{"id":9825,"date":"2026-05-28T16:11:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T20:11:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/publichealth\/?post_type=profile&p=9825"},"modified":"2026-06-01T10:53:51","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T14:53:51","slug":"chelsea-goffe-jhu-phs-2022","status":"publish","type":"profile","link":"https:\/\/krieger.jhu.edu\/publichealth\/profiles\/chelsea-goffe-jhu-phs-2022\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea Goffe, JHU PHS ’22, BSPH ’23"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since graduating from Hopkins undergrad, what has your path looked like? How have your interests and pursuits evolved?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Since graduating from Johns Hopkins University in 2022, my path has been both deeply rewarding and unexpectedly transformative. Immediately after undergrad, I transitioned into the MHS in Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, largely because of the guidance and encouragement of my wonderful academic advisor, Cara McNamara. She helped me recognize that my personal passion for mental health could be translated into a meaningful and impactful public health career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After completing my MHS, I returned home to Jamaica with a strong desire to reconnect with my roots, better understand the local public health system, and contribute to the incredible work already being done there. I was fortunate to join the Executive Management arm of the Ministry of Health and Wellness as a Program Officer where I worked closely with the island’s Chief Medical Officer on initiatives including Primary Health Care Reform, Secondary Care Reform and the launch of several new national programs. During that time, I also contributed to the National Epidemiology Branch\u2019s publication on suicide injuries in Jamaica, which further strengthened my interest in mental health systems and population-level interventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many ways, my core interests have remained the same, but the path I envisioned for myself has shifted as I have gained more real-world experience and clarity about where I can contribute most meaningfully. I always knew I wanted to pursue a doctorate, but originally imagined myself completing a DrPH program because of my interest in public health leadership and management. However, the more time I spent working within Jamaica’s health system, the more I recognized the critical need for experts with strong research and implementation science backgrounds who could help address persistent gaps in mental health care and policy, across the entire Caribbean region. Consequently, I made the decision to apply to PhD programs. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Could you explain what you are up to now and what is rewarding about your current role and\/or other pursuits?\u00a0\u00a0 Do you have any plans for next steps in your career?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Currently, I am preparing to enter my final week serving as a Program Officer in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer within the Ministry of Health and Wellness. It has been an incredibly rewarding two-year journey that has challenged me, strengthened my leadership abilities, and allowed me to mature significantly as a public health practitioner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What has been most fulfilling about this role is being able to see the tangible impact that advocacy, coordination, and public health knowledge can have on both individual lives and the wider population. Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, I was assigned to Jamaica\u2019s Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC), where I assisted with coordinating the deployment of medical teams and international missions across the island. Through that work, I helped facilitate the deployment of hundreds of medical professionals and was later able to witness the direct impact of those efforts in affected communities. Experiences like that reinforced for me how critical strong public health systems and effective coordination truly are. Repeatedly, I saw how something as simple as an email, a phone call, or a meeting could ultimately make the difference between someone accessing care or going without it. A simple phone call after the hurricane ultimately saved my family friend\u2019s life. Although he is now an amputee due to injuries sustained during the storm and complications related to diabetes, the medical team shared that if he had been connected to care even an hour later, he likely would have gone into septic shock and died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, I have ambitious goals for the next phase of my career. I hope to become an expert in Public Mental Health, with a particular focus on Global Mental Health and mental health systems within the Caribbean region. That vision is what led me to pursue the next step academically, and this August I will begin my PhD in Mental Health on the Global Mental Health track at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am excited to see where this journey leads and aspire to contribute meaningful research, policy, and systems-level change that positively impacts both the Caribbean region and the wider diaspora.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Any advice for PHS undergraduates as they navigate how and what to pursue after JHU?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My most sincere advice for PHS undergraduates as they navigate what to pursue after Johns Hopkins University is to talk to as many professionals in the public health space as possible. Be genuinely curious about what they do, whether they feel fulfilled in their work, and whether their career path aligns with your own values and goals. Public health is such a broad and evolving field that exposure to different perspectives can completely reshape what you imagine for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, do not box yourself in or allow others to define the limits of what is possible for you. One thing I have learned is that public health still offers tremendous room for us to chart our own paths. For example, when I returned to Jamaica, I became the first non-medical Programme Officer to be hired in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer. Before returning home, a fellow Johns Hopkins University alum told me that public health career opportunities in Jamaica were fairly limited unless you were also a physician. Her advice was valuable because it helped me approach the field realistically and manage my expectations, but I also chose not to let that define what I pursued. Ultimately, my role was created to fill a gap, and I became the first person to ever hold that position. That experience taught me that there is still space to innovate, create opportunities, and redefine what public health careers can look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public health is also entering a very interesting and challenging period globally. Many professionals are facing uncertainty within the field, but I truly believe this is when competent, compassionate, and confident public health experts are needed most. Communities still need people who genuinely care about improving population health and strengthening systems of care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most importantly, pursue what genuinely excites and fulfills you rather than chasing a title or salary alone. The truth is that money often follows when you become exceptional at what you do. And one thing I have come to appreciate deeply is that Johns Hopkins University prepares its students to excel in the United States and globally. It is a globally respected institution, and there is immense value in the education, training, and network that come with that degree. Lean into that, be confident in your abilities, stay open-minded and curious, and allow yourself the freedom to imagine possibilities that may not yet formally exist\u2014that is often where the most meaningful work begins.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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