DONA trained doula currently volunteering in the Nashville area.According to DONA International, "the word "doula"​ comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves"​ and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period. Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily."

Grant Management Solutions (GMS) at MSH provides urgent short term technical support to countries receiving grants from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. As a Project Associate, my overall goal was to ensure the smooth operation of technical assignments and consultant team management for GMS. I organized all logistical and administrative support for consultant teams (of 3-4 international experts in health, governance, grant management, etc.) that carry out short-term technical assistance assignments in nearly 80 countries receiving Global Fund grants. I worked with the Operations Support Team, monitoring day-to-day financial administration of country-specific activities including advances, invoices, travel expense reports, and workshop budgets and expenses. I collaborated with the Capacity Building Team to organize semi-annual consultant orientations and other training events, and supported the Results Team to ensure collection of indicators completion of deliverables, and including follow-up monitoring of the technical support teams’ outputs and outcomes. I traveled to client countries to support field-based training and orientation events.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. It was established in 1946 to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program provides participants-chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential - with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns.As a Fulbright Student from the US, I had the opportunity to conduct research over a ten month period in Mali, West Africa. I independently designed and performed a qualitative study to explore experiences during pregnancy and childbirth and to monitor/evaluate a community based prenatal education program in Banankoro, Mali.As a grantee, I volunteered at the Banankoro community health center during prenatal care and vaccination days. I performed regular participant observation at the clinic and conducted over 70 interviews (in French/Bambara) with women in Banankoro who had participated in a community prenatal education program. Using qualitative data collected through these and other interviews with health workers, peer educators and community leaders, I was able to assess the strengths and weaknesses of this community driven project and to work with village leaders and health committee members to modify the health education program based on community priorities and research results. Additionally, I worked with these committee members to prioritize health concerns in the community and to begin to develop goals and strategies for addressing these issues.In order to understand community health issues more generally and to situate my research in a country specific context, I met with NGO leaders, Malian Ministry of Health officials, and other health care providers in Bamako to better understand other community based health programs and national health policy in Mali.

Connexions is a learning center in Bamako, Mali that offers language instruction and professional development assistance to a wide range of clients. At Connexions, I taught English as a second language to adult professionals from West Africa and Europe. I gave both individual and group lessons from beginner to intermediate levels.

I interviewed prospective students during their visits to Kenyon College. I contributed to the admissions selection process by writing personalized interviewee evaluations and acting as a contact person for high school seniors during their college search.

I assisted faculty members with office tasks and performed data entry using the software programs SPSS and NVivo.

I worked directly with PPIN's Vice President of Development and Public Affairs to organize a regional conference for representatives from 18 states. I independently researched, selected, and booked keynote speakers and workshop facilitators, made their travel arrangements, and outlined contract details. I maintained the conference budget, led planning committee meetings, and managed conference logistics both on and off site.

I received and processed specimens and prepared them for analysis. I also performed microbiology set-ups and waived tests. I managed test results and specimen records within the hospital database, maintaining attention to detail and prioritizing Emergency Department inquiries and "STAT" tests.

I researched, wrote, edited, designed and coordinated a weekly full page newspaper advertisement published by the hospital to raise awareness about specific health issues. Each week I brainstormed and selected focus topics for the advertisement, wrote and edited articles, and designed the layout for the ad. I collaborated with physicians, nurses, and the hospital CEO and worked with employees at the local newspaper to see the advertisement through from conception to printing.