To address the rural public health concerns and train the next generation of public health professionals on how to effectively use health data and improve health outcomes in a community, the Michigan State University Master of Public Health (MPH) Program in the College of Human Medicine has expanded the roles of two MPH assistant professors.
“One of my proudest accomplishments as Director of MSU’s MPH program is adding two new concentrations to our curriculum this past fall: rural public health and public health data management and analytics,” said Wayne R. McCullough, director of the MPH program. “After extensive outreach and engagement with local health departments and our alumni, they helped to inform what was needed in the state of Michigan to advance public health. It is with great honor that we announce the appointment of two of our faculty to help shape, lead, and support these new concentrations within the health equity framework.”
Natalie Kasiborski, PhD, LMSW, MPH, (left) has accepted a full-time appointment as an Assistant Professor for the MPH Rural Health Concentration. She has served as an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health on a part-time basis for more than 10 years. She previously served as Deputy Health Officer at a 4-county rural health department in Northern Michigan.
With diverse experience in public health and social work administration, Kasiborski has demonstrated strong leadership skills in guiding strategic direction, managing finances, overseeing grant administration, and fostering program development. She is committed to advancing community health and well-being and believes in the power of collaborative partnerships, evidence-based interventions, and innovative solutions.
In her full-time appointment, she will be teaching PH 801, PH 808, and the rural health courses (PH 830, PH 834, PH 839). Kasiborski will also participate in curriculum development efforts across MPH course offerings.
Throughout her career, she has actively contributed to the field of public health through consultation with non-profit and governmental entities and through publications and presentations on diverse topics, including population, mental/behavioral, and school health, with a particular focus on rural communities. She holds a PhD in Social Work, a Master of Public Health, and a Master of Social Work. Her contributions have been recognized through prestigious awards, including being named one of the 40 Under 40 in Public Health by the de Beaumont Foundation and receiving a Teaching Excellence Award from Michigan State University.
Min Tao, PhD, (right) has accepted a full-time appointment as an Assistant Professor for the MPH Data Management Concentration.
She has served as an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health on a part-time basis for more than three years. Tao has extensive experience in nutritional epidemiology, advanced epidemiology methods, and health care data analytics.
She started her public health career with the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She later spent years working with physicians and hospitals, particularly those in underserved areas.
She has served as an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health on a part-time basis for more than three years. Tao has extensive experience in nutritional epidemiology, advanced epidemiology methods, and health care data analytics.
She started her public health career with the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She later spent years working with physicians and hospitals, particularly those in underserved areas.
Her focus is to support the implementation of data-driven population health management initiatives in the context of value-based care delivery. She has rich experience working with a variety of public health and health care data. Throughout her professional journey, she witnessed and profoundly understood the importance of partnering and leveraging data across multiple sectors to address public health issues.
In her full-time appointment, she will be teaching PH 861, PH 889, PH 829 and will participate in curriculum development efforts across a variety of MPH courses. As the country reimagines public health to meet the challenges in the 21st century, Tao is passionate about developing the next generation of public health professionals so that they have the data skills to thrive in this new era.
January 10, 2025
