My name is Turquoise and I am truly excited about working with Safe Kids GA over the next year. I received my Bachelors of Art in Psychology and World Arts and Culture from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where I worked as a research assistant for UCLA Department of Psychology and UCLA Center for AIDS Research and Education.
Upon graduation I worked with the AIDS Health Project in San Francisco, California and the San Francisco Department of Public Health. While in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to serve as HIV Counselor and help individuals create personalized risk reduction plans to protect themselves and others from HIV. Additionally, I assisted individuals living with HIV to get the medical care and services they need. During my time in San Francisco, I was able to work with a diverse group of people and hear many stories about intentional and unintentional injuries. My time in San Francisco continues to impact me today and motivated me to continue my education in public health.
While pursuing an MPH from 2010-2012 at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, I worked at UNC’s Center for Infectious Disease. During my two years in North Carolina, I was able to assist with study design development, planning, and implementation for a funded research project focusing on medication adherence for previously incarcerated individuals living with HIV or AIDS.
I began the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention’s Public Health Prevention Service Fellowship in the fall of 2012. During the first year of the fellowship, I did a 6 month rotation in the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention assisting with the dissemination of Couples HIV Testing and Counseling and serving as the subject matter expert on the health topic of HIV prevention in correctional settings. For my second 6 month rotation, I was placed in the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response, working with the Division of Emergency Operations on an international capacity building project with Uganda and Vietnam. After completing my rotations with CDC, I became a member of the communication team at the Georgia Department Public Health, Division of Communication. I served as the health literacy coordinator collaborating with programs across the state of Georgia to increase understanding and access to reliable health information.
I am excited to say that I will finish up the end of my fellowship with Safe Kids GA. I’m looking forward to working with the staff and coalitions to make an impact on the state within a wide range of experiences over the next year to decrease unintentional injuries.
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