Kayla SipplGraduate Studentshe/her/hers

I studied biology during my undergraduate career, but during the course of my studies, I discovered and fell in love with the field of public health. Since graduating in 2015, I’ve been fortunate to have a delightful journey of many different professional positions: working on a grant project at the Department of Health Services attempting to change the mental health system for youth; interning at a community garden; working at a domestic violence shelter; teaching English online; and working with the University for Peace Centre for Executive Education. Currently, I work with a team of youth, supporting them in learning about adolescent health issues and using their voice to advocate for community change.

Working in different fields has shown me the necessity of multi-disciplinary approaches to societal problems, as they are complex and require diverse perspectives to begin to understand and address their root causes. I was drawn to the flexibility of the Master’s in Human Ecology program and during my time at the School of Human Ecology hope to advance in my leadership development, improve my ability to support and supervise the youth and others I work with, solidify foundational knowledge of health, advocate for social justice, and gain experience in community organizing and collaborating with others to improve systems and impact the well-being of everyone in our community.

I grew up in a small town near Green Bay, WI, but have spent most of my time living in Madison and traveling internationally. I love to read, learn new things, try new foods, visit new places, cook, and do puzzles.