Current Editors
Elizabeth Mekonen is a first year MPH student at University at Albany’s College of Integrated Health Sciences concentrating in Social, Behavior and Community Health with a certificate in Maternal and Child Health. Elizabeth received her BA in Health, Behavior and Society from the University of Rochester in 2021. After undergrad, Elizabeth worked for three years at The Preventive Care Program for Children with Asthma at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Throughout her time with the community-based research program, she worked on several school-based asthma research studies and became familiar with how essential it is to bridge the health communication gap between families and the health care system. In her role, she took the lead in interviewing and educating caregivers and children on asthma symptoms, steroid usage, and care management. Her experiences with the team and community gave her the space to develop interest in transforming her learned health communication & research skills into hopefully establishing health education centered programs for African diasporic communities on chronic reproductive health conditions, sexual health, and menstrual health in the future. At CIHS, Elizabeth supports the UAlbany Maternal and Child Health Program as a Research Project Assistant and co-editor to the MCH Leads Blog. You can connect with Elizabeth on her LinkedIn.
Mary Kenny is a first year MPH student at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health concentrating in Maternal and Child Health. Mary earned her BA in Applied Psychology and Human Development from Boston College in 2022. After college, Mary spent two years working at the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, working as an Enrollment and Matching Specialist to create Big/Little matches. During her time there, Mary piloted the first ever group-mentoring program, designing and delivering a strengths-based, trauma-informed curriculum about emotional wellbeing in schools all across Boston. Mary has a passion for wholistic best practices which promote intersectional approaches to education, physical health, mental health, and research. At UMN, Mary is a trainee for the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health where she serves as the UMN co-editor for MCH Leads and manages communications for the Maternal and Child Health Student Interest Group (MCHSIG). You can connect with Mary on her LinkedIn.
Past Editors
In the fall of 2020, the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health at the University of Minnesota partnered with the Maternal and Child Health Catalyst Program at the University at Albany to run and collaborate on this blog. Meet 2020-2023 co-editors from UMN and UAlbany, as well as the past inaugural student editors who created, organized, and promoted the content of MCH Leads.
2022-2024
Melissa “Mel” Ray is a second year MPH student at the University at Albany School of Public Health concentrating in Social, Behavior and Community Health. Mel earned her BS in Public Health and BA in Theatre and Dance at Keene State College in 2022. She then completed a year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Schenectady Community Ministries. While serving she witnessed firsthand the food insecurity that parents and children face. This experience ignited her interest in maternal and child health, in addition to her other interests in health promotion, food systems, and environmental health. She is excited to be part of the team at the UAlbany Maternal and Child Health Program working to support maternal and child health as a Research Project Assistant and co-editor to the MCH Leads Blog. You can connect with Mel on her LinkedIn.
Estefanía Henríquez Luthje graduated in 2024 from the Maternal and Child Health Master of Public Health program at the University of Minnesota (UMN), with minors in Epidemiology and Global Health. She was also a Fulbright Scholar from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Estefanía earned her medical degree with Summa Cum Laude honors from Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo in 2020 and received a certificate in clinical research at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. During her time at UMN, Estefanía was a trainee for the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health, where she served as the UMN co-editor for MCH Leads, managed communications for the Maternal and Child Health Student Interest Group (MCHSIG), and was a student member of the Center’s advisory board. Estefanía has extensive training and experience in maternal and child public health nutrition, programs, research, evaluation, and health communications. Learn more about Estefanía’s background, studies, and future plans in her Students of SPH feature and Center for MCH spotlight. Connect with Estefanía at ehenriquezluthje@gmail.com or via LinkedIn!
Maha Mehmood was a co-editor of MCH Leads for the 2022-2024 period. She graduated from the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at the University at Albany in 2024, concentrating in Epidemiology, and also received a Graduate Certificate in Maternal and Child Health. Maha served as the Graduate Assistant for the UAlbany MCH Catalyst Program. She also graduated in Spring 2022 from UAlbany with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Her hobbies include research, studying, shopping, and volunteer work. Maha plans to apply to medical school with hopes of specializing in Obstetrics and Gynecology, specifically focusing on Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
2020-2022
Alexis Chavez served as one of the co-editors of the MCH blog for the 2020-2022 period. She graduated in May 2020 from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health with an emphasis on Health Promotion and a minor in Health and Human Values. In May 2022, she graduated with a master’s degree in public health with a focus on maternal and child health at the University of Minnesota. Check out Alexis’ University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Students of SPH feature & Center for Leadership Education in Maternal & Child Public Health Student Spotlight.
Alyssa Pochkar served as one of the co-editors of the MCH blog for the 2020-2022 period. She graduated in May 2020 from SUNY Albany with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Biology and a minor in Public Health. In 2022, she graduated with an MPH in Epidemiology with certificates in Maternal and Child Health and Global Health Studies. Alyssa’s passion for public health began during her work in Haiti, where she realized the overlapping barriers individuals face while trying to live healthy lives. Alyssa hopes to combat disparities in Maternal and Child Health internationally.
Fall 2020
Rachel Craig served as one of the co-editors of the MCH blog for the fall 2020 semester. She graduated in 2021 with an MPH from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany School of Public Health with a graduate certificate in Maternal and Child Health.
2019-2020
Abhi Ramesh was the inaugural blog editor. She helped to conceptualize the blog, developed the site and worked on the early crafting processes. She graduated in May 2020 with an MPH in Maternal and Child Health.
Gray Taylor served as one of the blog’s first editors and worked to launch the blog. In addition, she helped to further develop the blog by creating a communication plan and promoting blog efforts. She graduated in May 2021 with an MPH from the University of Washington.