Jasmine Cunningham Applies Public Health Leadership Skills to Address Homelessness and Housing Challenges

Jasmine Cunningham is harnessing her experience in the DrPH program to amplify her impact in her career. By strengthening her skills in systems thinking, evidence-based decision-making and cross-sector collaboration, she’s improving outcomes for families, youths and veterans.

Name: Jasmine Cunningham

Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana

Undergraduate and master’s degrees and institutions: I earned my B.S. in Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and my MPH at Georgia State University.

Tell us about your current position and role in public health:
I currently serve as the Associate Director of Special Populations at Partners for HOME, the nonprofit organization that coordinates Atlanta’s homeless response system. In this role, I focus on improving systems and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, with an emphasis on populations with unique needs, including families, youths and veterans. My work centers on cross-sector collaboration, program development and system-level strategy to strengthen access to housing and supportive services. I work closely with community partners, service providers and local stakeholders to design initiatives that promote equity, improve outcomes and create a more coordinated public health and housing response for vulnerable populations.

What led you to choose the Georgia State School of Public Health’s DrPH program?
I chose Georgia State’s DrPH program because it felt like a natural next step in my journey. As a 2016 MPH graduate of Georgia State’s School of Public Health, I had already experienced the program’s strong commitment to health equity and its focus on preparing students to be leaders in the future of public health and across the many systems that shape it. Returning for the DrPH was an easy decision. I wanted a program that would help me grow as a practical, hands-on leader and strengthen my ability to drive change within complex systems, such as the homeless response system. What I appreciate most is how the program connects learning directly to real-world work, allowing me to apply new skills and perspectives to my work.

Tell us about some of your most valuable experiences in the DrPH program.
As a first-year DrPH student at Georgia State, some of my most meaningful experiences have come from immediately applying what I learn directly to my work in the homeless response system. Courses in public health leadership, intervention and program evaluation have helped me think more strategically about complex challenges and have strengthened my support for programs serving vulnerable communities. Meeting other DrPH students and learning alongside peers from diverse professional backgrounds has also broadened my perspective and reinforced the essential role of collaboration in advancing public health.

How is the DrPH program at Georgia State helping prepare you for leadership roles in public health?
The DrPH program at Georgia State is strengthening my ability to lead within complex systems, such as Atlanta’s homeless response system. It sharpens my skills in systems thinking, evidence-based decision-making and cross-sector collaboration, all of which I apply daily at Partners for HOME to improve coordination and outcomes for families, youths and veterans. Most importantly, the program is helping me grow into a more confident, equity-centered leader who can drive sustainable, system-level change across public health and housing.