Public Health Consultant, Epidemiologist, & Project Manager, Toronto, CA
Please introduce yourself and describe your career. What do you do for a living?
Hi! I’m Alexandra (most people call me Allie), and I live in Toronto, Canada. I’m a public health consultant, epidemiologist, and project manager. I’m also the Founder & CEO of Piat Public Health, a consulting organization that brings together data, communities, and action to improve community health.
At work, I help public health, healthcare, and social impact organizations understand the needs of communities and the people they serve using data and real community voices and then turn that information into clear, practical plans for action that improve community health.
Outside of work, I love spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, travelling, walking around the city, and having great conversations over a cup of tea. I’m naturally curious, I care deeply about people and equity, and I’m always learning which shows up both in my work and in how I try to live my life.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
One of my earliest memories is from kindergarten, I said I wanted to be a “scientist who writes books about her science.” Even back then, I knew I wanted to do something that would make a difference in the world. Over time, that “something” became health-related… I just didn’t know the exact job title yet.
Fast forward: I did become a scientist. I’m an epidemiologist, which basically means I study health at a population level and try to understand what makes groups of people healthier (or less healthy). I haven’t written a book yet, but it’s still on my future bucket list!
What did you study? How much schooling do you think is required to get into your role? What could you have skipped?
I studied Health Sciences (BSc) at the University of Waterloo, and then completed my Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology at the University of Toronto. I also earned my PMP® (Project Management Professional) certification, which has been super helpful for leading complex projects and working across teams.
Honestly, I’m really happy with my schooling, especially because of the co-op and practicum experiences. Those real-world placements taught me so much about how public health actually works day-to-day, not just in theory.
In terms of what’s “required,” there are definitely public health roles you can do with a bachelor’s degree, especially early-career roles. But in my experience, if you want to move into leadership positions, a master’s degree is usually expected.
And looking back, I wouldn’t have skipped anything, it all helped shape the work I do now.
Was your path hard or smooth getting to where you are in your career? (Can you briefly describe what it was like on your journey so far?)
I’d say my path was a mix, I always had a general sense that I wanted to work in health, but the exact “how” took time to figure out.
At first, I thought I might want to do something more clinical, but as I learned more, I realized I’m really a big-picture person. I became more interested in the social factors that shape health, things like where we live, the education we have access to, how much money we make, and what supports exist in our communities. That’s what pulled me toward working at a population level, instead of focusing on one patient at a time.
I’ve also always had a lot of interests within health, data, policy, community work, project management, and for a long time, I didn’t feel like they “fit” neatly into one job. I sometimes felt pressure to put myself in a box and pick one thing.
But everything clicked when I found consulting, because it lets me bring all of those interests together. Now I get to work on a variety of projects with different people, improving health, listening to communities, and turning complex information into action.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that it’s okay to have a lot of interests. You don’t have to choose just one, you can build a career that actually combines them.
Walk us through your typical work day - when do you start, end, and do all day? (Where do you work from?)
My days are a mix of deep focus work and lots of collaboration and no two days look exactly the same, which I love. I usually work 9–5ish, but my hours are pretty flexible and can vary depending on deadlines, meetings, or events.
On a typical day, I’m doing some combination of:
Meetings/engagements with clients, partners, or community stakeholders
Writing and building deliverables (reports, strategies, workplans, proposals)
Data analysis and research to pull out clear insights and recommendations
Project management to keep timelines, tasks, and teams moving forward
Since I run my own consulting business, I also spend time on business development and networking- connecting with old and new contacts, meeting potential clients, and going to events or conferences. And there’s always some time spent on marketing, like updating my website, writing content, and sharing on social media.
I work mostly from home, but I also love working from coffee shops or coworking spaces when I want a change of scenery.
What are some questions someone should really ask themselves if they want to get into your industry / career path?
Public health can be an amazing career, but it’s worth being really honest with yourself about what the work actually looks like. Some good questions to ask yourself are:
Do I care about both people and systems? (Not just individual health, but the bigger picture.)
Am I comfortable working on problems that don’t have simple answers?
Do I enjoy listening, learning, and adapting as I go, and sharing power with communities, especially people most affected?
Do I want meaningful work, even if it’s sometimes slow or challenging? (Sometimes you won’t see the direct impact right away, you might not be recognized for your work, and you may be pushing uphill, fighting funding cuts, misinformation, and constantly having to prove why the work matters.)
Public health is deeply rewarding, but it takes patience and a lot of resilience.
