Lauren Eckel joined HCIF in September 2022 as Project Coordinator for the Population Health team. Lauren provides support to multiple project teams in the management of community and population health projects. Prior to joining HCIF, Lauren worked as a Research Assistant for Pennsylvania State University on the FFC-AC-EIT research study, which strives to optimize function and physical activity and prevent adverse events among hospitalized patients with ADRD. She also interned for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Children and Families Out-of-School Time program as the Policy & Qualitative Researcher. Get to know Lauren better in this month’s staff profile.
How did you learn about HCIF and what prompted you to start working there?
I learned about HCIF while researching employment options after completing my master’s degree in Public Health from Drexel University in June 2022. I had heard wonderful things about HCIF and their mission to drive superior health care through collaboration and shared learning. HCIF’s mission and vision to create healthier communities through equitable access and quality health care directly aligned with my career goals and personal interests in the public health field which is initially what prompted me to join HCIF.
What has been your most rewarding professional experience thus far? What is your proudest accomplishment during your time at HCIF?
My most rewarding professional experience thus far is being able to work with so many partners whose missions align with creating healthier communities. Getting to know our partners on a deeper level and being able to connect with like-minded souls has truly been a rewarding experience. As for my proudest accomplishment during my time at HCIF, I am most proud of receiving my Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) Certificate. I couldn’t have done it without HCIF’s support.
What excites you most about your position at HCIF?
I am most excited to be able to provide support to many of our population health projects and bring about positive health changes to the communities to which HCIF serves.
What are your long-term career goals?
My long-term career goals are to one day work for the CDC as a Public Health Advisor and eventually go back to school to receive a DrPH in Leadership, Advocacy, and Equity.
What is a quote that inspires you in your work?
“It’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen.” By: Scott Belsky
Meghan Smith is a newer face at HCIF and brings years of talent and experience to her position. Meghan is a Project Manager within the Clinical Improvement team. She specifically supports HCIF’s Pennsylvania Urologic Regional Collaborative (PURC) and Pennsylvania – New Jersey Surgical Opioid Stewardship (PENNJ-SOS) initiatives. Get to know Meghan better by reading about her in this month’s staff profile.
How did you learn about HCIF and what prompted you to start working there?
Before joining HCIF, I participated in the 2022 Regional Community Health Needs Assessment in a previous position. I was incredibly impressed with the team’s commitments to meaningful community and partner engagement, health equity, high quality data, and opportunities for collaboration – all reasons why I chose to work at HCIF!
What has been your most rewarding professional experience thus far? What is your proudest accomplishment during your time at HCIF?
Prior to joining HCIF, I worked at a local health department and was there during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a massively challenging but rewarding experience – I liken it to a real-life version of the ultimate public health final exam. I can’t say I’ve experienced my proudest HCIF accomplishment yet – I’m still new and there’s so much still to come!
What excites you most about your position at HCIF?
I’m most excited about the opportunity to work on projects that are completely new to me! I’ve never worked within the clinical improvement field and with PURC and PENNJ-SOS, I have the chance to see the direct impact of our work – it’s right there in the data and what we hear from our partners and their patients.
What motivates you both personally and professionally?
I’m personally and professionally motivated by my young nieces! I try to fill their lives with more creativity, joy, laughs, honesty, and compassion!
What are your interests outside of work?
Outside of work, I enjoy singing in a local choir, FaceTiming with my family across three different time zones, and walks in Wissahickon Park.
In celebration of Public Health Thank You Day, the Health Care Improvement Foundation (HCIF) would like to highlight one of our newest staff members, Sehrish Rashid, for her extraordinary contributions to public health. Sehrish joined HCIF in August 2022 and is a Project Manager for the Population Health Team. In her role, she focuses on Health Literacy, Cities Changing Diabetes, and COACH initiatives. Learn more about Sehrish in this month’s staff profile.
