Q&A with Mariana Andreu-Sanz, MPH Candidate in Global Health

Will you tell us about your work as a fellow at IntraHealth International?

At IntraHealth, I worked on two main deliverables. I worked on the SASA! Intervention with Dr. Carolina Mejia, where I created a preliminary codebook and analysis plan for the RHITES-E team in Uganda. The SASA! Intervention by Raising Voices hopes to prevent violence against women and HIV. Due to COVID-19, much of our work was halted but I am glad IntraHealth took the time to look at how to safely reach out to women. As a second deliverable, I created an Instructional Guide for Dedoose, a qualitative analysis software program, that would be used across IntraHealth. Lastly, I wrote a VITAL blog post titled “COVID-19 Puts More Women and Girls in Danger from Abusers.” I enjoyed the process that went with publishing the blog post, as it was a good way to get constructive feedback from a variety of people. Overall, I am grateful for my work and time at IntraHealth. Apply if you can!

How has the UNC-IntraHealth Fellowship impacted your future plans?

Before my time at IntraHealth, I did not have a clear interest on what I wanted to do within public health. Working at IntraHealth gave me a new perspective on global health nonprofits. Everyone I met wanted to make a positive impact in global health by collaborating with people across the world and thinking of innovative ways to make it happen. My work in the SASA! Intervention further solidified my interest in reproductive health. Writing my VITAL blog post, I became more aware of the impact COVID-19 has had on women living and being isolated with their abusers. My time at IntraHealth has encouraged me to do more for women and marginalized communities.

What has been one of your most impactful experiences at Gillings?

I really miss being in [in-person] class and learning so much from my peers and professors. Everyone at Gillings brings so many perspectives that make the school environment enjoyable. Our professors are some of the best and brightest in the field who make the time to make sure we are the best public health professionals possible. My favorite classes so far have been Cultural Humility with Dr. Palmquist and Leadership in Health Policy for Social Justice by Aimee McHale. They both strive to make an inclusive environment where students feel welcome and listened to. They have greatly influenced how I see Global Health and the current social and political environment and my place in it.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

I am still figuring out what I want to do after graduation, but I hope to work with Latinx women. My dream is to work towards improving reproductive health access to women, specifically Spanish-speaking women in North Carolina. However, I am open to new experiences and am looking forward to what comes next!

What are some of your favorite places around Chapel Hill?

· Guglhupf – their chocolate tartlets are amazing!

· Epilogue is a great small business to support. They have great book choices, coffee and treats.

· Buns Burgers and Fries has some good build-your-own burgers and fries.