Christen Jackson, BSPH, CHES^®

“Don’t be afraid of an opportunity because you fear someone telling you, ‘you don’t qualify,’ ‘the position has been filled,’ or ‘no.’ “

“I was raised by older adults who deeply formed my view on health education and health behavior. At a young age, I was always conscious of how I treated my body due to the number of chronic illnesses that plagued my family. Growing up in Georgia, my family didn’t have conversations about health and wellness. Daily, I watched my grandfather’s ritual of consuming a handful of pills for his heart disease and watched as my mother grappled with fluctuating weight and borderline obesity.”

Christen recognizes her family’s health challenges serve as an ever-present reminder that individuals need education on healthy behaviors and are given basic information about health and wellness.

“As I got older, I began talking to my family and explaining how their daily routines have affected their current well-being. To my surprise, they listened.”

“Now, I’m an emerging public health professional with a bachelor’s in public health and a concentration in health education and promotion from Georgia Southern University. I’ve held different positions within the public health scene while perfecting my niche. I plan to pursue my MPH and a career within school health or worksite wellness.”

“Currently, I am a health educator on a grant-funded study. In this role, I teach sexual health education in nine middle and high schools. This has been an eye-opening and rewarding experience.”

“I see first-hand the gaps in sexual health education, and also the capability of students to understand, process, and use new information.”

Career advice that Christen wants to share with young professionals,

“Take time to understand who you are and what you want out of life.”

“Hitting the ground running can help young professionals gain work experience but might not always lead you in the direction you want.”