Lupe Berretta Applies Public Health Leadership to Improve Health Systems and Community Outcomes

Lupe Berretta chose the School of Public Health’s DrPH program for its focus on applied leadership and systems thinking. She says the program is honing her skills to tackle real-world challenges to make impactful changes in public health.

Name: Lupe Berretta

Hometown: Long Island, New York

Undergraduate and master’s Degrees and Institutions:
I received my Master of Healthcare Administration with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and Change Management from Colorado State University, and I received my Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of Phoenix.

Tell us about your current position and role in public health:
I currently serve as an Improvement Advisor at Grady Health System. In this role, I partner with senior executive leaders, physicians and interdisciplinary teams to drive quality and process improvement through a health equity lens.

My work centers on collective impact and shared vision, bringing together interdependent departments and community partners to implement system-level improvements. I focus heavily on women’s health outcomes, including maternal health initiatives across obstetrics and cardio-obstetrics care, hemorrhage and hypertension management and other high-risk clinical and operational areas. By aligning clinical operations, data and community-level outcomes, I help teams move from siloed problem-solving to coordinated sustainable change.

What led you to choose the Georgia State School of Public Health’s DrPH program?
I chose the DrPH program because of its strong emphasis on applied leadership, systems thinking and real-world impact. In my professional role, I am often responding to the downstream consequences of policy and procedural decisions—navigating complex challenges that sit at the intersection of health care delivery, community need and organizational constraints. I wanted a program that would strengthen my ability to anticipate those challenges, navigate political, organizational and community-level dynamics, and bridge gaps across systems. The program aligns with my goal of helping organizations move from reactive siloed work to proactive, collaborative solutions across Atlanta and Georgia.

Tell us about some of your most valuable experiences in the DrPH program.
One of the most valuable aspects of the DrPH program has been the ability to apply what I am learning directly to my work at Grady Health System and through my leadership role with the National Association for Latino Healthcare Executives, where I serve as a program chair. The program has strengthened my ability to integrate theories of change, logic models and community-engaged approaches into traditional Lean Six Sigma methodologies, helping me design more intentional and sustainable interventions. I have learned how to better incorporate community voice, encourage participation and reduce the burden placed on patients and frontline health care teams.

Through coursework, I am also developing stronger skills in public finance, adaptive leadership and multidisciplinary collaboration, all of which are critical when working across complex systems.

How is the DrPH program at Georgia State helping prepare you for leadership roles in public health?
The DrPH program at Georgia State is preparing me for leadership by advancing my ability to think systemically, lead adaptively and center equity not only in decision-making, but in how policies, procedures and protocols are operationalized.

As a U.S. Army Veteran, I bring a mission-driven leadership perspective rooted in accountability, service and teamwork. The program has helped me refine that approach for public health settings by strengthening my strategic thinking and deepening my understanding of how policy, finance and organizational culture intersect to influence health outcomes. Through this training, I am prepared to lead large-scale initiatives that improve health systems, strengthen communities and advance equity.