Kirby GivenBack to Member List

Kirby Image

Hometown: Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

Educational background: Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science-Allied Health & Master of Science in Applied Health Physiology from Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland

What is your title and role at your host site? I will be serving as a case manager in The Sulzbacher Human Services Department. I will develop and execute classes related to overall health and wellness, including stress reduction, smoking cessation, opioid misuse prevention, HIV prevention, chronic disease management, and social skills. This role also includes providing nutritional education to Sulzbacher Center residents, as well as helping residents enroll in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP), Medicaid, and housing/rent assistance programs. In addition, I will conduct women empowerment classes at the Sulzbacher villages, including classes on healthy relationships, parenting, domestic violence prevention, safe sex, and STI prevention. Lastly, I will not only help residents with the Sulzbacher computer lab, but also provide tutoring services.

Why did you join the National Health Corps Florida AmeriCorps program?After completing my master’s degree in the Spring of 2020, I knew that I wanted to find an opportunity that would allow me to connect my education in health and wellness to the public health field. After finding the National Health Corps, I knew that the positions they offered would allow me to gain valuable experience in public health, while serving a community in need.

What are you hoping to gain from your year of service? Through this year of service, I would like to explore where my education in health and wellness fits into the field of public health. I want to leave this program with a strong sense of my potential career path. I hope to sharpen my current teaching skills while gaining new ones. Throughout this year, I want to develop strong connections with those I work for and with, while building lasting friendships.

What are your plans after AmeriCorps service? Depending on where my interests develop, I am planning on either continuing my education with a degree in public health or perusing a doctorate in physical therapy.

Where do you envision yourself in 5 years? I hope to either be working with a non-profit or actively working as a physical therapist.