Capstone
A capstone project is a substantive and original body of work that allows students to synthesize and integrate knowledge from their public health and chosen focus area coursework through a written final product and e-portfolio. The capstone represents the culmination of the student’s educational experience in the Vanderbilt MPH Program.
Each student is responsible for identifying a focus area for their capstone with the assistance and guidance of their capstone advisor.
Area of Focus
At the time they submit their Culminating Experience selection (Year 1, Spring term), each student will identify the area(s) of focus for their Capstone. Examples include:
- Leadership and Management
- Public Health Informatics
- Implementation Science
- Global Health
- Health Policy
- Biomedical Ethics
- Latino and Latina Studies
- Latin American Studies
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT+) Health
- Other area of focus appropriate to the student’s educational and professional goals and approved by the Capstone adviser
| Student | Topic and Mentor(s) | |
| Ishan Basu Ray | Assessing AI Risk in Healthcare and Exploring Use Cases Brett Meeks, J.D. (ePortfolio forthcoming) |
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| Caitlin Bieniek | Analyzing Siloam Health’s Community Health Worker Goal Setting Program Caitlin Washburn, M.P.H. (ePortfolio forthcoming) |
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| Tim Hahn | Strategic Analysis of a Value-Based Care Alternative Payment Model for Hospital Implementation Ruchika Talwar, M.D. (ePortfolio forthcoming) |
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| Ariana Matos | Strategizing a Latina Doula Workforce Kristin Mejia and Taneisha Gillyard-Cheairs, Ph.D. (ePortfolio forthcoming) |
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| Salem Negasi | Finding evidence-based solutions to address neighborhood physical disorder in Nashville Carol Ziegler, D.N.P. (ePortfolio forthcoming) |
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| Haniya Shariff | Drawing the Connections Between the Arts and Health: A Creative Strategy for Tennessee Wellbeing Hannah Duiven, M.Ed. (ePortfolio forthcoming) |
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| Gwendolyn Wilks | Empowering Public Health: Website and Social Media Outreach for the Tennessee Sickle Cell Data Collection Program Andrew Wiese, Ph.D., M.P.H. (ePortfolio forthcoming) |
| Student | Topic and Mentor(s) | |
| Paul Chekuri | The Impact of the Firefly Program: How the Partnership between VUMC, TennCare, and CMS Improved Quality of Care for Pregnant and Postpartum Women with Opioid Use Disorder and their Infants in Middle Tennessee Kim Lovell, M.P.H., MBA |
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| Brittany Gutierrez-Kitto | Community Development: Designing and Implementing a Power Mapping Program Aubrenie Jones, M.P.H. ePortfolio |
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| Gabrielle Lyons | Network Adequacy among Medicare Advantage Plans John Graves, Ph.D. ePortfolio |
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| Tevin Mathew | Advancing Equity Through Empowerment: Identifying Barriers to Paternal Engagement and Increasing Awareness of Child Malnutrition in Rural Guatemala Marie Martin, Ph.D., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Grace Ratcliff | Policy and Program Evaluation: Examining the Impacts of Preventative Health Measures on Community Well-being Stacey Pecenka, M.P.H. ePortfolio |
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| Stacey Riddick | Understanding the Impact of Community Engagement on Health Equity Research Leslie Boone, M.P.H. ePortfolio |
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| Elizabeth Williams | Imbedding Field Service Learning from Senegal into Organizational Practice, a Case Study Marie Martin, Ph.D., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
| Student | Topic and Mentor(s) | |
| Lorely Chavez | Global Leadership, Management, and Research Partnerships Mario Avila, MBA ePortfolio |
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| Megan Davis | Operationalizing Equity: Evidence-Based Grantmaking Strategies for Reducing Racial and Geographic Health Disparities Jennifer Oldham, M.T.S. ePortfolio |
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| Dannielle Gibson | Reducing community partner reporting burden: Developing a Redcap surveillance system to integrate reporting requirements for community-led HIV prevention activities funded by the Tennessee Department of Health Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Olivia Lawson | Leadership in Health Care: Education, Evaluation, and Quality Improvement Tools Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Yufei Long | Driving Health Care Innovation by Collaboration between Private and Public Sector Healthcare Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Jacob Lorber | Utilizing Program Evaluation to Advance Advocacy and Outreach in Diverse Settings Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Justin McClain | Forming Good Leaders in a World of Wicked Problems: An Evaluation Plan for an Undergraduate Leadership Class Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Caroline Morkel | Utilizing ClinicalTrials.gov Data to Enhance Data-Driven Decision-Making in the Pharmaceutical Industry Uzma Atif, Ph.D., M.P.H. ePortfolio |
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| Rocio Posada-Castaneda | Social Impact Consulting in a Global Context Mario Avila, M.B.A. ePortfolio |
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| Rashad Taylor | Tennessee Lead Poisoning Prevention Dashboard: A Geospatial Tool for Stakeholders Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Student | Topic and Mentor(s) | |
| Graham Hancock, B.S.W. | Centralizing and Strengthening LGBTQ+ Health Resources Through Coalition-Building Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Anitha Ndekezi, M.B.B.S. | Designing a Social Enterprise to Address Social Determinants of Health in Rwanda Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Abigail Peterson, M.S.W. | Working Toward Health Equity: Assessing Current Practice and Planning for the Future Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
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| Maria Sheridan | The Business of Public Health Elizabeth Rose, Ed.D., M.P.H., M.Ed. ePortfolio |
| Student | Topic and Mentor(s) | |
| Raphael Abayateye | Assessing How International Trade of Primary Products Shapes Health in Sub-Saharan Africa Carolyn Heinrich, Ph.D. ePortfolio |
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| Savannah Collier | Targeted Messaging in Firearm Injury Prevention Training for Pediatricians Shari Barkin, M.D., M.S.H.S. ePortfolio |
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| Lauren Mitchell | Health Communications: How to Communicate Complexity Simply Stacie Dusetzina, Ph.D. ePortfolio |
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| Alyssa Rentuza | The Importance of Evaluation in Public Health Partnerships Elizabeth Williams, M.D., M.P.H. ePortfolio |
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| Vicky Waithe | A Roadmap to Bundle Implementation: Operationalizing a Value-Based Care Program in a Dynamic Health System David Stevenson, Ph.D. ePortfolio |
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| Caitlin Washburn | Utilizing Community Health Workers During COVID-19: A Sustainable Vision for a Productive Future Amy Richardson, M.P.H. ePortfolio |
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