Join PHCOM for an alumni panel on Monday, May 5th from 12 pm - 1 pm @ PUP 208. Please see below for more information about our panelists. This is a great opportunity to hear what each of them have been up to after graduation!
Xander- “My name is Xander Langsam ‘22. Since graduating undergrad, I’ve worked as a pediatric medical assistant, then as a research assistant at the EPA, and now as a staff scientist assistant at the NIH. I’m also earning my MPH at UMD, actively involved in local and county politics, and will begin law school this fall to focus on the intersection of health, policy, and law.”
Safiya- Safiya Sannoh graduated from UMBC in May 2024 with a degree in Public Health. She is currently pursuing her Master of Health Administration at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a two-year program with one year of classes and one year of an administrative residency at a healthcare system. She is currently wrapping up her first year of classes and will begin her residency this summer at Johns Hopkins Care at Home.
Taiwo- "Hello, I am Taiwo Sanni-Ojikutu, a UMBC alumna. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health and a minor in Philosophy. I have experience in Health Policy, Peer education, and research. My ultimate career goal is to become an Epidemiologist so I plan to use the next three gap years to gain work experience in community health and epidemiological research before pursuing a doctoral degree in epidemiology. I am currently searching for opportunities to gain work and research experience"
Zach - Zach Starr is a Masters' student in Public Policy at UMBC and obtained his Bachelor's in Public Health from this program in 2023. Since his graduation from UMBC in 2023, he has served in several public health roles throughout the government and non profit sector. He currently serves as a Health Policy Fellow with the Office of Congressman Steny Hoyer, where he works on all things healthcare related in the House of Representatives. Previously, he worked as a Policy and Government Affairs Intern with the Health Services Cost Review Commission through the Public Health Workforce Development Internship Program and as a Refugee Health and Social Integration Intern with the International Rescue Committee's Baltimore Office. His policy interests include immigrant health, Medicaid, and hospital financing.He can be reached at
zstarr1@umbc.edu and is more than happy to chat with you about his journey the awesome things you can do with your Public Health degree!
Suliyat- “I graduated from in Fall 2024 with a degree in Public Health, a minor in Psychology, and a certificate in Social Dimensions of Health. As a student, I conducted research in the ROSCHE Lab under Dr. Sameera Nayak, where I contributed and published projects like “Immigrant Status and Social Ties: An Intersectional Analysis of Older Adults in the United States.” My research interests include maternal and child health, reproductive health, immigrant health, and the social determinants of health. I plan to pursue a Master’s in Global Health with a certificate in Maternal and Child Health”
Izzy- “My name is Izzy Okojie. I graduated from UMBC in fall 2024. I am currently a nursing student at Johns Hopkins University. I am passionate about healthcare, research, and using my skills to make a meaningful impact in my community.”
