Class of 2026: Gati Wambura extends her reach as a ‘global health citizen’
ati Wambura grew up in Kenya, spent time living in Thailand, earned her bachelor’s degree in the United States and completed her master’s in Britain. With her Ph.D. this spring from Virginia Commonwealth University, she will bring her global perspective to health policy and research that can transcend borders. “Coming back to the U.S. was […]
The Department of Health Policy mourns Ph.D. candidate Akpene Tetteh, M.S.
Healthcare Policy and Research Ph.D. student, Akpene Tetteh, M.S., passed away unexpectedly on February 12, 2026. A native of Ghana and a truly exceptional student, Akpene Tetteh, M.S., was on track to complete her Ph.D. this summer, in an unprecedented three years. The Department of Health Policy and School of Public Health are heartbroken by the sudden […]
Class of 2025: Dani Montoya embraces public health and perseverance
Growing up in Oxnard, California, Dani Montoya saw the social inequalities affecting her largely Mexican American community. She initially felt that becoming a doctor would be an ideal way to help others, but she ended up favoring data over diagnosis. “A lot of my people, good people in my life, recommended that I go into […]
Alumni Spotlight: Heather Saunders, Ph.D. ’21
Heather Saunders, Ph.D. ’21, is an alum of the Healthcare Policy and Research Program within the Department of Health Policy. She’s currently working as a Senior Research Manager for KFF, a non-partisan non-profit organization that conducts its own research, polling, and public health information campaigns. Saunders has an extensive research background, dating back to well […]
Vimbai Dihwa recognized for excellence with Black History in the Making award
On Tuesday, February 25, Vimbai Dihwa, a Ph.D. student, received the Black History in the Making award from VCU’s Department of African American Studies. The award, established in 1983 by Daryl Dance, Ph.D. to honor the achievements of African American students, has recognized over 550 students since then, with 62 more added this week. Dihwa, a student […]
Student Spotlight: Vimbai Dihwa
Vimbai Dihwa is a Ph.D. candidate in the Healthcare Policy & Research program in the Department of Health Policy. She received both her Bachelor’s Degree, in Biology with a Chemistry minor, and her Master of Business Administration from Rosemont College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. However, she originally comes from Zimbabwe and completed high school in […]
Alumni Spotlight: Muloongo Simuzingili, Ph.D. ’21
Muloongo Simuzingili, Ph.D. ’21, is an alum of the Healthcare Policy and Research program within the Department of Health Policy. She is currently an Associate Principal Scientist & Health Economist with Merck, but has also worked with The World Bank and the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention since completing her education. However, her story […]
Alumni Spotlight: Robert Tyler Braun, Ph.D. ’18
Robert Tyler Braun, Ph.D. ’18, is an alum of the Healthcare Policy and Research program within the Department of Health Policy. He’s currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Weill Cornell Medical College, where his research focuses on the effect of mergers and acquisitions on patient quality, cost, and utilization […]
Healthcare Policy & Research Program Receives STEM Designated Code From State Council For Higher Education
Earlier this week, the Department of Health Policy received some great news: the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia had reclassified the Department’s Healthcare Policy & Research Ph.D. program to reflect the program’s alignment with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields as designated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Department of Health […]
Alumni Spotlight: Steven Masiano, Ph.D. ’18
Steven Masiano, Ph.D. ’18, is an alum of the Healthcare Policy and Research program within the Department of Health Policy. He had a long and fascinating path to his current dual appointment in the Department of Quantitative Health Sciences at the Cleveland Clinic, and as an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University. As he […]
