People Podcasts, Pictures & Perspectives

Ms. Gina Besenyi as the 2011 MPH Outstanding Student

Gina Besenyi has been an MPH Student, with an emphasis in Public Health Physical Activity, since 2009 and plans to graduate in May 2011. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology, also from K-State, in 2003. Over the past two years, Gina has been heavily involved in research activities within the Physical Activity and Public Health Laboratory, and she has been the project manager for the “Development of a Community Stakeholder Park Audit Tool” project, funded by the Robert Wood Jonson Foundation’s Active Living Research program. She has also been a team leader for the Promoting Lifelong Activity and Nutrition Through Schools (PLANTS) project and a research assistant in other projects in the Youth Health Behavior Research Laboratory. Gina resides in Holton, KS with her husband Robert and their 2-year old son Gavin.

Mr. Tyler Kane is the 2011 Outstanding Graduate

Mr. Tyler Kane is a 2006 Graduate of the K-State MPH Program, with an emphasis in Public Health Physical Activity; he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology, also from K-State, in 2003. Since graduation, he has worked for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) from July 2006 to May 2007 and for the Sedgwick County Health Department from 2007 to the present. As a Community Health Educator and now as a Community Health Analyst, Ty has provided crucial leadership and expertise to many public health issues in his county and our state. To give just a few examples of his diverse responsibilities, he has played critical roles in tobacco prevention, infant mortality, community assessments and agency accreditation. Ty resides in Wichita with his wife Amy and their two children, daughter Avery and son Levi.

Dr. Robert Larson is the 2011 Outstanding Faculty

Dr. Bob Larson has consistently demonstrated leadership in the animal and public health programs at K-State for many years. A graduate of K-State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1987, Bob received his Ph.D. from K-State in 1992. He now holds the Edgar E. and M. Elizabeth Coleman Chair in Food Animal Production Medicine and is Director of Veterinary Medical Continuing Education in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Larson has been one of the Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses emphasis area representatives for over three years, and he served as the Program’s Interim Director from June to December 2008. He has been one of two instructors for the core course DMP 708, and this year, he developed and taught a new online epidemiology course, DMP 754, now part of the MPH program core curriculum. He currently serves as a Major Professor to a significant number of MPH students and serves on the committee for many others. Bob resides in Clay Center, KS with his wife Laura and daughters Mariah, Karrin, and Annie.

Best Public Health Video - Ms. Julie Pickler and Mr. Aaron Boyd

Ms. Julie Pickler and Mr. Aaron Boyd are the winning team for the best public health video this year. The video may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0frQmx4dPtc . They are both MPH students in the Public Health Physical Activity area of emphasis. Aaron received his Bachelor of Science degree from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo in 2010 and Julie received her Bachelor of Science degree from Washington State University in 2007.

Reception Photo Gallery

Dr. Jennifer Akers as the 2010 MPH Outstanding Student [Click here]

Dr. Carol Ann Holcomb (Founding Director of K-State’s MPH Program)

Podcast -- “Program Background”
Comments made during the Excellence in Public Health recognition program. Dr. Holcomb received the 2009 Outstanding Faculty award.

Mr. Zach McGill (MPH Field Experience with Kansas Health Institute in Topeka)

Health Day at the Capitol on March 6th!

Ms. Mindi Russell (2008 MPH Graduate and Microbiologist with FDA)

Podcast -- “Insights from an MPH Graduate”
Ms. Russell talks about her field experience as an Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) fellow with the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health in Raleigh, NC and her job as a Microbiologist with FDA.

Ms Virginia Barnard (2006 MPH Graduate)

Podcast -- Ms. Barnard was recognized as a 2009 Outstanding MPH Graduate

Dr. Ethel Taylor (2009 MPH Graduate)

Podcast -- Dr. Taylor was recognized as the 2009 Outstanding Student

Ms. Mindi Russell (2008 MPH Graduate)

Podcast -- Ms. Russell was recognized as a 2009 Outstanding MPH Graduate