USF College of Public Health (COPH) alumna Sunny Guidotti says that as a child she always dreamed of working internationally on global issues.

Guidotti’s interest in public health sparked after she earned her undergraduate degree in environmental engineering from Michigan Technical University with a graduate certificate in international sustainable development.

“I wanted to pursue a path that combined my technical skills and interest in the world, with social justice and global health,” said Guidotti, who was born and raised in Brazil and speaks five languages. “I really enjoy working under pressure, so I knew emergency response work would be a good fit. It requires agility, empathy and good judgment. I really appreciate that you can see the immediate impact you’re making on people’s lives.”

“I really enjoy working under pressure, so I knew emergency response work would be a good fit.”

Guidotti says she was drawn to the COPH because of its high ranking and well-respected global health program (she received her MPH with a concentration in global health and a graduate certificate in humanitarian assistance). The fact that she was offered an assistantship working with College of Engineering’s Dr. James Mihelcic, an expert in water, sanitation and sustainability, made it all possible.

“Combining my background in environmental engineering and development with a respected public health school was a perfect fit for me. Being in a warmer climate after my undergrad in Michigan was also refreshing,” she joked.

Earthquakes, droughts, war and more

As Guidotti was finishing up her MPH degree in 2010, Haiti experienced a massive earthquake. She took a job with Oxfam GB, a British charitable organization with the aim of reducing global poverty. She was sent to Haiti to lead a public health engineering team delivering emergency water, sanitation and hygiene services to people in camps and vulnerable communities affected by the earthquake.

Guidotti and her colleagues were deployed from Port-au-Prince to Artibonite as first responders to the cholera outbreak. They worked to reduce the threat of cholera there as well as in Port-au-Prince and other areas of the country (cholera is a life-threatening diarrheal disease caused by the ingestion of bacteria-contaminated water).

“How you treat water depends on a few parameters,” Guidotti explained. “In Haiti, for example, to help prevent cholera transmission, most water could be treated either by simple chlorination or with an extra step to reduce turbidity [turbidity is the cloudiness of fluid; measuring turbidity is a test of water quality].”

Guidotti went from earthquake-stricken Haiti to refugees fleeing to Liberia to the Horn of Africa drought crisis in Kenya to conflict-affected Myanmar. She led public health programs in places such as camps for internally displaced people (IDP) and disaster-affected communities. Guidotti developed, managed and raised funds for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs, supervised staff and coordinated the WASH sector on a national scale.

Looking to get back to sustainable development work, Guidotti took a job with Action Against Hunger, a global non-governmental organization committed to ending world hunger. She was stationed in Myanmar, where she worked in humanitarian and development programs, developing strategies and partnerships at a national level. From Myanmar, Guidotti moved to be a global WASH advisor for Action Against Hunger in New York.

Saving lives, preventing diseases

Today Guidotti works for UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children. She’s a regional WASH specialist for Latin America and the Caribbean and is stationed in Panama City, Panama. “It’s been one of my dreams to work for UNICEF. I’m really proud of the work we do,” she commented.

“It’s been one of my dreams to work for UNICEF. I’m really proud of the work we do.”

Clean water is a human right recognized by the UN General Assembly.

“The benefits of clean water, sanitation and hygiene to public health cannot be underestimated,” noted Guidotti. “Lack of WASH can lead to diarrhea, which is the second-leading cause of mortality in children under 5 globally. It’s not only important for preventing disease and keeping us healthy, but it’s also important for human and economic development—and particularly important for women and children. Many girls have their studies interrupted because of a lack of WASH products and facilities,” she explained.

“The benefits of clean water, sanitation and hygiene to public health cannot be underestimated.”

Guidotti says what she loves about her job is her ability to work with and for people in various countries and contexts and contribute to social justice. She also enjoys working as part of a global community.  

“It’s in my nature to work hard and take a lot on, and I am motivated to work hard for the public,” she said. “It drives me to put myself in another person’s place. If I was living in a country that just experienced a disaster, I would hope that whoever was working to bring in water and other essential services would be on the job seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It’s a real privilege to work with and for people in need, both in times of emergency and stability, and to know the work you’re doing is contributing to humanity in some way, preventing disease and death and ultimately contributing to sustainable development goals.”

Alumni Fast Five

What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

I always wanted to work internationally on global issues, especially for the United Nations. I remember driving home from school daily and seeing children in the streets and wishing I could change that when I grew up.

Where can we find you on the weekends?

With my family, spending time outside—going to the ocean, the rain forest or a park, or listening to live music or strolling in the old part of town.

What was the last book you read?

“21 Lessons for the 21st Century,” by Yuval Noah Harari.

What superpower would you like to have?

To be in multiple places at the same time.

What’s your all-time favorite movie?

I don’t have a favorite movie per se, although there are lots of good ones out there! Generally, I enjoy documentaries, comedy-dramas and biographies. To name a few: “Human,” “Central Station,” “Hidden Figures” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health