Desire to Impact the Health of Individuals, One Community at a Time

Posted on: July 18, 2017Chicago

My name is Reynaldo De Leon, and I am your incoming Health Educator for Amundsen High School! I recently graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor's degree in Community Health. I am genuinely passionate about preventive health, especially in areas concerning proper nutrition and physical activity at an early age, with the belief that modifying an individual's lifestyle during childhood to a healthier path will lead to positive health outcomes in the future. My personal career goals are closely connected to both health administration and health education. I envision myself leading and serving as a liaison between health professionals and the public, particularly those who are underserved and underrepresented. My dream is to eliminate the gap between these groups by providing health education, while using low literacy language to better convey important information. With this approach, basic health information and service will be given with ease, avoiding negative health outcomes. I plan to obtain a master's degree in public health after completing my year of service with AmeriCorps. I enjoy running, reading, singing, and hanging out with friends during my leisure time.

I look forward to meeting new people and learning more about public health through practice in my upcoming service term. I hope to broaden my understanding of public health, most importantly negative health behaviors and stigma around contemporary health issues, and be a pioneer in creating solutions alongside my team to decrease and to eliminate the threats of barriers in obtaining quality health care. I am confident that the National Health Corps Chicago will open doors of opportunities for me to learn the skills necessary to bring about change in the health of individuals, one community at a time.


This blog post was written by NHC Chicago 2017-18 member Reynaldo De Leon Jr.

Rey will be a Health Educator at Erie Family Health Center- Amundsen