Social Determinants, Health Policy, and the Public Health Classroom: A Discussion with Katie Pincura

Dean Stuart Shapiro and the EJB Talks podcast have returned for season 13 with associate teaching professor Katie Pincura. Katie’s path into public health began as a counselor in Vancouver, Canada, where she first witnessed how the social determinants of health such as housing, poverty, and access to care shape health outcomes. Her later work in Georgia, helping transition people with intellectual and developmental disabilities into community settings, gave her a clearer view of how public insurance and state policy impact vulnerable populations. Connecting her own experiences navigating health systems in Canada and the U.S. with her work fueled her interest in health policy and ultimately led her to pursue an MPH and DrPH. Since arriving at Rutgers’ Bloustein School last year, Katie has sought to integrate her students' lived experiences into public health policy by encouraging them to critically examine the trade-offs between individual freedoms and collective well-being. She notes that the diversity and resources available at Rutgers, combined with student passion, helps her guide students to graduate with both a strong understanding of public health systems and practical skills needed for impactful careers.