Member Profile | Mentor Connection Coordinator

This year, the IFH Healthcorps team has 17 full time members! Every month we will be profiling one or two so you can get a chance to meet our crew and learn more about their work!

This month: Meet Kate!



Name: Kate
Position: Mentor Program Coordinator
Brief bio:
I love teaching and public health of course, but when I’m not involved in those activities, I like to paint and travel (well, the travel part has been more reduced to making plans for the distant future). I also love cooking and eating, which leads me to my next hobby of running and (whenever possible) going hiking. I love the outdoors in general!

What is your hometown?
Shawnee Mission, KS…it’s a suburb of Kansas City

For those in NYC: What is the best part about living in NYC? What is your favorite place in the city?
Either the Highline or the Williamsburg Flea Market, especially when it’s warm out!

Where do you work and what kind of tasks do you do each day?
I work at the Manhattan Staten Island Area Health Education center, where my primary job is to coordinate a mentoring program for high school students. This also involves teaching them in a health seminar class.

What is your favorite part of the job?
Seeing students really connect with health topics and relate them to their own lives.

What is the most difficult part of what you do?
Motivating students and mentors to stick with it even when they are busy!

Why do you enjoy being a healthcorps member?
I feel like we are given real responsibilities and are trusted by our supervisors, instead of just entry-level work.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A community health educator!