CAREER PATHWAYS
Public Health Laboratory Ambassadors Collaborate to Enhance Outreach in Oregon
By Akiko Saito, MPH, MPA, business director, Oregon State Public Health Laboratory; Lori Pillsbury, MS, laboratory & environmental assessment division administrator, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality; and Hailey Reiss, specialist, Academic Partnerships
From left: Blair Adams, Dan Brown, Lori Pillsbury, Riley Evans and Allie Sayre at the Portland Workforce Alliance Northwest Youth Career Expo in March 2025.
While outreach and recruitment may seem like daunting activities, a little extra support can go a long way. APHL’ s Public Health Laboratory Ambassadors program provides participants with key resources, administrative support and a growing community of volunteers across the country to support outreach and recruitment efforts. This past spring, the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory( OSPHL) and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Laboratory took advantage of these resources and went a step further by working in collaboration to participate in the Portland Workforce Alliance NW Youth Careers Expo.
Initial Collaboration
When the APHL Public Health Laboratory Ambassadors program was first announced, both laboratories felt that it looked like a great opportunity to spread the word about careers in public and environmental health. Deciding to collaborate on outreach initiatives enabled the laboratories to have fun as well as share the workload, resources and events. Each laboratory brought a different perspective on public health, and together they were able to reach more interested students and share a wealth of information.
Planning and Event Logistics
Both laboratories were fortunate to have dedicated staff that assisted with planning. They took on the logistical challenges of signing up for the Portland Workforce Alliance NW Youth Careers Expo, attending informational webinars and gathering information and materials for the table. Volunteers were recruited to staff the event, and both laboratories worked on ideas for hands-on activities that complemented each other and highlighted similarities and differences.
Outcomes and Key Takeaways
The decision to attend this event took place closer to the date of the event than would have been preferred. On that note, one key takeaway is to allow plenty of time to plan. It takes time to come up with engaging activities to draw people to an exhibit booth. This event included over 200 exhibitors with more than 5,300 student attendees. This meant a lot of competition for the attention of the attendees!
Another key takeaway is to ensure materials and information are geared toward the audience. The attendees at
this event were high school students. Therefore, next year, the plan is to bring more information on what to study in college, how to participate in an internship and other resources to help students start on a career path in public health.
Interested in participating in outreach and recruitment activities in the future? Review the Public Health Laboratory Ambassador Quick Guide or complete the interest form on the website to become a Public Health Laboratory Ambassador.
If you are interested in potential opportunities for collaboration, you may contact the Academic Partnerships team: academic. partnerships @ aphl. org.
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