How did you learn about HCIF and what prompted you to start working there? Being a public health graduate, I wanted to pursue a career that is closely related to program monitoring and evaluation. I realized during my initial conversations with the staff that, as a Project Manager, I actually could be a part of the M&E process. I was also told that there would be a possibility of working for health communication. So, both these things truly prompted me to start working at HCIF. And not to forget, the mission, vision, and values of HCIF are also admirable and something that I truly respect.
What has been your most rewarding professional experience thus far? What is your proudest accomplishment during your time at HCIF? I think it’s a little early to talk about my accomplishments at HCIF, since I’ve only been here for a couple months. Yet, if we were to discuss my experience during this time, I feel my proudest accomplishment has been the ability to jump right in the tasks and provide my support wherever it’s needed. I became an active part of the planning team for our Health Literacy Month event from the get go, and everyone supported me tremendously through the process. Together, we all made it a successful event.
What excites you most about your position at HCIF? The fact that HCIF facilitates so many powerful projects is something that truly excites me about my position at HCIF. I’m someone who never hesitates from learning new things, and I feel there’s so much to learn here at the organization. I feel like this position is allowing me to challenge my skills in a number of productive ways.
“I also like to have an open mind because the best things have happened to me when I expected the least.”
-SEHRISH RASHID
What is one of the most important things you have learned while working at HCIF? One thing I have learned from HCIF is that it’s important for organizations and leadership to respect and be thoughtful, not only towards its partners, but the staff as well. In my position, I’m learning how to positively model the organizational & professional change that we usually talk about and want to see around us.
What are your long-term career goals? My long-term career goals are related to gaining more experience towards program monitoring and evaluation. I want to be a part of global health projects in the long run, but I also like to have an open mind because the best things have happened to me when I expected the least. If circumstances allow, I’d love to apply for a DrPH program.
What is a quote that inspires you in your work? I don’t think it’s specifically related to work, but in general, the quote that inspires me is that change is the only constant in life. It allows me to keep going regardless of the obstacles and believe that nothing truly lasts forever.
What motivates you both personally and professionally? The ability to be useful for others. I’ve spent enough time thinking about the “meaning” or “purpose” of my life, but at this point, I like to tell myself that it doesn’t have to be anything grand; I can get joy and motivation from all the little things that this world has to offer.
What are your interests outside of work? Outside of work, I like to spend time with my family, friends, and my cat. I also like traveling and being close to nature. I occasionally write poetry in both Urdu and English, and I’m an avid art lover.
In honor of National Healthcare Quality Week, this month’s staff profile highlights HCIF’s Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), Susan Cosgrove. Susan has been a member of HCIF’s population health team since joining the organization almost 10 years ago. As Senior Director of Community Impact, she leads our population health team and oversee a portfolio of programs covering health literacy and communication, chronic disease prevention and management, and community health.
How did you learn about HCIF and what prompted you to start working there?
I started at HCIF as a Project Manager in 2013, shortly after completing my Master in Public Affairs. My academic and professional background at that point was in social sciences, health policy, and advocacy. I was in graduate school when the Affordable Care Act was enacted and subsequently challenged in court, and my focus at that time was on its implementation. Joining HCIF drew my focus from federal policy to regional quality improvement and population health initiatives. I welcomed the opportunity to work closely with local partners on meaningful projects.
What has been your most rewarding professional experience thus far? What is your proudest accomplishment during your time at HCIF?
There are two major accomplishments from the past year that I’m incredibly proud of: the growth of our population health team, and expansion of our Cities Changing Diabetes program. In 2022, our team has undergone significant changes including promotions, staff departures, and new hiring. Supporting the growth of our existing staff into new roles, welcoming new staff, and establishing a cohesive and high-functioning team is very rewarding. Some of this growth was made possible through a multi-year funding commitment from Novo Nordisk to support Cities Changing Diabetes activities in Philadelphia. I feel a great sense of pride when we secure resources to expand our programming and engage new partners, especially when it aligns with our staff’s interests or passions.
What excites you most about your position at HCIF? / What is one of the most important things you have learned while working at HCIF?
