Meet CJ Gil: CDPHP Scholar

By Erin Gilmore, MPH/MSW student and Graduate Assistant

ALBANY, N.Y. (September 18, 2021)- CJ Gil, CDPHP Scholar and MPH student, is a second generation UAlbany MPH student. After being awarded the CDPHP scholarship, Gil has been involved with opportunities through the New York State Council on Children and Families as well as the New York State Department Of Health (NYSDOH). He aspires to influence policies that aim to minimize statewide health equity gaps.

Gil attributes most of his interest in public health to his mother, a ‘07 UAlbany SPH alum. In more recent years, his advocacy for policy change grew as he watched the development of a landfill a few hundred yards away from where he completed his grade school education.

“Coming from a small but diverse city like Rensselaer, I would like to make sure similar communities are represented, their voices are heard, and their health is protected. If my research and work can influence policy in New York State, I will feel like I have accomplished my most valued career goals,” says Gil.

Gil completed a summer internship working for the New York State Council on Children and Families where he was involved in the development and enhancement of the Parent Portal App, a mobile application that provides information on parenting and child development, childcare options, and guidance for communicating with children’s teachers.

Currently, Gil works at the NYSDOH in the Bureau of Communicable Disease Control where he conducts surveillance and outbreak investigations for enteric diseases including Salmonella, E. Coli, Listeria, and Cyclosporiasis.

“I was honored and thankful to be chosen as a CDPHP scholar. The scholarship has helped tremendously because I am able to focus more on my studies and less on financing my education. Their generosity will help create meaningful changes in the field of public health,” said Gil.

By Erin Gilmore, MPH/MSW student and Graduate Assistant at the SPH Marketing & Communications Department.