Online Master of Public Health Program

Jazmin Dominguez Ramirez

jazmindramirez@berkeley.edu
Available by phone, email or Zoom

Jazmin is a second-year Master of Public Health (MPH) candidate in the OOMPH Program- Food, Nutrition and Population Health Concentration. She earned her B.A. in Public Health with a minor in Public Policy from UC Berkeley after transferring from Evergreen Valley College, where she completed her A.A in Psychology.

Currently, Jazmin works as the Lead Care Manager for the Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Supports (CS) Housing Navigation and Housing Tenancy Program at School Health Clinics of Santa Clara County. In this role, she focuses on addressing patients’ social determinants of health and coordinating care to ensure they receive comprehensive support for their well-being and ensuring measures are being met according to the health plans. She recently completed the Health Justice Fellowship with the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, advocating for equitable and culturally appropriate healthcare policies and uplifting community-driven solutions at the state level.

As a proud first-generation graduate student, Jazmin understands the importance of mentorship. She currently mentors first-generation college students from East San Jose through the Latino Education Advancement Foundation (LEAF), advising them on academic, career, and personal development as they embark on their college journey.

Jazmin is passionate about health equity and committed to creating lasting change in low-income, marginalized communities—particularly within the Latinx community. Her goal is to bridge research, policy, and practice to make healthcare more just and accessible for all.

Rutendo (Rue) Ajayi

r.ajayi@berkeley.edu
Available by email or Zoom

Rutendo (Rue) Ajayi, MPH, was born in Zimbabwe and raised in the Bay Area. She is a public health advocate, Certified Lactation Counselor, full-spectrum doula, trauma-informed nutrition educator, and entrepreneur who brings both lived experience and professional expertise to her work.

As a proud first-generation graduate, she earned her undergraduate degree at UC Davis and her Master of Public Health (Class of 2025—Go Bears!). During her MPH, she pursued an interdisciplinary concentration grounded in her belief that meaningful public health solutions require a multifaceted, collaborative approach across sectors.

During her program, she was an inaugural recipient of UC Berkeley’s Social Impact Innovation Grant, where she led an initiative to improve breastfeeding outcomes through community engagement and sustainable, people-centered solutions.

Rutendo is passionate about advancing health equity for underserved and underrepresented communities, with a focus on maternal, child, and adolescent health. She currently works as a prenatal health educator at Kaiser Permanente, advancing its mission to “Inspire people. Inform choices. Improve health.”

Guided by her belief to impact tomorrow today—to protect, prepare, and propel future generations—she is committed to advancing equitable, community-centered care. Strong communities drive better outcomes—offering greater access to resources, deeper support, and lasting impact.

As a wife and mom of three, I’ve navigated balancing life with the demands of the program. I’m happy to connect and support prospective students from all backgrounds—feel free to reach out!

Lela Buda

lelabuda@berkeley.edu
Available by phone, email, or Zoom

Aloha! Lela is a first-year OOMPH student at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her B.S. in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2024 and shortly thereafter commissioned into the U.S. Air Force as a Force Support Officer. While completing her bachelor’s degree, she also completed her yoga teacher training certification and continues to teach yoga as a hobby.

She is passionate about health, prevention strategies, and building healthier communities. Balancing full-time work, graduate school, and hobbies has taught her the value of connection and support, and she is excited to help foster a welcoming environment for prospective students in the program.

John Rodrigo, MD, MPH

jrodrigo45@berkeley.edu
Available to meet by phone or Zoom

Dr. Rodrigo earned his MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics through UC Berkeley’s online OOMPH program during the pandemic. He completed medical school in Europe and attended residency training in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at UC Davis Health. He currently works as a Clinical Research Specialist with the UC Davis Pathology Clinical Trials team and serves as a paramedic in the Sacramento EMS system. These experiences give him a broad and interdisciplinary perspective on public health and patient care.

He is passionate about bringing together clinical medicine, research, and public health to improve patient outcomes and strengthen health systems. He credits UC Berkeley’s OOMPH program with deepening his skills in epidemiology and biostatistics while broadening his understanding of how public health can shape care at both the individual and systems levels.

Outside of his professional work, he enjoys scuba diving, snowboarding, and hiking. As an ambassador, he is happy to connect with prospective students and share his Berkeley experience and professional journey.

Allinta Tadesse

allinta@berkeley.edu
Available to meet by phone or Zoom

A proud daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, Allinta is a first-year Interdisciplinary MPH candidate in UC Berkeley’s Online MPH program, simultaneously working full-time as a medical student coordinator for UCLA DGSOM. She holds a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Professional Writing from UC Santa Barbara. Allinta’s interest in health disparities grew when she evaluated Coastal Bluff Erosion and Sea Level Rise sentiment amongst UCSB students during her time as a UCSB Sustainability Communications Intern.

Her public health career began as a COVID-19 Contact tracer at UCLA Occupational Health, managing work-related COVID-19 cases and providing information on guidelines and policies provided by Cal OSHA and the LA Department of Public Health. This experience was the prelude to Allinta’s public health journey and reinforced her passion for helping people lead better lives. Guided by her passion for health equity, environmental justice, and science communication, Allinta hopes to strengthen health policy literacy through the application of science communication strategies on social media. Her research interests include trauma-informed care, geospatial risk assessment, and chronic disease research.

Outside of work and academics, Allinta enjoys long walks, cooking, cafe-hopping, and spending time with family and friends.

Abby Gerty

abby.gerty@berkeley.edu
Available by phone, email, or Zoom

Abby Gerty is a second-year OOMPH student in the Interdisciplinary concentration, passionate about community healthcare in Indigenous and rural communities, health communication strategies, and health promotion and health behavior. She works as a Project Manager at Heart of Ohio Family Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center, where she manages grant applications and programmatic aspects of grant funding, implements and evaluates quality improvement projects, and works across six clinic sites to improve health outcomes for patients. For her practicum, Abby is assisting a PhD student at UCSF with a policy scoping review of state-level maternal and newborn health initiatives regarding Early Elective Deliveries (EEDs).

Abby earned her BS in Cognitive Neuroscience with minors in Global Public Health and Public Policy from the Ohio State University in 2022. She is based in Columbus, OH. Before her work at an FQHC, she worked for the Ohio Legislatures as a Research Analyst, where she conducted legal research, bill drafting, and policy analysis in private health insurance and Medicare policy. Outside of work and school, she enjoys reading, going on ridiculously long walks, and crafting (recent projects include pottery, quilting, and DIY projects around the house).

Feel free to reach out to Abby to chat about careers in the public and non-profit sectors, balancing school and work, or for support in finding your way in the Interdisciplinary program.