Welcome to The Public Health Workforce is Not OK
The Public Health Workforce is Not OK is a newsletter for and about the public heath workforce - the people who power public health.
I’m your host here, Dr. Katie Schenk. I’m an epidemiologist, public health informatics specialist, and advocate for the public health workforce.
Whether you're a student, job-seeker, senior leader, or simply trying to make public health work work, you're welcome here.
Photo of Dr Katie D Schenk, courtesy of Secta.AI - use my referral link here. I might look like this if I spent time in dark places with excellent lighting.
About Me
I'm an experienced epidemiologist and public health scientist with a background in global infectious disease response and public health informatics. I trained at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of Oxford. My frontline work has included sites in rural and peri-urban regions across Eastern and Southern Africa, as well as local and state public health departments across the United States.
My work has been featured in CNN, NPR, BBC World Service, STAT, Scientific American, and peer-reviewed journals. I believe deeply in using real-world data to advance health equity and center marginalized communities in public health practice.
I believe that #publichealthmatters, that #covidisnotover, that #weshouldallbefeminists, and that #publichealth IS #globalhealth. I am passionate about using real world #data to work towards #healthequity and #datamodernization, in order to prioritise the most vulnerable and marginalised among us. I build community and conversation among public health professionals. I am a Sandwich Generation caregiver. I am a voracious reader. You can find more of my writing and opinions here and you can follow me on LinkedIn.
These days I’m mostly based in 🇺🇸, although my spelling remains resoundingly 🇬🇧. I’m also variously identified with 🇬🇧 🇦🇹 🇮🇱 🇪🇺 and have professional experience in 🇿🇲 🇿🇼 🇰🇪 🇿🇦 🇺🇬. I speak 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇮🇱. All views expressed here are my own.
About This Newsletter
I originally launched The Public Health Workforce is Not OK during my time as a contributing columnist for JPHMP Direct. In Seasons 1–3 (2022–2024), I reflected on what it was like to work on the frontlines during the COVID-19 emergency response—and how it changed me. I wrote about burnout, solidarity, identity, job insecurity, and hope with disarming honesty and radical transparency.
In Season 4 (2024–present), I’m lifting up the voices of colleagues across the field. These are uncertain and urgent times, and there is so much we can learn from one another. In this space, we share our stories from the frontlines of public health, including reflections on burnout, policy shifts, layoffs, resilience, and what it really takes to stay in this field. Together, we're writing the story of what public health is and what it might become.
Older posts are archived behind a paywall after one year. If cost is a barrier, please contact me directly. I’m committed to keeping this work accessible.
Why "The Public Health Workforce is Not OK"?
“A well-defined, well-trained, well-resourced, and well-compensated workforce is the foundation of a truly robust U.S. public health system that can serve the needs of the American people.”
— President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed long-standing weaknesses in our public health infrastructure: underfunded systems, inadequate staffing, outdated tools, and communication breakdowns. Our workforce is tired. But we are not powerless.
I believe in building something better. That’s why this newsletter exists: to hold space, to tell the truth, and to imagine what a reimagined public health workforce could look like.
Get in Touch
I welcome feedback, collaboration, and connection. Here’s how to join the conversation and build community:
➡️ Share your questions, reflections, or ideas through Substack Notes, Chat, or Comments.
➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn. I’m usually much more active over there.
➡️ Join our LinkedIn groups: Public Health Connections Lounge and the Public Health Book Club.
➡️ Subscribe to get every new edition in your inbox. I'm committed to keeping this newsletter free for job seekers, at least for as long as I still have a job. (After that, all bets are off!) Free subscriptions include all content from the last year. Paid subscriptions include access to all archived content from earlier seasons. If cost is a barrier, please get in touch.
➡️ Share this newsletter with a colleague who might also find it to be valuable, especially a public health professional who is trying to build their career path.
Every little counts. If this newsletter has been meaningful to you, please show appreciation for the efforts and experiences that have shaped my perspective by buying me a coffee. ☕️
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are my own and do not represent those of any employer or institution.
To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.