And if you’re thinking specifically about consulting, there’s a whole other set of questions:
Am I comfortable being my own boss — working independently, staying self-directed, and figuring things out as I go?
Am I okay with inconsistency (especially with income and workload not looking the same every month)?
Do I have enough experience and a clear skillset I can confidently offer to clients (and ideally a niche or focus area)?
Can I find the work myself through networking, relationships, and building trust over time?
Am I comfortable with sales and marketing, putting myself out there, sharing my work, and being visible?
What do you enjoy most about your career? (What do you enjoy least?)
What I enjoy most is getting to work on projects that actually matter, improving health, making systems more fair, and helping teams turn information into real action. I also love working with different people and communities, and being able to combine my interests in data, strategy, and engagement instead of having to choose just one.
What I enjoy least is how slow change can be sometimes. Public health often involves navigating bureaucracy, limited funding, and competing priorities, and even when the work is making a difference, you don’t always get to see the impact right away, and are often fighting an uphill battle.
What tools/resources do you frequently use? (Books, podcasts, mentors, wellness habits, software, etc.)
Some of my favourite tools/resources are:
Books like “Rewrite your Rules” by Morgan DeBaun
Podcasts like the PH Spotlight Podcast, the Public Health Joy Podcast, The Public Health Careers Podcast, and the Dr. Des Show
Professional development and networking organizations like PH Spot, The Public Health Club, WE Public Health, Entreprenista, Independent Nonprofit Consultants, and the Canadian Women's Chamber of Commerce
Software like Asana, Google Suite, Microsoft Suite, and calendly (project management/admin), SquareSpace, Loom (marketing), SurveyMonkey, Claude AI (data collection and analysis)
Wellness habits like walks, a cup of tea, talks with friends, and any kind of movement
What is something you do when things get difficult? How do you handle stress/ challenges?
When things get difficult, I try to pause and zoom out instead of spiraling. I’ll break the problem into smaller steps, focus on what I can control, and remind myself I don’t have to solve everything at once. In all honestly, this is something that takes practice, and I’m working on it all the time.
I also talk it through with someone I trust, go for a walk, and give myself space to reset. I’ve learned that pushing through nonstop usually makes things worse, I do my best work when I’ve taken a bit of time to step away where possible.
What advice would you give to someone who is trying to figure out what they want to do (for work) in general?
You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. A lot of the time, you learn what you want to do by trying different things, jobs, internships, volunteering, side projects, or even just talking to people in different careers.
Every experience teaches you something. You’ll learn what you like, what you’re good at, and also what you don’t want, and that’s just as helpful.
Instead of focusing on the “perfect job,” focus on what kind of work feels right for you: Do you like working with people? Do you like solving problems? Do you want structure or flexibility? It’s okay if your answer changes over time.
Do you have any mentors or key pieces of career advice that helped you get to where you are today?
Yes, I’ve had both formal and informal mentors, both in my field and outside of it, and they’ve made a huge difference for me. I’ve learned so much from people who were willing to share honest advice, open doors, and remind me I didn’t have to do everything alone.
One of the best pieces of career advice I’ve gotten is: you don’t need to know everything, you just need to be willing to learn. Another big one is: relationships matter. So much of my career has come from building trust, staying connected, and working with people who share my values.
What excites you about the future OR what's up next for you in the near future? (Could be career-related, life-related, or even a future career pivot / path)
I'm excited about continuing to grow Piat Public Health and expanding the impact we can have through our work. Over the next few years, I'd love to continue building strong partnerships with public health, healthcare, nonprofit, and health innovation organizations, while taking on increasingly complex and meaningful projects that help improve health and wellbeing in communities.
I'm also excited about exploring new ways to bridge public health, strategy, evaluation, and innovation. Some of the most rewarding work happens when different sectors come together to solve complex problems, and I see a lot of opportunity for that in the future.
Personally, I'm looking forward to continuing to learn, take on new challenges, mentor others entering the field, and build a career that combines purpose, flexibility, and impact. One of the things I love most about my work is that there is always something new to learn and new opportunities to make a difference.
Where can readers find/connect with you if they have questions? OR How can we support you?
You can connect with me on LinkedIn or through my website: www.piatpublichealth.ca/contact especially if you’re curious about public health, consulting, career paths, or if you’re interested in collaborating on a project.
The best way to support me is to stay connected, share my work if it resonates, and send opportunities or collaborations my way if you come across them (whether that’s you or someone in your network). I would also greatly appreciate a follow and engagement on our Piat Public Health social media accounts:
And more broadly, supporting public health and community-led work in your own life and community always makes a difference.