Dawn Hunter’s first exposure to public health came when she worked as a research assistant in the Advanced Biosensors Laboratory at USF’s Center for Biological Defense.

“We developed and tested rapid-detection methods for food and waterborne pathogens,” said Hunter, who holds two bachelor’s degrees—one in English literature from Princeton and the other in microbiology from USF. “It was my first introduction into the intersection of law and science.”

Hunter decided to explore that intersection further, enrolling in a new-at-the-time JD/MPH dual program the USF College of Public Health (COPH) had with Stetson University College of Law. Hunter graduated the COPH in 2011 with an MPH in global communicable disease and Stetson in 2012 with a JD.

“Today, I’m most interested in how law shapes our physical, social and economic well-being,” Hunter said. “The public’s health depends on a legal infrastructure that ensures people have access to the resources and opportunities to thrive. Law is behind every single public health achievement in the 20^th century.”

Getting another two degrees under her belt wasn’t easy for Hunter. She worked nights and went to school by day while also doing volunteer work.

“I don’t know how I ran on such little sleep,” she recounted. “I remember sometimes taking naps in my car in the parking lot, and I think many of my classmates remember me for always having a Red Bull in my hand. I remember my time at the COPH fondly and any struggles were far outweighed by how proud I was when I completed my degree.”

When Hunter thinks of her career, she thinks of it in three distinct phases—her time working in child protective services (Hunter was a foster care case manager), her time at the Advanced Biosensors Lab and her time working as a public health law fellow at the New Mexico Department of Health and the years since.

“I consider all my experience public health career experience,” Hunter said. “The needs that families and children have in the foster care system are what we now talk about as the social determinants of health. I appreciate that I had first-hand experience with the challenges families and children face as well as their strength and resilience. It has really informed how I think about my role as a lawyer and how to best serve my community. And my time as a research assistant was directly related to public health, being affiliated with the College of Public Health and doing work in partnership with agencies like the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough.”

Hunter is currently the director of the Network for Public Health Law, Southeastern Region. She and her team provide nonpartisan legal assistance and resources, collaborating with a broad set of partners, to expand and advance legal and policy solutions to advance public health.

“I really love and appreciate that I am in a position where all of my previous experiences in life come into play,” Hunter commented. “Every day, my work reflects experiences I have had, people I have met and things I have learned. I suppose that what I love most is that I am constantly learning and growing and I appreciate that I’m in a job that gives me the space to do that.”

Hunter credits her COPH training with teaching her the value of partnerships.

“Everyone hates group projects, but some of my greatest successes have come through collaborative work,” Hunter said. “I have taken with me the experience of working together in teams to address a public health issue. This is and has been a core part of my work. I hope that I can model for people who work for me everything that I have admired about people I have worked for. I think part of building and sustaining the public health workforce is recognizing where we can do better, as leaders and managers, and build positive workplace experiences for our teams.”

Alumni Fast Five

What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

A neurosurgeon.

Where can we find you on the weekend?

Taking a long walk in a city or county park. My favorite spots are Crescent and Sawgrass Lakes.

What is the last book you read?

“Finding Me,” by Viola Davis.

What superpower would you like to have?

To heal people from physical and emotional pain.

What is your all-time favorite movie?

“Braveheart.”

To view the awards ceremony, click here.

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health