Michelle ​Larson, PhD, MPA

Lecturer, Berkeley Public Health Online
Dr. Larson has 25 years of experience in state and local public health including planning, staffing, budgeting/finance, environmental health, public health preparedness, health promotion, education, evaluation, legislative and partnering with many federal, state, local, and private sector agencies. She also served 6 years in the MN Air National Guard.

Biography

Dr. Larson holds a Doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development and a Masters of Public Affairs from the University of MN (UMN) with several graduate certificates including Public Health Preparedness, Response, and Recovery from the UMN School of Public Health. Her current teaching appointments include: Public Health Preparedness at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health Master’s Program and Herzing University, Health Care program which includes many different public health and health policy courses.

Dr. Larson’s most recent response role includes assignment to the MN State Emergency Operations Center as long term care lead under Operations during the initial response to Covid-19. Other response experience includes: State Coordinator for the CDC Strategic National Stockpile, Chempack, and Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) with activation during the H1N1 response, the MN Emergency Management Assistant Compact (EMAC) during Hurricane Katrina, the MN State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) during the I-35 Bridge collapse, and acted as one of the MN Department of Health Team’s Incident Commander or Deputy Incident Commander during state emergencies.

Teaching philosophy: Public health’s role in emergency response has evolved over time as an important and necessary partner during an incident. It is my goal to educate about the role public health has during incidents in order to achieve an effective response.

Education

  • PhD – Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development
    University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development, 2016
  • Certificate – Public Health Performance Improvement
    University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, 2013
  • Certificate – Program Evaluation
    University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development, 2001
  • MPA – Public Health Focus
    University of Minnesota, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, 2007
  • Certificate – Public Health Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
    University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, 2005
  • BS – Corporate and Community Health Promotion
    The University of Wisconsin–Superior, 1996

Publications

Courses Taught

    • PH257
    • Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response
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