I’m excited by the prospect of defining HCIF’s role in addressing barriers to health that result in health disparities and inequity. We’re talking a lot about authentic community engagement, proximity to vulnerable communities, and health equity. Like many other organizations, we are trying to identify our role in bringing about a just society and equitable health care system where all can thrive. We know that this can only happen in partnership with others, and I’m excited to think about who we can collaborate with next. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time at HCIF, it’s the value of bringing humility and curiosity to collaboration.
What are your long-term career goals?
Overall, I want to continue to hone my leadership abilities, capacity for strategic thinking, and skills as a mentor and supervisor. I love working through challenges as if they were puzzles and working with others to come up with creative solutions; I hope to always be in a role that affords me the opportunity to do so. When I think about policy areas that I would like to touch someday, reproductive justice is at the top of the list. Somewhere down the line, I’d love the opportunity to engage more specifically with this issue and play a role in ensuring that every person has access to high quality, culturally appropriate, full spectrum reproductive health care.
What is a quote that inspires you in your work? / What motivates you both personally and professionally?
The variously attributed quote “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional” has always resonated with me. Everyone will, at some point, experience a medical crisis of some kind that requires treatment and interaction with the healthcare system. I am motivated by the desire to drive towards a care system that alleviates pain without causing additional suffering or harm, especially for historically marginalized populations. If we can create a system that delivers high quality care for the most vulnerable, everyone will benefit.
Something that you may not know about Susan, is that she has completed two Ironman Triathlons, several marathons, and dozens of half-marathons and shorter races! “Running has always been an important outlet for me to care for my physical and mental health. I have been on an extended hiatus from vigorous exercise for the past few years as we’ve focused on growing our family, but I’m looking forward to returning to it after our third child is born in early 2023.” Feel free to connect with Susan on LinkedIn, linked here!
In honor of National Health Education Week, this month’s staff profile highlights HCIF’s Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), Jibreel Clark-Oliver. Jibreel has been a member of HCIF’s population health team since joining the organization more than two years ago. As Project Coordinator, he supports health literacy activities and Novo Nordisk’s Cities Changing Diabetes. He is also an active member of HCIF’s marketing and communications committee, and is currently working to advance HCIF’s internship programs.
1.) How did you learn about HCIF and what prompted you to start working there?
After working in the field of pediatric clinical research and health education, I realized I wanted to make a career shift into project-based public health work. After meeting with the HCIF team, I knew this would be a great place to learn and contribute.
2.) What has been your most rewarding professional experience thus far? What is your proudest accomplishment?
My proudest accomplishment is working to revamp the Pennsylvania Health Literacy Coalition’s (PAHLC) newsletter and marketing strategy. Since the PAHLC marketing team was established, we’ve published six newsletters and written a number of blog posts covering topics like numeracy, health equity, and the fantastic work of our project partners.
3.) What excites you most about your position at HCIF?
I’ve connected with so many incredible public health leaders, advocates, health care professionals, and academics in my role with HCIF. Being able to collaborate with them to improve health communication or work on initiatives addressing chronic disease in Philadelphia is an invaluable experience.
4.) What is one of the most important things you have learned while working at HCIF?
The most important thing I’ve learned at HCIF is that curiosity is key to coalition building, facilitating meaningful conversations, and implementing impactful programming. Understanding no one has all of the answers provides a beautiful opportunity to learn and ask questions that often lead to creative outcomes.
5.) What motivates you both personally and professionally?
I’m motivated by the idea that we all have an obligation to take whatever special talents and skills we have, and use them to help others in need. In my context this means supporting health and public health professionals communicate more effectively, and implementing programs that address chronic disease in historically disinvested communities.
6.) What are your interests outside of work?
I’m currently pursuing my Masters of Public Health degree at the University of North Carolina’s (UNC) Gillings School of Global Public Health. In what little free time I have, I enjoy running, art, playing with my dog Stella, and taking care of my legendary houseplant collection.
