Our Team
Hillary Nelson, PhD, MPH
Director
As the Director of the MPH program, I have the privilege of supporting an amazing group of students, faculty, and staff all dedicated to providing an amazing public health education. I strongly believe that public health education should be interdisciplinary and interprofessional, and I’m a prime example. I come to public health a bit circuitously, as my first career was as a faculty member in biochemistry and biophysics. I’m a proud alumnae of Penn’s MPH program, and I’ve successfully transitioned from proteins to populations!
Ajoa Abrokwa
Associate Director
As the Associate Director of the MPH program, I have the privilege of supporting an amazing group of students and staff, committed to learning and enhancing the quality of life of others. I strongly believe that public health education and practice should be comprehensive. I have over twenty years of experience, I have moved from serving in the public health and community development field to leading and implementing change in the city of Philadelphia by addressing various disparity gaps underscored by the social determinants of health. You can also find me biking and hiking around the region on many of our amazing circuit trails.
I am extremely excited to be a part of this team, and I look forward to inspiring leaders to take culturally competent approaches to public health practice and healthcare service delivery.
Dominique G. Ruggieri, PhD
Associate Director of Teaching Support & Innovation
As the Associate Director of Teaching Support and Innovation for the MPH program, I support the MPH faculty by promoting quality improvement and advancement of teaching practices. For me, public health education is a professional calling and passion! MPH faculty can come to me for support and fresh ideas for teaching and learning. I focus my efforts on the current and trending directions for higher education and MPH students, and meeting our students where they are while we inspire them to be their best. I also enjoy my additional roles in the MPH program, both as the Capstone Director and the Course Director for the Public Health Theories & Frameworks class.
I approach all of my roles from my background in health communication, qualitative methods, public health education and research, public health consulting, and nutrition coaching. I believe that leading with humility, curiosity, and compassion provides an essential foundation for the connections, motivation, and collaboration we all need for being great public health educators and practitioners.
Patty Skuster, JD, MPP
Associate Director of Accreditation
As an Associate Director I ensure the MPH program meets its requirements for accreditation and I teach public health law and law-related electives. I love engaging with students critically on the role of law in shaping public health and equipping them with legal knowledge that they can leverage for greater impact throughout their careers.
My research interests center on the effect of abortion law on health outcomes, and more broadly legal epidemiology (which is, basically, how law relates to public health). I spent most of my career in global reproductive rights advocacy and policy research, working in federal policy, international human rights, and global development spaces. Before joining the MPH program full-time, I spent two years as visiting professor of law at Temple. I was adjunct faculty in the Penn MPH program for many years before that and am thrilled to be back to this incredible community, with its strong focus on health equity.
Nekia Rosado, MPH
Applied Practice Experience & Community Engagement Manager
As the Applied Practice Experience & Community Engagement Manager, I support students students in securing fieldwork placements. This calls for me to build relationships with community partners so that students can secure fieldwork offsite of Penn’s campus. In addition, I support our students’ professional development by co-facilitating the First Fridays career series and support activities lead by our MPH student groups. We have a large alumni network that are welcome to receive this professional development post-graduation and who I look to in mentoring our current students as well.
My public health practice experience comes from the non profit sector. I have a background in healthy food access, program management, maternal & child health and care coordination. It’s really fulfilling to support the students today in becoming the public health leaders of tomorrow.
Ask Me About: Applied Practice Experience, Community Partners, & Alumni Engagement
Anita Stief, MPH, RD, LDN
MPH Education Coordinator
As the Master of Public Health Education Coordinator, I assist with programmatic and administrative oversight of the CEPH-accredited MPH program. In this role, I also work collaboratively with students to create an individualized graduate experience tailored to their public health interests and passions. The public health field has so much to offer, and I love being able to explore this with students.
As a Registered Dietitian and public health practitioner, my experiences in the non-profit sector include providing community nutrition education, implementing policy, systems, and environmental change interventions, and advocating for healthier communities. I am grateful to be a part of a program that thoughtfully prepares students to work alongside communities to address disparities through a health equity lens.
Ask Me About: Academic Advising & Public Health Careers
Nick Van Meter
Program Coordinator
As Program Coordinator, I work directly with students to support them from admission to graduation. For prospective students, I answer or triage questions, run Admission Cycle logistics, and matriculate students committing to the program. For current students, I maintain student records in Penn systems, support course records and class scheduling, and communicate about registration, events, and opportunities. One of the best parts of my role is seeing and supporting students’ trajectory throughout the program, as they eventually craft the next steps of their public health careers.
Outside the program, I served as the Musical Director at Springfield Township High School in 2021, interned with judicial clerks under the Hon. Judge R. Barclay Surrick in the EdPA Federal District Court in 2018, and worked as a digital media intern on Katie McGinty’s 2016 Campaign for US Senate. I love traveling, Beyoncé, and new Philly restaurants!
Ask Me About: Admission, Registration, Student Records, & Billing Support
Maja King
Administrative Coordinator
As the Administrative Coordinator, I work with the team on planning events, coordinating with faculty, recordkeeping and more. You’ll often hear from me regarding graduation and capstones! I received my Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Temple University. Before coming into this position, I worked as a Public Health Ambassador here at the University of Penn and a Temporary Coordinator for Teach For America – The Collective. I am so grateful to be apart of such an amazing team and program! Hope to see you around!
