CONTACT: Megan Lowry, 202-777-3913
Washington, D.C., July 29, 2019 – The American Public Health Association is proud to announce Erika Nuerenberg, MPH, is the 2019 recipient of the prestigious APHA Public Health Fellowship in Government.
Nuerenberg, a public health leader from Bellingham, Washington, was awarded the one-year fellowship following a highly competitive selection process. In early 2019, Nuerenberg’s fellowship began in Washington, D.C. where she works with legislators and staff on Capitol Hill to help inform public health policy decisions on the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
“Working on the hill has provided me with a unique perspective on how bills are shaped, what public health issues have collective support, and how to better advocate and be involved in the legislative process,” said Nuerenberg. “Having come from a local health department, much of what happens at the federal level seemed distant and removed from my work. This experience has demystified federal policy-making and made it more relevant to public health practitioners like me.”
With more than 15 years of public health experience, Nuerenberg brings her dedication, enthusiasm and strong leadership skills to the Hill. She earned her Masters of Public Health from the University of Washington, and completed her undergraduate work at Michigan State University in organizational studies and communications.
Nuerenberg has extensive local government experience. She most recently worked as Assistant Director at Whatcom County Health Department in Bellingham, Washington where she provided strategic direction, financial oversight, and leadership support for the department and the five division managers and the 100 department staff. From 2013-2016, Nuerenberg was the Group Government and Community Affairs Manager of the Pacific Northwest Region for Recology in Seattle, Washington, where she served as representative in contract cities to elected leadership, community organizations, and non-profits as well as represented the company-wide perspective on panels at national and regional conferences. She has also worked at all levels of government, including at the US Department of Health and Human Services following the passage of the Affordable Care Act, and served on more than a dozen different non-profit boards in the Seattle area.
The APHA fellowship provides a unique public policy learning experience that demonstrates the value of science-government interaction and makes practical contributions to enhancing public health science and practical knowledge in government.
The application deadline for the 2020 APHA fellowship is Sept. 4. Applicants must be an APHA member, have a master’s degree or doctorate in public health or related discipline and at least five years experience in a public health setting.
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The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We are the only organization that combines a nearly 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.