Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristi Sprowl.
Hi Kristi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey began in Inglewood, CA born to amazing parents who have truly invested in my success as an academic and Public Health professional. I have been involved in so many areas related to dance, music, sports, and theatre as a child. I was constantly searching for where my societal fit was. Being an only child, I’ve yearned for a sense of belonging since a young girl, and those feelings haven’t changed even as an adult. Throughout childhood and entering high school, I was very social and had a lot of friends to lean on and engage with. I always wanted to be different and stand out in some way. Usually standing out was being the smartest, the brightest, and the most outgoing. That proved to be true more and more in my high school and college experiences. In high school, I was prom queen, voted the best personality, graduated with a 3.8 GPA and was accepted in an esteemed HBCU- Howard University. I was really on top of my game. I knew that my intricate mind and cultural connection would be a huge contribution to the communities I lived and worked in. Following my high school journey, I finished a year at Howard to continue my education where it all started, Los Angeles. I graduated from a community college- El Camino College, and went into my Bachelor’s degree education at California State Dominguez Hills. During my time at Dominguez, I was accepted as a McNair scholar, students from diverse backgrounds who are committed to research, community engagement, and receiving their PhDs. I was literally walking on the path I knew was destined for me. My parents are college graduates, and my father received his Juris Doctorate in the 90s which changed the financial opportunities for my family. He drilled the importance of education in me, and finally, I saw the rewards for myself.
As a McNair scholar, I would travel across the country presenting my research centered around Black maternal health, patient satisfaction, and adolescents’ attitudes around sexual health. It was an amazing experience to know that my discoveries can contribute to the greater knowledge of science and research. I graduated with honors and moved directly into a Master’s in Public Health program at the University of Arizona on a teaching scholarship. I was continuing to build on the work and research that I’m accustomed to. I worked to manage health-related efforts pertaining to women with HIV, post-partum depression among Mexican mothers, and homelessness among women and children. I graduated with my Master’s and landed a job right out of school as a clinical researcher for UA. I was really feeling like all the work performed in my academic career was paying off. I moved to Atlanta in 2019 to pursue my Public Health profession on a larger scale. I performed at a variety of positions including cancer research, and sexual education, and currently serving as a Community Impact Director at the American Heart Association. I was recently accepted in the University of Georgia’s 2021 cohort as a Doctorate student in the College of Public Health. I was awarded as a 2021 Health Equity Fellow for UGA’s Public Health program and now serving as a 2022 Urban Leader Fellow for Atlanta’s region in policy and community development. I am undoubtedly blessed on the endeavors I’m on and it will only get better from here.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been paved smooth, but it doesn’t mean that the journey was always smooth. I had to endure a lot of pressure to be the best at what I do. Mainly, I put pressure on myself. There were years where I overloaded on classes and research to remain “great” and in the spotlight of my academic career. Someone asked my what my greatest fear was. My answer was being found out. People seeing me as a fraud for not performing at my highest potential. I learned not to carry that fear with me. The heights are only higher from here. I have to learn to cope with the anxieties of meeting perfection and learn to do my best, even if it’s not society’s standards of achievement.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Public Health practitioner, Health Equity strategist, Thought Leader, and Social Entrepreneur. I have used my academic and professional experiences to work in a variety of health care settings including hospitals, clinics, non-profits, and local government agencies. I work as a Community Impact Director at the American Heart Association. My work currently involves providing vision and direction for the Atlanta market’s unified health efforts. This includes being actively involved, informed, and integrated with internal and external partners across the Atlanta region. My professional goals are to drive change in the community through the adoption of Policy, Systems, and Environment changes, and through working with clinics and organizations to improve health outcomes related to chronic disease and behavioral health. A lot of my professional work involves assessing the community health needs in the local Atlanta market and developing, coordinating and/or implementing community-wide strategies that focus on eliminating health disparities through proven-effective policies, systems, and environmental change approaches. I also work cross-functionally within various organizations in Atlanta to identify opportunities for collaboration and synergies to execute the most effective health-related priority initiatives. My unique approach to Public Health work is working alongside communities that aren’t always at the table of decision-making. They are communities that need a voice, and I’ve worked hard in my education and profession to be the microphone and pulse to the community’s needs and how to best fulfill them with a strategic approach.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
My research goals include surveying Black and Brown people on their everyday lived experiences and how it relate to their definition of a healthy lifestyle. The support of the Atlanta community to send their stories to me would be amazing. I can work to shed light on the members of the Atlanta region that make this city so great. We need to have better ways of living in optimal health and everyone’s health status is different and isn’t always defined by a physician. There are so many methods to take care of our bodies, minds, and souls. I want to create opportunities for people to be able to talk about their personal lifestyle choices in leading a healthier and happier life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @causesheisthetruth
- Facebook: Kristi Sprowl
- Twitter: @sheisthetruth16
