Hi, there. I'm Dr. Amy Versnik Nowak. Students call me Dr. V. I am an associate professor in the UMD Public Health program, and I served as the coordinator of the program from 2017-2022. I have a PhD in Health Education from Texas A&M University and two degrees in Communication from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. I am also trained in holistic stress management and experiential and adventure education. Prior to higher education, I ran my own consulting company for clients in the public health and healthcare industries.
When it comes to public health research and teaching, my primary areas of interest are holistic health, health behavior, health communication, and health pedagogy. One of my favorite classes to teach is HLTH 3305 Community Health Methods. During that class, our majors transition from students to professionals...right before my very eyes. Facilitating that kind of personal and professional growth is why I love my job.
On behalf of the UMD Public Health faculty, welcome! We look forward to helping you reach your goals...whatever they might be.