Public Health Joy‪!‬ Dr. Joyee Washington

Welcome back to your safe space for having honest conversations about what it takes to transform public health research into life-changing solutions for communities. Being an entrepreneur in public health requires a certain drive, a specific skill set, and a well-grounded understanding of what it means to engage communities in order to elevate them. Dr. Charlotte Huntley has all of the above, and as Dr. Washington’s mentor in public health, she joins us today to share her thoughts on the importance of creating specific solutions that revolve around a community and its people.



Dr. Huntley holds a Ph.D. in Public Health with a specialization in Epidemiology, a Master of Public Health, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research Administration. She transitioned into public health after working many years in healthcare as a medical technologist in hospital laboratories, specializing in diagnostic microbiology and infectious diseases.



Dr. Huntley spearheads today’s conversation as we explore the importance of understanding the transferability of one's skills, what community-engaged work actually entails, how to find the right community partners, and why building relationships within a community is the best foundation for transformation. We also reexamine what it means to have an equity mindset, why difficult conversations are vital, and how joy can always be found in both the process and the result. 






Key Points From This Episode:


How Dr. Charlotte Huntley became an entrepreneur in public health. [02:52]


Dr. Washington’s NASA confession. [07:40]


The importance of understanding the transferability of your skillset. [09:48]


Gaining a better understanding of community-involved work. [13:50]


How to find the right partners/organizations for community-engaged work. [21:51]


The power of building community relationships and allowing those voices to be heard. [25:17]


Defining equity, why it matters, and how to build an equity mindset. [28:18]


Why having difficult conversations should be mandatory and not optional. [33:15]


The goal of bringing more joy to communities, and how joy can also be found in the process of getting to the solution. [34:30]


What brings Dr. Huntley joy in her work. [35:55]



If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and leave a review! For more transcripts, show notes, and more, visit https://joyeewashington.com/public-health-joy-podcast-season-3/

As Benjamin Franklin once said: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Preparation is such an important piece of Public Health work and during this episode, we are joined by a passionate professional supporting entrepreneurs through planning and organizational support.



Chelsea Yvanda is the Public Health Virtual Assistant. After completing her Master of Public Health and working in the space for a decade, she recognized the need for administrative and operational support for those in a similar field. Today, she brings her knack for organization and her innovative approach to making life simple to Public Health entrepreneurs scaling their businesses.



Join us as Chelsea shares how her work supports her clients and the joy that she derives from creating the back-end efficiency necessary for them to truly make an impact. Thanks for listening!



Key Points From This Episode:


Introducing Chelsea Yvanda and her lifelong relationship with working in Public Health. [01:03]
Her main goal in creating efficiency for Public Health Entrepreneurs and how she goes about achieving it. [08:55]
How the Virtual Collab process supports clients in an ever-changing context. [13:48]
Why planning and creating processes is such an essential ingredient for success. [17:55]
What the true barriers to outsourcing and systemizing are. [22:16]
Project management, financial management, and social media tools entrepreneurs should be aware of. [24:50]
How automating processes facilitates building relationships. [26:58]
The joy that Chelsea derives from working with her clients. [30:32]

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and, leave a review!  For more transcripts, show notes, and more visit: https://joyeewashington.com/public-health-joy-podcast-season-3/  

Join Dr. Joyee for a thought-provoking conversation on the role of righteousness in public health research.



In this episode, she delves into the importance of integrity, honesty, and humility in driving positive impact and equity. From challenging the status quo to embracing discomfort, we explore how righteousness guides our decisions and shapes our journey in the world of public health research.



Tune in for insights, inspiration, and a fresh perspective on creating meaningful change in our communities.



Key Points:

·      Dr. Joyee seeks to position herself and her business for long-term success while navigating part-time jobs. [2:35]

·      Dr. Joyee grapples with work-life balance, decides to quit last part-time job to become full-time entrepreneur. [5:09]

·      Dr. Joyee reflects on personal growth through difficult decision to prioritize business over other aspects of life. [10:40]

·      Dr. Joyee emphasizes the importance of ethical decision-making in public health research. [16:15]

·      Dr. Joyee emphasizes righteousness in public health research, including integrity, transparency, humility, and community-centered approach. [19:36]

·      Dr. Joyee emphasizes pursuing justice and equity in public health research. [22:13]



For episode details:

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and, leave a review!  For more transcripts, show notes, and more visit: https://joyeewashington.com/public-health-joy-podcast-season-3/  

As a community health educator, today’s guest shines a light on Black women’s sexual health by giving a voice to issues that are often faced but rarely talked about.

Dr. Shemeka Thorpe is an award-winning sexuality educator, researcher, and international speaker whose research focuses on the sexual well-being of Black women using sex-positive and pleasure-centered frameworks. She has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles, was listed by Buzzfeed as one of the Top 20 Black sexologists you should follow in 2023, and has been featured on numerous podcasts, online magazines, and blogs including Cosmo, Elite Daily, and Essence.

