Alumni Spotlights
Read our interviews below to hear from alumni about the awesome work that they have been doing since graduation!
Krithika Pennathur, MSPH '21
Tell us about yourself! What degree program did you complete and when did you graduate?
I graduated with an MSPH in Health Policy in 2021!
What SOURCE activities or other service/community-based activities were you involved with while a student at JHU?
I was involved in a couple of different ways! I was the Social Justice Program Assistant for one year, which was an amazing experience. I was also a member of the Governing Board and the Critical Reflection Leaders program. I also participated in a Baltimore Action Project with FreeState Justice.
What have you been up to since graduation, and what are you doing currently?
I moved to Philadelphia during the second year of my MSPH program and have stayed here since! I work as a research analyst at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services within the Office of Communications. I've also become a huge plant mom and have enjoyed getting back into my love of reading books :)
What lessons did you take away from your time with SOURCE, and how did those lessons help you get where you are today?
I learned so many things at SOURCE, but one of the biggest things I learned is the importance of critical reflection. I was provided resources and models on how to critically reflect during my time at SOURCE, which provided an opportunity for me to engage in reflection in ways I haven't in the past. I have taken the practice of critical reflection with me, and it has impacted how I am as a public health professional, how I engage with justice and liberation movements, and how I show up for the communities that I am a part of.
Dan Woznica, PhD '20
Tell us about yourself! What degree program did you complete and when did you graduate?
I graduated from the BSPH Health, Behavior and Society PhD program in May 2020.
What SOURCE activities or other service/community-based activities were you involved with while a student at JHU?
I was on the SOURCE Student Governing Board, I was a TA for several years for the Baltimore Community Practicum, and I was involved in various events organized by Students for a Positive Relationship with the East Baltimore Community (SPARC).
What have you been up to since graduation, and what are you doing currently?
After graduation I was a project director at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science, where I coordinated research projects with youth on probation in Chicago. I recently began a new role as Implementation Scientist at the Society of Critical Care Medicine, where I focus on implementation of clinical practice guidelines in the U.S. and globally.
What lessons did you take away from your time with SOURCE, and how did those lessons help you get where you are today?
SOURCE taught me fundamental principles about community engagement, especially the importance of mutually beneficial and reciprocal academic-community relationships. I still apply these principles in many of my grants and projects, especially in relation to health equity work. I also continue to keep in touch with my peers who were involved in SOURCE, through affiliate groups and at conferences. I find myself telling people that my most valuable public health training came from my experience in student organizing, and much of that stemmed from activities facilitated by SOURCE. I remain highly indebted to Mindi and the SOURCE team for everything they taught me.