The Department of Health Policy and Management maintains an expansive network of alumni who are making significant contributions to improving individual and population health, advancing health equity, and strengthening access to the resources needed to be healthy through effective health policy and management of health-related organizations and programs. The purpose of these alumni profiles is to share with you a picture of the diverse career paths pursued by graduates of our BSPH program.
Emma Din
Class of 2011
Health Development Officer United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Leading Strategies in Poverty Prevention
- Education & Recognitions:
-BSPH, UNC, 2011
-Payne International Development Fellowship, 2014
-MPH, Harvard, 2016 - Career Highlights:
-Fulbright English Teaching Fellowship in Colombia
-Program Associate, American Public Health Association’s Center for Public Health Policy
-USAID Health Office in Cambodia and Congresswoman Barbara Lee
Emma Din epitomizes dedication and expertise in the realm of public health. A Morehead-Cain scholar, she obtained her BSPH with a major in Health Policy and Management. Din undertook a yearlong Fulbright English Teaching Fellowship in Colombia and collaborated with the American Public Health Association’s Center for Public Health Policy on diverse projects ranging from the Affordable Care Act implementation to tribal and environmental health. She secured the Payne International Development Fellowship in 2014, an accolade extended to only ten exceptional individuals annually. Under this fellowship, she engaged with Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s office and the USAID Health Office in Cambodia. Din earned a Master’s in Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health. Currently, as a USAID Health Development Officer, Emma Din is pioneering strategies in poverty prevention, fortifying health systems worldwide, and safeguarding countless lives against numerous health challenges.
Dr. Anthony Sawyer
Class of 2010
Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Stanford Health
Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Education & Recognitions:
-BSPH, UNC, 2010
-MPH, Harvard, 2016
-M.D., University of Michigan, 2017
- Career Highlights:
-Member, Anesthesia Diversity Council, Stanford
-LEAD Program (Leadership Education in Advancing Diversity)
-Pediatric anesthesiology fellow, Children’s Hospital Colorado
Dr. Anthony Sawyer is an exemplar in the field of Pediatric Anesthesiology. After his BSPH here at UNC, Dr. Sawyer obtained his M.D. from the University of Michigan in 2017 and a Master of Public Health in health policy in 2016 at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He completed his residency in anesthesiology at Stanford Health Care, which he completed in 2021. Beyond academics and clinical expertise, Dr. Sawyer has been an advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion. At Stanford, he actively contributed to the Anesthesia Diversity Council, emphasizing the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities. He was also a member of the LEAD Program (Leadership Education in Advancing Diversity). Subsequent to his residency, he held a fellowship at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Serving as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Stanford Health, Dr. Sawyer blends deep knowledge with a steadfast dedication to inclusivity in healthcare.
Brittany Giles-Cantrell
Class of 2010
Program Director, de Beaumont Foundation
Public Health & Racial Equity
- Education & Recognitions:
-BSPH, UNC, 2010
-MPH, UC-Berkeley, 2014
- Career Highlights:
-Senior Program Manager, Kaiser Permanente’s Community Health
-Graduate student fellow, PolicyLink
-National Academy for State Health Policy
After graduating from our program at UNC, Brittany Giles-Cantrell pursued an MPH in Health Policy and Management from UC-Berkeley in 2014. Throughout her career, she has forged influential collaborations, spearheaded multi-sector philanthropic alliances, and championed community engagement initiatives. These efforts played a central role in augmenting healthcare access and bolstering social health interventions across the Mid-Atlantic region. Prior to her tenure at the de Beaumont Foundation, Brittany worked with the Kaiser Permanente’s Community Health department. In diverse roles, both national and regional, she instigated partnerships uplifting communities grappling with inequities. As a graduate student fellow at PolicyLink and an analyst at the National Academy for State Health Policy, her research focused on pressing state healthcare reforms. Now, in her capacity as Program Director at the de Beaumont Foundation, Brittany is leading the charge in molding public health frameworks, advocating policies, and championing practices that prioritize health and racial equity.
Christopher Coughlin
Class of 2011
Director of Business and Strategy, National Council for Mental Well-being
Behavioral Health
- Education & Recognitions:
-BSPH, UNC, 2011
-MHA, UNC, 2014 - Career Highlights:
-Authored “Traumatic Brain Injury and Behavioral Health: The State of Treatment and Policy”
-Winner, University of Alabama at Birmingham Case Competition, 2014
-Worked for Eliada Homes, Duke University, Atrium Health, and Janssen Pharmaceutical
Christopher Coughlin is a leader in the domain of Behavioral Health. Graduating with honors from the Gillings School of Global Public Health, Christopher went on to write “Traumatic Brain Injury and Behavioral Health: The State of Treatment and Policy,” a noteworthy contribution to the North Carolina Medical Journal in 2015. He was a key contributor to the first-place team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Case Competition in 2014. He has worked with the National Council of Behavioral Health, Eliada Homes, Duke University, Atrium Health, and the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. In his current role since August 2020, as the Director of Business and Strategy at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, he works to promote mental well-being nationally.
Madhu Vulimiri
Class of 2014
Deputy Director, Division of Child and Family Well-Being (NCDHHS)
Child and Family Well-being
- Education & Recognitions:
-BSPH, UNC, 2014
-MPP, Duke, 2018 - Career Highlights:
-Senior Medicaid Strategist and Chief of Staff, NCDHHS
-NC COVID-19 response team member
-Author, Health Affairs article
-Consultant, Huron Consulting Group
Madhu Vulimiri radiates passion and a steadfast commitment to the well-being of children and families. After obtaining her BSPH from UNC, Madhu went over the thin blue line to Duke University, where she earned her Master of Public Policy with a specialization in Health Policy in 2018. Prior to this, she worked with Huron Consulting Group, guiding hospitals and physician groups towards optimized operational and financial results. Transitioning to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Madhu undertook roles as a Senior Medicaid Strategist and Senior Strategy Advisor. She collaborated closely as the chief of staff to the Chief Deputy Secretary. During the pandemic, Madhu served on the NC COVID-19 response team, ensuring essential resources were available, from food access to vaccine equity. Madhu’s scholarly contributions include an article in Health Affairs, emphasizing beneficiary engagement in Medicaid programs. Currently, as Deputy Director in the Division of Child and Family Well-Being, she oversees essential nutrition initiatives such as SNAP, WIC, and CACFP.
