“I honestly chose USF/COPH for convenience,” said USF College of Public Health alumnus Anthony Barone. “It wasn’t until after joining the USF/COPH family that I fully realized what a great decision I had made.”

Originally from Southwest Ohio, Barone learned about the USF/COPH after relocating to the Tampa Bay area. He found USF to be affordable and in a good location, and while Barone is the only member of his family in public health, his mother, brother and niece all live in the area, too.

Barone received his bachelor’s degree in zoology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and then went on to receive both a graduate certificate in disaster management and a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in toxicology and risk assessment from USF’s COPH. Additionally, he holds an entire alphabet soup of certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP), Certified in Homeland Security -Level V (CHS-V), Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Firefighter I/II and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

Prior to applying for the MPH program, Barone first joined USF/COPH staff supporting clinical research where he worked in the Breath Lab, an environmental and occupational medicine laboratory. This is where his interest in public health was sparked as he quickly learned he could apply his first responder training to the field of public health.

“Joining USF/COPH as staff and later a student marked my entry into the field of public health,” he said.

As a student, Barone says he was heavily involved with both internal and external activities and that he was even able to work full time for the college throughout his program.

“I found the program staff and faculty to be supportive, invested, and personally committed to the success of knowledge-hungry and curious minds,” he said.

In addition, he became very involved with community organizations, such as Hillsborough County Emergency Management, Tampa Fire Rescue, and the Hillsborough County Health Department, where he volunteered to support local emergency management and public health preparedness efforts.

While he says he found inspiration throughout the entire COPH community, Barone especially recognizes Drs. Stuart Brooks, Ray Harbison and Wayne Westhoff for their leadership and expertise.

Overall, he is very proud of the progress that COPH has made since he was here.

“This is a product of strong leadership, hard work and a commitment to higher education on all fronts: faculty, staff, students and alumni,” he said. “The result is exciting – USF/COPH has really put itself on the map as a leading institution.”

Since leaving the COPH, he has gone on to be the founder and CEO of his own consulting company, Emergility, LLC. He is also an intermittent Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Safety Officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Disaster Medical System.

On top of that, Barone is actively serving as the secretary for the Citizens Corps Council in Alexandria, Va., to help advise city council on preparedness related issues, such as those related to public health. He is also an operational volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, and an active volunteer consultant to the Alexandria Medical Reserve Corps for the Alexandria Health Department. His other interests include spending time with friends and family, volunteering, staying active outdoors, and traveling.

“I am where I am today because of USF,” he said. “And I believe the world could use a few more Bulls.”

Story by Annamarie Koehler-Shepley, College of Public Health. Photos courtesy of Anthony Barone.