Meet the Team: Holly Wood

Holly Wood is a member of the VISTA team and doctoral student in Purdue University’s Public Health PhD Program. She serves as Senior Director of Health Equity Initiatives in the Office of the Provost at Purdue University. Learn more about her work and contributions to the VISTA team in this interview.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your educational background?

I have worked in Public Health in Indiana in some capacity for nearly 20 years. I’ve worked in a wide variety of topic areas, from environmental health to maternal and child health. I’ve spent most of my time working to improve health outcomes through implementation of evidence-based interventions. I have a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Criminology. I began my graduate degree in School Psychology and transferred to Purdue to finish out my PhD in Public Health in 2022.

What motivated you to pursue a role in public health research?

I am passionate about community engagement and ensuring people can lead healthy lives. Public health research enables communities to utilize data-based decision making, giving everyone the chance to make healthy choices with the knowledge that those choices can lead to positive outcomes.

How did you become involved with the VISTA research lab?

I became interested in Dr. Schwab Reese’s research several years before I came to Purdue, while working with local communities to mitigate the impact of trauma and violence. Once I transferred to Purdue, working in the VISTA lab was a natural fit.

What specific area of public health research are you focused on?

I am particularly interested in the prevention and mitigation of psychological trauma through systems level intervention and implementation science.

Can you describe the current project or projects you’re working on in the lab?

I am in the process of working with data related to interventions aimed at reducing trauma through mobile integrated health.

What are the main goals and objectives of your research?

I aim to add to usable knowledge related to mobile integrated health as an intervention for complex public health issues, with the purpose of improving systems to better meet the needs of individuals.

How has mentorship from senior researchers influenced your experience and growth?

I have benefited from working with researchers and students at different levels within the lab because of the unique perspective both students and faculty bring to the table during research reviews. We all come to the table with varied expertise but an equal amount of enthusiasm to make an impact, leading to rich discussion and idea generation.

Are there any particular public health issues or topics you hope to explore further?

I am interested in exploring systems level interventions to reduce youth perpetrated violence with a specific focus on community resilience.  

What keeps you motivated and passionate about your work?

Community-engaged research, where a groups of individuals from a wide variety of organizations come together to address a complex problem, keeps me motivated.

You can follow Ms. Wood’s work on her LinkedIn page.