Steuben County Public Health Educator is a Nazareth College grad
From Steuben County, pictured is Van Denburg
BATH – Mealea Van Denburg considers her primary role to be a public health advocate for people in Steuben County looking to achieve their best possible health.
“I want to advocate for the best possible resources,” VanDenburg said, “And keep fighting to get them.”
A 2023 graduate of Nazareth College, VanDenburg has the background to identify community needs and address them.
As the county’s Public Health Educator, she holds a BA degree in Public Health with an analytics minor and has worked as a New York State Public Health Corps health communications fellow in Steuben for more than a year.
She also has worked as a medication technician at the Cobbs Hill Manor assisted living facility and as a research intern at Mt. Hope Family Center through the University of Rochester, both in Rochester.
That experience has given VanDenburg a “big picture” view of public health in Steuben. She has an active presence in regional healthcare related groups such as Smart Steuben, the Institute for Human Service, Steuben Prevention Coalition and working with related agencies in aging, childcare and underserved populations.
Transportation, broadband access, and telehealth services are priorities in the county Public Health outreach, VanDenburg said.
She said the key to her career in the county is “rebuilding community connections. A personal touch. And a commitment to stewardship throughout my career.”
Her skills in analytics are an important asset, helping her track and analyze the all-important numbers needed for funding supplies, programs, and education.
While those numbers may seem dry, for VanDenburg they represent “lives lived” in a community of people who may not be aware of services they have a right to and access to them.
“Especially nowadays, we have a pivotal role in the community’s health education,” she said. “We aim to empower residents to make healthy decisions.”
