Office for Student Engagement and Practice
The Office for Student Engagement and Practice (OSEP) consists of the Student Affairs and Public Health Practice teams. It also houses the Undergraduate and Online Academic Programs. OSEP serves the whole school community at all degree levels.
The Office for Student Engagement and Practice is located in suites 1700 and 2700 within SPH I.
Emily Youatt, Assistant Dean for the Office for Student Engagement and Practice and
Director of the Office of Undergraduate Education
youatt@umich.edu
Welcome to the Office for Student Engagement and Practice! Our office is an umbrella that houses the Student Affairs and Public Health Practice teams. These teams are unique in that they support all students (undergrad, Master’s, and PhD) at the School of Public Health, regardless of department. The Office for Student Engagement and Practice also house the Undergraduate and Online education programs. We hope you explore all of the resources we have to support your educational experience here at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.
Student Affairs
Rachel Casanova, Director of Student Affairs
racacasa@umich.edu
Rachel oversees the School of Public Health Student Affairs Team which includes Admissions, Student Life, Careers and the Registrar. She works to support all students with academic accommodations and support, academic integrity, dispute resolution, and special projects related to academic and student affairs.
Learn more about the Student Affairs Team
Recruitment and Admissions
Recuirtment and Admissions inquires for MPH or MHSA, including the Population and Health Sciences (fully online) MPH program, should email sph-inquiries@umich.edu.
If you have questions related to the SOPHAS application process, contact the SOPHAS Customer Service team.
Mary Beth Carroll, Associate Director of Recruitment and Admissions
maryeli@umich.edu
Mary Beth oversees admissions processing and application review coordination for the degree programs administered through the Office for Student Engagement and Practice, and leads the overall recruitment strategy.
Joyce Pu, Admissions Processing Specialist
chihfpu@umich.edu
Joyce coordinates the graduate MPH/MHSA application processing. She also manages the I-20 verification and issuing process for matriculated MPH/MHSA students. Joyce comes to us from Rackham Graduate School where she worked for over eight years.
Karla Baker, Admissions Processing Specialist
kasbaker@umich.edu
Karla contributes to the graduation MPH/MHSA application processing as well as facilitates the undergraduate program application review. Karla has over 10 years of experience in higher education and has worked closely with college students as they navigate various student business.
Lynn Douglas, Graduate Recruitment Lead
734-647-2267
lynndoug@umich.edu
Lynn provides coaching to prospective and admitted public health students as they explore their next steps in pursuing a graduate degree in public health. She also coordinates recruitment attendance and outreach efforts as well as leads the volunteer current student Admissions Ambassador Program.
Student Life
Dani Koel, Student Life Program Manager
danikoel@umich.edu
Dani assists with student life programming, student newsletters, and student organizations.
Beth Cable, Student Success Coach
cableb@umich.edu | Schedule a Coaching Appointment
Beth offers one-on-one coaching, supports student communities, and assists with student life programming.
Career Development
The Careers Office provides a supportive environment for students to gain confidence in understanding their career goals, sharing about their skills and interests, and making meaningful connections within the public health field.
We offer appointments and programming regarding:
- Career Exploration (What public health field/position do you want to pursue?),
- Career Preparation (How can you communicate about your experiences, interests, and skills to successfully navigate the job search?), and
- Career Connections (What organization contacts, employers, alumni, and other personal/professional contacts will support you in your career journey?).
Students can reach the Careers team by emailing sph.jobs@umich.edu.
Ari Renda: Career Services Associate Director
Ari leads the strategic direction of the Careers Office. They meet with SPH students, alumni, and employers; oversee program development; and facilitate career-related workshops and presentations. Ari’s goal for career services is to create inclusive and affirming environments where students experience holistic support throughout their career exploration and development process.
Maddie Houston: Career Services Coordinator
madroman@umich.edu
How can I help? Maddie collaborates with SPH students through individual and group coaching on career development topics to support professional success.
Neika White, Employer Engagement Coordinator
ncwhite@umich.edu
How can I help? Neika works to establish relationships between employers, students, and the School
of Public Health through workshops, virtual/in-person interviews, and 1:1 meetings
with students.
Stefani Anderson: Career Services Coordinator
stefa@umich.edu
How can I help? Stefani collaborates with SPH students through individual and group coaching on career development topics to support professional success. She also leads out experiential learning, internship funding, and supports data needs.
Registrar
Students can reach the Registrar team by emailing sph.registrar@umich.edu.
Steve Molnar, Registrar
sjmiii@umich.edu
Steve is available to answer questions related to school and university policies, academic requirements, graduation, student records, registration, and enrollment.
Maya Conigliaro, Records and Curriculum Coordinator
mconig@umich.edu
Maya assists the Registar with records management and acadmic inquires.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) Embedded Counselor
Joe Rizzo, CAPS Embedded Counselor
M1519 SPH IEmail Joe Rizzo (joerizzo@umich.edu) for questions or to make a counseling appointment.
