Alumni
Claude-Alix Jacob
Director - Bureau of Disease Prevention & Control, Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Baltimore City Health Department
Area of Work in Public Health
My formal public health experiences began as an extern (COSTEP) with the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Public Health Service Region V (1994) and as an AmeriCorps volunteer on Chicago 's West Side (1995-6). I currently serve as the Director of the Bureau of Disease Prevention and Control at the Baltimore City Health Department and, in this capacity, I manage the operations related to the prevention and control of communicable diseases such as TB, HIV and STI's. Prior to this time, I was an administrator at the Sinai Community Institute, a member of the Sinai Health System located in Chicago, Illinois (1997-2001) and oversaw a variety of neighborhood initiatives that included an outreach program for isolated elderly residents and a peer-led violence prevention program for high school students. I recently completed the fellowship program sponsored by the National Public Health Leadership Institute (Year 11) and have been inducted into the Delta Omega honorary public health society ( University of Illinois at Chicago - 2002). I am most interested in factors that contribute to the growing health disparities among underserved urban populations. To that end, my goal has been to develop skills that will allow me to address the needs of disadvantaged populations with special emphasis on immigrants, the elderly and communities of color.
Personal Information
My wife (Nicole) and I became first-time parents in March 2003; our son Alex has become a true joy to watch in action. Past endeavors have earned me the honors as a two-time inductee into my high school Hall of Fame for accomplishments in football and track & field ( Loyola Academy - Wilmette, Illinois ). In addition, I have completed 5 marathons despite a back injury that nearly crippled me while in college but the experience has allowed me to value "second chances."
What I would like to get out of this program
I think that this program will allow me to refocus my energies and skills to serve as a more viable contributor to the field of public health. Specifically, I look forward to the exercises on the art of human relations and managing crises. I hope to share my insights with my peers and look forward to the interactions and the new bonds with my class.