Lina Tucker Reinders, MPH

Lina has been involved with MPHTC for almost two years. Like many public health-ers, her day as the Executive Director of the Iowa Public Health Association (IPHA) is incredibly busy – mostly due to COVID-19. She is working hard to maintain strong relationships with both state and local public health, as well as represent public health to the public, media, and legislators. In her words, “Public health has been the invisible front line of the pandemic and now the vaccine rollout. They need sustainable, predictable support during the pandemic and beyond. The social morbidities of the pandemic will be felt for years, if not generations, and it is public health who will manage that at the community level.” Beyond that, she also is working to grow membership and the network, provide education and programming to members, and fundraise to keep the organization strong. IPHA is a non-profit organization and their primary revenue sources are membership, donations, and grants.

What is the value of MPHTC? Partnerships and networking! Lina believes the center provides access to great trainings for IPHA members and the public health community at large. The relationships that she’s built with MPHTC staff and RSC members has allowed her the opportunity to take a break from the daily to-do’s and engage in strategic, out-of-the-box thinking and sharing successes and struggles with colleagues across the region. She wishes her colleagues knew about how responsive MPHTC is to the needs of public health practitioners. As she puts it, “If you tell them you need a training on X, they will find a training and record a podcast on it!”

Lina’s biggest dream for public health is receiving the professional recognition public health-ers deserve. You only notice public health when it’s lacking, which leaves us unsupported by those with the funding, those who make the policy decisions that impact health, and by partners across the health spectrum and beyond. “Public health deserves to be seen”.

Absolutely agree, Lina, thank you for all that you do!