3 min read

Episode #196 Empowering Underserved Communities, With Tamara Mason, MPH

On This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast

Consultant, advocate, professional, entrepreneur; this episode’s guest holds all of these titles, and works across numerous public health silos with a passion that is inspiring. Tamara Mason’s lifelong dream was to become a doctor but realizations that she had while studying and working led to her interest in public health, and she has never looked back. In this episode, we discuss the work being done by Tamara’s company, Mason Consulting Incorporated LLC, to provide public health services and solutions to underserved communities.

Tamara’s philosophy is based on the fact that communities know what is best for them, which is why her goal is to empower people within those communities. Tamara also explains why she thinks the silos that exist within the realm of public health are problematic, and how she works across these silos. We end the episode with some valuable advice from Tamara, for any aspiring public health professionals, no matter what stage of your public health journey you are in!

Meet Tamara

Tamara Mason, MPH, CHES is a public health professional, consultant, and advocate who works to improve the health and well-being of marginalized communities. Tamara graduated from Brown University in 1998 with a B.A. degree in Health and Society, with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health. She earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, with a concentration in Behavioral Sciences and Health Education in August 2003 from the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University.

Tamara has held several research and program management positions within Emory University, including serving as the Director of a breast cancer education and outreach program for over a decade. Currently, Tamara works for the March of Dimes as the Director, Maternal and Child Health Collective Impact where she is leading the efforts in the Atlanta area to reduce inequities in preterm births and maternal mortality.

Tamara is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and certified labor doula. Mrs. Mason is the Founder and Principal Equity Consultant of Mason Consulting, Inc. LLC which utilizes a health equity and social justice lens to assist organizations and communities improve their health outcomes and indicators.

Key Takeaways From This Episode

The diverse range of public health related positions that Tamara holds.
When Tamara realized she didn’t want to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor.
Where Tamara’s interest in public health as a career originated.
Why Tamara is so passionate about the work that she does.
How public health in educational institutions has changed over the years.
Silos that exist in the public health realm, the problems that Tamara sees with these, and how she works across them.
The importance of collaboration in public health.
Tamara’s main focus; reducing public health disparities by engaging with communities in a new way.
Mason Consulting Incorporated LLC; the vision of Tamara’s company, what they do and how they do it.
Examples of the services offered by Mason Consulting.
Prudent advice from Tamara for any aspiring public health professionals.

Listen To The Podcast Episode

Tamara's Career Advice to Public Health Students

1. Network with public health professionals in various fields.

2. Conduct informational interviews with public health professionals to learn about their career path and journey.

3. Join various public health organizations such as APHA and SOPHE.

Tamara's Career Advice to Graduates and Professionals

1. Get a public health mentor to help you break into the field.

2. Complete an internship-ideally paid but sometimes you may have to do an unpaid internship.

3. Network with former classmates and professors to see if they are aware of any public health opportunities, internships, jobs, etc. that you may be interested in.