Meet the public health professionals and social media storytellers who turn evidence-based content into creative and easily digestible formats — bringing readers the trustworthy health news and information they need.

Burness, in collaboration with the American Public Health Association (APHA), has brought together a dynamic group of six curious, community-minded health and science content creators who are helping shape the future of public health communication. From dismantling inequities to fighting misinformation, these creators are producing original, evidence-based content that informs, engages and empowers their audiences.

Meet the Fellows

Faith Adjei-Sarpong (@faiithooo): Faith N. Adjei-Sarpong, MPH is a passionate public health advocate and a proud graduate of the School of Public and Population Health at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). A first-generation Ghanaian-American and sickle cell warrior, she uses her lived experience to amplify the voices of those living with chronic illnesses and advance equity in healthcare. Faith is an award-winning advocate, recognized as a Health Equity Leader and Digital Sickle Cell Advocate of the Year, and collaborates globally with non-profits such as the Ntetee Foundation and the As One Foundation. She is also a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated and an active leader in her Houston community. Her work focuses on sickle cell disease, social justice, health policy, mental health, maternal and child health, and global health equity, driven by her vision to become a culturally responsive public health physician and future U.S. Surgeon General.

Dr. Liz Marnik (@sciencewhizliz): Elisabeth Marnik, PhD is a scientist turned public science communicator whose mission is to make science and public health clear, compassionate, and relevant to everyday life. As Director of Science Education and Outreach at the MDI Biological Laboratory, Chief Scientific Officer for Those Nerdy Girls, and founder of Science Whiz Liz, she leads efforts to translate complex health and research topics into accessible and empathetic communication. She has been featured on Science Friday, HuffPost, and in other media. Combined, these efforts earned her recent recognition on Mainebiz’s 2025 list of 40 Under 40 state leaders.

Pari Chowdhary (@women_inamerica): Pari Chowdhary’s, MPH, 15-year career in sexual and reproductive health has emphasized the nexus of public health and social justice. In her career with the UN, WHO, and CDC, she has centered the rights and experiences of women and girls by creating equitable and participatory approaches to research and program evaluation. Pari’s technical areas of expertise include family planning, sexual and reproductive health of key populations, safe abortion care, and gender-based violence prevention. Seeking to translate that expertise for lay audiences, Pari and her public-health-peer-turned-friend Eve launched their @women_inamerica account in 2022 and have successfully turned their online advocacy into real-life policy changes at HHS. Pari hopes to continue to leverage their platform to contribute towards an equitable and just future for women in America.

Nikki Vinckier (@nikkivinck): Nikki Sapiro Vinckier, PA-C is an OB/GYN Physician Assistant, reproductive health content creator, and founder of Take Back Trust—a digital platform built to educate and empower people to navigate their reproductive healthcare with confidence. With more than a decade of clinical experience and a monthly reach of 2 to 5 million people, Nikki sits at the intersection of medicine, media, and the movement—translating complex reproductive health topics into content that’s accessible, accurate, and deeply human. Through her clinical insight and advocacy, she’s redefining what it means to trust healthcare again—giving patients the tools, language, and power to take back control of their care.

Dr. Rahmatu Kassimu (@dr.ks.healthminute): Rahmatu Kassimu, PhD, MPH, M.Ed, is a systems thinker, story shifter, and strategist committed to dismantling inequities through equity-centered consulting, healing-centered leadership, and values-aligned public health work. With a heart for public health and kids, a desire for health equity, and a passion for advocacy, Dr. K’s professional career combines these loves. She is the founder of Dr. K.’s Health Minute, which serves multiple purposes as a source of health education providing Health Bites and writing quick tips via her Health Minute IG.

Tambra Raye Stevenson (@_iamwandaorg): Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, MA is the visionary leader of WANDA: Women Advancing Nutrition, Dietetics, and Agriculture, working at the inters, ection of nutrition equity, media advocacy, and health policy. Her wide-ranging career has included HHS and the Department of Commerce, as well as serving on boards and councils such as the USDA's National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board, Washington, D.C.'s Food Policy Council, Tufts University's Food and Nutrition Innovation Council, and the Milken Institute's Food as Medicine Advisory Board. Tambra also co-chairs the NAACP D.C. Branch Health Committee, where she fights COVID-19, tobacco, and nutrition inequity. Her work has been featured in esteemed publications such as the Washington Post, Forbes, NPR, National Geographic Traveler, and Voice of America.

About the fellowship

The Burness Public Health Creator Fellowship will take place at the APHA 2025 Annual Meeting & Expo in Washington, D.C. on November 2-5 — where the fellows will receive insider access to public health leaders, opportunities to collaborate with peers, and a national platform to showcase their work and inspire action. APHA 2025 is the largest domestic public health gathering with more than 10,000 public health professionals attending annually. This year, APHA 2025 is spotlighting the biggest names in public health, discussing why now is the time to invest in public health and how we can ensure it’s at the forefront of the national agenda.  

It is an opportunity for the fellows to connect with leaders shaping the country’s public health agenda on critical issues ranging from vaccines and misinformation to climate change and nutrition, build connections and their networks, create public health-centric content during a key moment, and showcase the future of digital storytelling, journalism, and public health on a national stage. Fellows will also participate in a panel sharing their experience and expertise using social media to share critical public health information. Learn more and RSVP below.

PANEL: The New “Social Science”: Meet Influencers and Content Creators Shaping the Conversation On Public Health

Independent creators and influencers are transforming how people get their news and information — public health is no exception. These digital storytellers bring issues directly to their audiences, sparking conversations and shaping opinions in real time. Public health is under coordinated attack: agencies are being defunded, science discredited, data collection restricted, and core principles politicized. Public health leaders and practitioners need to know how to work with these powerful voices. 

This session will introduce the inaugural class of Burness Public Health Creator Fellows — a diverse group of health and science influencers using their platforms to spotlight stories, elevate expert voices, and shift perspectives. Fellows will share how they source news, build trust with audiences, and craft content that resonates and inspires action. The panel discussion will be followed by small group breakout sessions where participants can connect directly with the Fellows to build relationships, pitch story ideas, and explore new ways to put public health back in the spotlight. Sign up to attend below →

RSVP NOW

Featuring guest moderator and additional panelist: Katelyn Jetelina, PhD (Your Local Epidemiologist)

Dr. Katelyn Jetelina is an epidemiologist and one of the nation’s leading scientific communicators. She is the CEO of 0.05 Findings, which publishes the widely read public health newsletter Your Local Epidemiologist. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the Yale School of Public Health, sits on the medical board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and is a member of the Lancet Commission for Trust and Health. A former advisor to three CDC Directors, Dr. Jetelina continues to counsel several nonprofit health organizations. Her contributions have earned national recognition, including being named to TIME100’s list of the Most Influential People in Health.