communicate vision, and guide others regardless of our position. This essential skillset helps navigate the complex, messy work of creating healthier communities through building trust and mobilizing stakeholders toward common goals.Discussed in this episode:What leadership really means in public healthWhy it's absolutely necessaryThe specific leadership skills you need to developHow you can build leadership skills — even if you’re just starting outJoin the Public Health Career Club for leadership development resources, mentorship opportunities, and community support: phspot.org/club.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers. Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

May 2025 Career Club Update: Events & Opportunities for Public Health Professionals

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!We're back with our monthly update on what's happening inside the Public Health Career Club - our membership community designed to support you in building your dream public health career. Whether you're looking for accountability partners, financial guidance, or mentorship opportunities, our May 2025 lineup has something to help you advance your career goals.Social Hour on May 6th - connect with peers in public health in a casual settingNew Co-working sessions on May 7th and 28th using the Pomodoro technique to help you focus on important tasks"Doing Good and Doing Well" workshop on May 15th with Dr. Darla Bishop exploring financial strategies for public health professionalsOffice hours with mentors Dr. Marissa Robinson (May 19th) and Megan Haffey (May 27th) for personalized career guidanceLive Resume Review Clinic on May 21st with Latika, offering real-time feedback on job applicationsFinal session of our "Launch Your Idea" workshop series, focusing on post-launch discussion and next stepsCheck out phspot.org/club to learn more about our light and premium membership tiers. Connect with us on LinkedIn or email hello@phspot.org with any questions about joining our community!Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers. Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!

10 Public Health Careers You Might Not Have Considered (With Real Job Examples!)

Tell us what you thought of this episode - send us a text!Public health careers extend far beyond traditional roles, with exciting opportunities in tech, communications, behavioral science, and entrepreneurship that offer both impact and excellent compensation.The roles explored in this episode include:UX designers in health tech creating intuitive tools while ensuring clinical accuracyDigital health communications specialists managing online campaigns and combating health misinformationBehavioral science consultants designing programs to change health behaviorsPublic health data storytellers turning complex statistics into compelling visual narrativesGlobal health logistics coordinators ensuring medical supplies reach their destinationsInfection prevention and control practitioners reducing healthcare-associated infectionsPolicy analysts working in non-governmental organizations and think tanksCorporate social responsibility managers with health focus leading community investmentHumanitarian health coordinators working in crisis zonesPublic health entrepreneurs creating innovative health solutions independentlyYour challenge this week is to research one of these roles that sparked your curiosity. Explore organizations hiring for that position, read job descriptions, and potentially connect with professionals in that field. Share your discoveries with us by tagging PH SPOT on social media, and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and check out our Public Health Career Club community at phspot.org/club.Support the showJoin The Public Health Career Club: A global membership community where public health professionals connect, learn, and support each other in building meaningful and impactful careers. Go from feeling confused, alone and overwhelmed, to feeling confident and in control of your life and career!