EP177 Building Research Skills for Community Impact with Whitney Rigodon

In this episode we speak with Whitney Rigodon, an MPH student specializing in Community Health Science and Practice. Whitney's path began in Brooklyn, where observing high rates of premature death and chronic illness within her local community sparked a desire to address non-communicable diseases and the social determinants of health. She explains how she applies her anthropology background and ethnographic skills—such as analyzing neighborhood dialects and social dynamics—to conduct deep community needs evaluations. Whitney discusses her extensive research involvement at NYU GPH, maximizing her time in the program, including her work with the Applied Global Public Health Initiative (AGPHI) and the Health in All Policies Network. She shares insights from her time as a research coordinator for Safe Futures, focusing on the prevention of child maltreatment. By utilizing the mentor-mentee program and the Resource Expo Fair, Whitney built a technical skillset designed for real-world impact. Ultimately, she shares her dream of creating a future where health resources empower every individual to feel hopeful about tomorrow. To learn more about the NYU School of Global Public Health, and how our innovative programs are training the next generation of public health leaders, visit http://www.publichealth.nyu.edu.