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Emily Blanchard

Emily Blanchard

Student Highlight: Emily Blanchard

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Degree Program/Concentration:  Public Health Certificate in Maternal and Child Health

What brought you to the field of public health? I’ve been working in public health and healthcare since 2002. I joined the Peace Corps after college and spent three years in El Salvador as a health education volunteer. When I returned to the states, I went to nursing school. I have worked in high-risk obstetrics in an academic hospital for 13 years and knew that eventually, I wanted to return to health education.

What do you like most about the COPH? I enjoy the flexibility that the COPH offers. We all lead busy lives, and it is important to have the option of an online education or in-class setting. I also really appreciate their strong focus on relationships and networking. We are each other’s best assets and resources, so developing and maintaining these relationships is vital.

What are your career goals after graduation? I plan to work in maternal health and public health nursing. I am especially interested in reducing health disparities and increasing respectful, culturally appropriate care during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum.

Three things people may not know about me:

  • I have three amazing children, ages 7, 4, and 2, as well as a fantastic and supportive husband.
  • Until we moved to Omaha, I had never lived anywhere longer than three years.
  • I completed the certification to become a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and helped start the Sexual Assault Response Team for CHI Health.

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