Lara Parrilla, MPH, RD, was first exposed to the field of public health through an undergraduate internship with Cornell University Cooperative Extension in NYC. “It was through this experience that I developed an understanding of and respect for the importance concept of building individual and community capacity to identify community health needs and participate in the design of the solutions,” says Parrilla.

Lara’s primary research interests relate to how health systems, public health departments, and community organizations can work collaboratively to address the social determinants of health and advance health equity.

Lara has been with the MPH Program since 2019, and this spring is her third semester teaching the public health planning course. “In the planning course, students often spend the first month really struggling with understanding the issue and how to frame it in the form of a grant proposal — I love being a part of the moment when it all clicks!”

Written by Katie Lesser