Joseph (Joe) Rizzo (Embedded Staff Member in School of Public Health) received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University in the summer of 2023 with an emphasis on Meditation & Mindfulness.
He is also a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC). Joe’s clinical training has focused on college-aged populations at various community-based agencies. Prior to returning for his PhD, he worked at Mariners Inn, a shelter and treatment center for the unhoused in Detroit, and in private practice. Joe will be joining UM CAPS as the Embedded staff member in the School of Public Health. As a clinician, he approaches therapy with a strong sense of collaboration, openness, respect, and gratitude. Joe has been trained in numerous evidence-based treatment modalities, and generally speaking, his approach to therapy is in a culturally humble fashion that blends humanistic and feminist treatment modalities. Joe is excited and honored to work with, and support the folx who are committed to creating a healthier, more equitable world.
Public Health Practice
The Office of Public Health Practice at the University of Michigan School of Public Health extends the university's resources to public health practitioners in governmental and community-based organizations and provides practice opportunities for Michigan Public Health students and faculty. Programs housed in Public Health Practice demonstrate the school's commitment to securing and strengthening Michigan's current and future public health practice community through student engagement, workforce development, and community engagement.
Laura Power, Director of the Office of Public Health Practice
lejohns@umich.edu
Dr. Power's work is focused on enhancing public health capacity through experiential
learning opportunities for students, through needs-based workforce development opportunities
for practitioners, and by fostering partnerships between our school, practice-based
organizations, and community members. She does this through her work in the Practice
Office, through funded-projects focused on the public health workforce, and through
teaching professional development and leadership courses. Dr. Power's main focus right
now is teaching and training to support public health capacity; and she continues
to have a special interest in infectious disease epidemiology and prevention.
Sadé Richardson, Director of Strategic Initiatives
richsade@umich.edu
Sadé oversees the student experiential learning and community engagement aspects of the Office of Public Health Practice. She is your go to for translating your classroom knowledge to practice through the Public Health in Action Courses, Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST) and for getting you engaged and connected with community partners or sharing ideas and feedback for programming opportunities. Sadé also serves as the Program Director for the Future Public Health Leaders Program.
ANarris Monger, Practice Operations Coordinator
amonger@umich.edu
ANarris supports students through the Schweitzer Fellowship, Public Health Perspectives and Practice Hub. She provides support for students through their application process for the Schweitzer Fellowship and development of their public health toolbox. A’Narris has a background in community engagement and public service with a passion for Public Health. In collaboration with her team ANarris strives to provide the best Practice experience for MPH students interested in the Public Health Practice experience.
Lauren Czarnowczan, Student Programs Specialist
laczarno@umich.edu
Phoebe Kulik, Senior Director of Workforce Development
gophoebe@umich.edu
Phoebe advances the Practice Office’s workforce development activities, including partnerships with governmental public health agencies and related associations. She is the point person for the Practice Advisory Council, a group of practice partners and UM SPH faculty and staff who provide input on the activities of the Practice Office and broader school. In her other roles, she manages the Region V Public Health Training Center and Public Health Prepared, two grant-funded workforce development initiatives also at the UM SPH.
Online Education
Kim Luzius, Ed.D., Assistant Director of Online Programs
kluzius@umich.edu
Kim oversees online learning initiatives for the School of Public Health, including the design, development, launch, and growth of online MPH in Population and Health Sciences. She works closely with faculty, instructional designers, media specialists, external partners, student services professionals, and other campus partners.
Lisa Garber, M.A., Population and Health Sciences Program Manager
lfletch@umich.edu
Lisa is available to assist prospective students with program-specific questions from curriculum to envisioning how the program can fit into your life. Once admitted to an online program, Lisa will be your point of contact for anything you need from Michigan Public Health, including onboarding, academic advising, degree progress, community engagement, and overall student services.
For prospective students interested in the MPH in Population and Health Sciences, please email sph-inquiries@umich.edu with any application or admissions questions you may have. Feel free to contact Lisa Garber with any program-specific questions, such as curriculum, faculty and advising.
Office of Undergraduate Education
Emily Youatt, Assistant Dean for the Office for Student Engagement and Practice and
Director of the Office of Undergraduate Education
youatt@umich.edu
Dr. Youatt is the Assistant Dean for the Office for Student Engagement and Practice and Director of the Office of Undergraduate Education. In addition to teaching the introductory public health course, she is responsible for the overall quality of the curriculum and the experience of students in the program. Dr. Youatt is available to meet with prospective or current students regarding questions or concerns about the program, or to hear about student's interest in the field of public health.
Desmond Mack, Undergraduate Academic Advisor and Recruitment Lead
desmondm@umich.edu
Desmond serves as the academic advisor for current students and coaches prospective and admitted public health students as they explore their next steps in pursuing an undergraduate degree in public health. He also coordinates recruitment and outreach efforts as well as leads the volunteer current student Admissions Ambassador Program.