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Jeff Harness, MPH
Director of the Western Massachusetts Center for Healthy Communities (WMCHC)

I’ve been the director of the Western Massachusetts Center for Healthy Communities (WMCHC) since 1996 (previously called the Massachusetts Prevention Center). At the WMCHC we provide technical assistance and training to projects and coalitions that address public health issues – particularly substance abuse prevention.  What is technical assistance?  Prevention coalitions are often made up of people who want to change their community and make it better. They have the energy and passion they need to succeed, but not necessarily the technical skills. That’s where we come in. Some examples of the assistance we offer includes: teaching how to collect and analyze data; how to write a grant; how to develop a budget; how to develop an evaluation plan; how to advocate for policy and systems change; and how to talk to the media. My job is to manage the staff as we consult with various community projects to make them more effective.

When I decided it was time to take the next step in my career, I started by looking at hundreds of jobs and seeing what inspired me. Over and over again, the positions that most excited me required a MPH. This degree really tapped into my wish to have influence at the policy level. I shopped around for graduate schools and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst offered a program I thought would work well for me.

The courses I took prepared me for a policy and management role. I took a variety of courses – epidemiology, environmental health, biostatistics, program evaluation – and the breadth of knowledge I gained has helped me see connections and possibilities in everyday practice that I’d likely miss if I hadn’t been through the MPH program. The professors brought in outside speakers, which really helped connect the classroom to real world experiences. Because my focus was on management, I also took classes through the business school. This is something I would recommend to any student thinking about a management career.

The MPH degree has prepared me very well for my job. The day to day work I do is constantly changing and evolving. Every day is different and presents challenges and opportunities. The MPH program has helped me to be flexible, adaptable, and prepared for whatever comes next in healthcare and public health.