Hemen Mekonnen

Hemen is a second-year Master of Public Health student at the University of California, Berkeley, concentrating in Health Policy and Management. She holds a B.A. in Public Policy with a concentration in Health population from UC Riverside, where she completed an honors capstone examining the impact of Medicaid expansion on Black–White disparities in augmented income poverty, a study now under revision for publication in the Milbank Quarterly. Hemen brings hands-on experience in community health and research, having contributed to the Black Health Equity Initiative at the Center for Healthy Communities and served as a CDC Lewis Scholar at the UCLA Public Health Scholars Training Program. She also worked at UCLA's Trauma Recovery Center, where she supported outreach to underserved populations affected by trauma. Looking ahead, she aspires to contribute to public health initiatives in her home country, bringing a global perspective and a deep commitment to health equity. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and exploring new foods and experiences.