Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Crowder.
Hi Rachel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am native of Dayton, OH and I have a huge family that I love dearly. I have always had a passion for wellness and knew from a young age that I wanted to help others to become healthier. I was first introduced to Public Health during an internship at Planned Parenthood that I’d gotten through the Upward Bound program at Sinclair Community College. I would see the young ladies come in for various health concerns and knew I wanted to be an advocate for women’s health one day. Then while in college my mother took a job at the health department as an immunizations nurse where I got a closer view of public health. Later in life, I went on to complete a Master of Public Health where I learned about everything from healthcare legislation to health disparities, and community-level interventions; I also have a Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration.
After completing college, I went on to work at CareSource as a wellness program developer and coach, I then moved on to Quantum Health to manage the Health, Maternity, and Tobacco Cessation Coaching programs. A few years later I transitioned into the employee benefits broker industry working at Hylant as a Senior Health Strategist. Most recently I am in a role as a Senior Consultant at OhioHealth in Columbus, OH.
At the start of my professional career, I became one of the founding members of the Dayton, Ohio American Heart Association PULSE Committee then later joined the Columbus chapter YP Board. Since a young age, I’ve known that I was genetically predisposed to CHF and CAD so I’ve been cautious about my lifestyle choices. In addition to my work with 2 chapters of the American Heart Association I also had the pleasure of serving on an American Red Cross Associate Board and the Columbus Urban League Young Professionals Board. Most recently I launched a health literacy organization called BLACK HEALTH LIT™. My goal is to use my skill set, knowledge, and resources to improve Black lives through health literacy.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a winding but mostly smooth road. Although I had a major health crisis (breast cancer) shortly after starting BLACK HEALTH LIT, I have still been able to educate the Black community through the podcast. Some areas where I have struggled are not being able to do in-person educational events due to COVID.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
BLACK HEALTH LIT is an organization that focuses on improving the health literacy and health outcomes of Black women, men, and children. Research has found that Black Americans have far worse health outcomes when it comes to chronic conditions, cancer, reproductive health, etc. so it’s imperative that resources be targeted in order to be effective. Research has also found that health literacy is directly tied to health outcomes which is why I am on a mission to ignite a movement towards better Black health.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I believe that life is so short so it’s important that we move beyond our daily routines and playing it safe all the time. Taking calculated and well-informed risks adds some variety to life and can have big rewards. I’ve taken a few risks in my life including starting an organization specifically for Black Americans’ health.
Contact Info:
- Email: raecrowder@blackhealthlit.org
- Website: www.blackhealthlit.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackhealthlit
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackHealthLit/
