Alumni Comments

"SEPHLI is a great program. It helps its scholars become better public
health leaders through leadership training, skill building, and networking."

Yinmei Li, MD, PhD
Director, Surveillance, Epidemiology & Evaluation
Office of Policy, Planning & Assessment
Tennessee Department of Health

Letter from Dr. Robert Weedon, Year 10 Scholar New Hanover County, North Carolina:

"I know you will join me in congratulating my SEPHLI partner, Dr. Jean McNeil, in her recent appointment as Adjunct Faculty at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. This appointment is a direct result of Jean’s efforts to involve the students of the Pre-Veterinary Medical Association in all aspects of our SEPHLI project. So much of our project is ongoing, and the legacy Jean has created will continue to pay dividends for the community in the future. The ultimate success of our project can be measured in a number of ways, including the number of animals vaccinated against rabies, the number of elementary students educated about the disease, but most importantly by the number of pre-vet students who get accepted to vet school...I wanted to share Jean’s accomplishment with you, and also take a moment to thank you both for the opportunity to participate in SEPHLI. Like I said, the dividends will continue for a long time."

"SEPHLI is a comprehensive well designed program I have ever seen for public health leadership development. I was amazed with the step by step process through the whole year to gradually insert the concepts to be a skillful leader. SEPHLI helped me to discover my strong and weak capabilities and what points should I work on to create in me an effective leader in my personal and professional life. The recent public health challenges need such guidance by which we might reach our goals and objectives."

Samir Hanna, Epidemiologist, TN Department of Health

"SEPHLI has enabled me to approach my work in a more positive fashion. This enables me to work more effectively with my co-workers, as well as community members. Having a more positive approach is facilitated by an in-depth understanding of effective leadership techniques and how to employ them in various work situations. My organization, as well as the community at large, will reap significant benefits..."

Roy Crewz,  District Epidemiologist, Virginia Department of Health

"SEPHLI helped me to prioritize patience and to take a broader view of what leadership is.  The many different personal evaluation tools were an excellent comprehensive view of how I am perceived by others and how to make my leadership efforts more effective…The cross state team has allowed me to practice skills in situations where direct supervision does not exist but team projects had to be completed.  I will take advantage of the connections I made with other state’s staff as well.  This networking opportunity and the connections were simply excellent."

Mark Barnes, Senior Consultant, Health Services Administration,
South Carolina DHEC

"Because of SEPHLI I am able to use specific tools to encourage each employee to achieve their own potential and growth.... SEPHLI is unique in that each individual becomes more important than the program. You take away so much more than a notebook full of notes that will never be looked at again.  It made me feel more important as a person and a professional.  It made me want to do my job primarily to make a difference as opposed to just collecting a paycheck."

Wanda Roberts, Director, Community Health Councils,
West Tennessee Region Department of Health

"Because of SEPHLI, I have become a better listener.  When working with patients I was very skilled at assessing and listening at a rapid pace.  I had not noticed I had lost this ability until SEPHLI, and have worked hard to place it back into my leadership skills and abilities.

Organizationally, I have become a more organized, decisive, and thoughtful leader.  This will assure that the Trauma Program in West Virginia will be stable and on firm ground now and in the future."

Penny Byrnside,  Trauma Systems Administrator,  West Virginia DHHR

"I can't tell you how much I feel I have grown as a leader because of my SEPHLI experience.  You guys are just wonderful and made us all feel so special.  The customer service you provided to your scholars was outstanding.   The content of the retreats, speakers, phone conferences, books, etc... was always of extreme value.  Thanks again for everything you did to make this experience so meaningful.  I will keep my notebook and handouts and use these frequently."

Jane Murray, Year 8 Scholar

"The Institute experience helped me learn to be more reflective in decision-making, with understanding for my own styles of decision-making and leadership and how those tendencies affect my interactions with others. The Institute's "safe-learning" environment with the guidance of its staff and consultants was a comfortable way to approach this change, which I needed to make. Of course, I'm still working on it, but the Institute gave me a good start and a nudge in the right direction. A side benefit of the experience was the opportunity to see public health issues and needs through their eyes of a range of public health workers and the commitment, skill, and knowledge that it takes to protect the health of the public often working with inadequate budgets and through political systems with varying views of the public health mission."

Floyd K. Russell, Director, Virtual Medical Campus TM/SM, Morgantown, WV

"The SEPHLI opened my eyes to many new public health things, renewed my commitment to some old public health ideals, and strengthen my resolve and ability to affect the publics health in my community, region, and state. In addition, I had fun, made some friends, and made my first visit to Hilton head and the Biltmore mansion. The value in the experience was in its skill building, relationship development, and reaffirmation of why we do what we do in public health."

Adam Hines, Director of Health Initiatives, Kannapolis, NC

"SEPHLI made leadership development fun. The quality of the faculty and the curriculum were excellent, and the content dovetailed closely with my work. Not to mention that I met numerous bright, dedicated, and fun public health people whom I continue to run into and otherwise keep in contact with on a regular basis. Some parts of the curriculum, such as the emphasis on crisis planning, have made concrete differences in my practice and have had significant ripple effects."

Martha Salyers, Medical Director, Asheville, NC

"Every aspect of the program was great. It was a lot of hard work, but my leadership skills were tremendously enhanced. I feel more confident in my ability to do my job."

Matt Petrofes, District Health Director, Beaufort, South Carolina

"Participating in the SEPHLI was an enriching experience, both personally and professionally. It was an unsurpassed opportunity to know and learn from fellow public health workers from throughout the region."

Dick Hatfield, Assist. Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Services, Columbia, SC

"The SEPHLI was instrumental in helping me understand how my own personality type and leadership style impact my day-to-day function as a public health professional, and identified areas for further growth. A tremendous learning opportunity!"

Jon Warkentin, Director, Bureau of Communicable Disease Control, Nashville, TN