Jessica Laury

How have you contributed to one of CDC’s priorities through your ASPPH/CDC Fellowship assignment? Explain what you have done that has “made a difference” at CDC and benefitted public health in the United States.

Since beginning my fellowship I have completed a review of all the awardees who complete the School Vaccination Coverage Assessment. As a part of this review I have organized calls with awardees to follow up on data quality concerns and create action plans for improving data reliability for this years vaccination report. In preparations for running the report I have reviewed and updated the code used to generate the final data for the CDC VaxView and the annual MMWR on kindergarten vaccination coverage.

How will your fellowship experience shape your career?

This fellowship has provided me with the opportunity to learn about federal–state level public health partnerships and develop skills in developing these partnerships. I have a stronger understanding of both the strengths and limitations of federal programs and how they can be managed effectively to promote public health. Through this fellowship I have learned more about the organizational culture at the CDC and the passion that drives my coworkers. It has reaffirmed my interest in working in public service for the duration of my career and shown me that the CDC would be a wonderful professional home within which to grow.

Describe specifically some of the relationships/partnerships you have built through the fellowship and how those relationships have helped/will help you in your career.

My mentor has been invaluable in finding trainings and opportunities to develop new skills and abilites. She has been able to share some of her own experiences at CDC and has helped me to great some long term professional goals that will be both challenging and fulfilling. In some of my trainings I have been able to meet with other fellows and expand my understanding of all of the public health projects currently underway at the CDC, and I have met with members of the Commissioned Corps as well as traditional FTEs who have helped me to understand what a long term career in CDC may look like depending on my interest.