As you’ll discover in this episode, Dr. Thorpe aims to make research relevant to Black communities by translating sex science in meaningful and tangible ways. Join us as we discuss the importance of comprehensive sex education that includes pleasure, how sexual freedom can enable people to make better choices, why community members should be considered researchers, and some of the ways that Dr. Thorpe finds joy in her work and leads the way for those who come after her, plus so much more!

Key Points From This Episode:


An introduction to Dr. Thorpe and her focus on sexual pleasure, pain, and freedom. [02:07]


Overcoming barriers to comprehensive sex education and access to contraceptives. [05:58]


Insight into Dr. Thorpe’s community-based participatory research on sexual health. [08:55]


The importance of storytelling and how sexual freedom can influence our choices. [13:25]


How Dr. Thorpe makes her research more relevant and accessible for everyone. [17:44]


Community members are researchers: why community advisory boards are essential. [19:32]


The systems that often prevent researchers from doing adequate community work. [27:19]


Why bringing joy to academia is crucial and where Dr. Thorpe finds joy in her work. [29:36]



If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and, leave a review!  For more transcripts, show notes, and more visit: https://joyeewashington.com/public-health-joy-podcast-season-3/  

If you work in public health, then you are no doubt aware that, statistically, Black women are three to four times more likely to die from birth-related complications than their white counterparts.

And while it’s important to understand the reasons behind these unacceptable and heartbreaking numbers, the more pressing question is: what is being done about it?

Joining Dr. Joyee Washington on the podcast today is her friend and colleague, Dr. Nakeitra Burse to talk about how they, and other Black women like themselves, are working to improve maternal and health equity in Mississippi — the place they call home.

Dr. Burse is the CEO of Six Dimensions, a public health consulting company that aims to create strategic, sustainable, and innovative solutions in public health with a focus on health equity and social justice. She is also a Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Leader.

We use today’s conversation with Dr. Burse to delve into the state of Maternal health in Mississippi, the importance of building greater health equity, and the work being done by, and for, communities in Mississippi. You’ll also learn about Six Dimensions’ training, development, and outreach programs; what equity looks like in everyday practice; how we can do research that prioritizes communities, not just academics; and much more.

Key Points From This Episode:


Introducing today’s guest, Dr. Nakeitra Burse, the focus of her work, and how she founded her public health consulting company, Six Dimensions. [0:29]


Why Six Dimensions is transitioning into becoming a nonprofit. [02:19]


An overview of Six Dimensions’ Health and Racial Equity in Maternal Care course and their outreach efforts. [03:41]


Why Dr. Burse chose to stay, work, and live in Mississippi. [06:49]


Asking what equity looks like in everyday practice and taking the steps to build it. [10:37]


Visiting the Two Mississippi Museums, the history depicted there, and how it relates to public health equity. [15:51]


Maternal health in Mississippi and how Dr. Burse got started working in this area. [19:50]


The healthcare solutions that are being driven by Black women in Mississippi. [25:58]


Protecting your community when research is being done. [27:47]


What brings Dr. Burse joy in her work: seeing Black women happy and safe in their births, pregnancies, and maternal health care outcomes. [31:53]


Where you can find Six Dimensions online and details on their upcoming 5K walk. [34:10]



If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and, leave a review!  For more transcripts, show notes, and more visit: https://joyeewashington.com/public-health-joy-podcast-season-3/  

Traditionally, there are a number of power imbalances that exist between foundations and nonprofits in the public health space, but trust-based philanthropy involves creating and sustaining more collaborative, transparent, and holistic partnerships between grantmakers and grantees.

To help us explore how we can reimagine funding, power, and research through trust-based philanthropy to drive positive impact and health equity, we are joined by Dr. Rachel Powell, a passionate public health professional, consultant, educator, and qualitative researcher trained in culturally responsive and equitable evaluation. Dr. Powell has more than a decade of public health experience, working with both federal and local government, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions alike.

In this episode, she highlights the importance of building authentic partnerships with donors and explains why it’s going to take time to see more culturally responsive, equitable, and trust-based practices. We also touch on the value of self-evaluation, a strong focus on community, seeing the work we do through a cultural lens, and much more! For a fascinating (and joyful) conversation with someone who is committed to equitable, accessible, and community-centered solutions to drive social change, tune in now!

Key Points From This Episode:


Dr. Powell introduces herself and emphasizes the importance of a cultural lens. [02:44]


Defining trust-based philanthropy and the role it plays in public health. [04:56]


Equitable considerations about the RFP (request for proposal) process. [14:17]


Debunking some common criticisms of trust-based philanthropy. [17:40]


Reasons that building authentic partnerships with funders is crucial. [19:29]


Rethinking power dynamics: why it’s important to challenge donors and institutions. [22:49]


Highlighting the value of self-evaluation, transparency, and open communication. [26:01]


The patience needed to see true change and resources to help you take the next step. [27:37]


Intention versus impact: issues that can accompany academic partnerships. [33:57]


Why pushing organizations to focus on community brings Dr. Powell joy. [36:56]



If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and, leave a review!  For more transcripts, show notes, and more visit: https://joyeewashington.com/public-health-joy-podcast-season-3/