Staff Spotlight: Samantha Rosenberg

Responses were edited for clarity and conciseness.

What is your role in CMAP and JHBSPH?

I’m the Center Coordinator for CMAP, and in many ways, I’m the glue that holds the center together. I have a variety of responsibilities that fall under different buckets, such as administrative work, communications, event planning, and so on. I run our social media accounts and website, and I’m piloting a biannual newsletter for CMAP. I also help our faculty and student researchers disseminate their findings to the public. Whenever the center holds any events, whether it be large gatherings like our Nexus event series last spring or our monthly book club, I handle the logistics and coordination. Finally, I assist with some other projects and tasks, like finding new funding opportunities for the center and overseeing grants management.

What led you to work at Hopkins?

I graduated with my MPH from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2024 and was looking for jobs in the DMV area. I was originally looking for federal government jobs but found the application process long and tedious. I decided to switch it up and look for university positions instead. Johns Hopkins was an obvious first choice, considering its position as a leader in public health. I stumbled upon this coordinator position on the career page, applied, and the rest is history.

You mentioned you wear a lot of different hats. What’s something you’re working on now that you really enjoy?

I’m very proud of our summer internship program. Last year, we had an intern over the summer but no formal program. Matthew Eisenberg, PhD, Sachini Bandara, PhD, and I worked together to create this new internship program, and I spearheaded the planning and application process. I created a schedule of activities, coordinated with research mentors, and reviewed all the applications. It was incredibly rewarding to see the inaugural program come to life and contribute to CMAP’s mission of training new public health leaders.

What is your favorite type of task at CMAP?

It’s a tie between event-planning and website design. I really enjoy content creation and figuring out the best ways to highlight the work we do at the center. The website is the face of CMAP, and it’s the first place people go when they’re interested in our work. I really want to make sure that it's not only informative but also engaging and visually appealing. I also had a lot of fun planning our Nexus event series in the spring. It was a lot of work but extremely rewarding to see such a large project come to fruition. It was especially meaningful to be part of an event where CMAP could set a bold agenda for advancing mental health and substance use policy.

What’s something you learned about translating research concepts to the public?

Everyone thinks the dissemination process of research is the easiest, but it’s actually quite complex. It involves a lot of relationship building and making sure that information gets into the hands of the right people. You have to maintain constant communication and be relentless with your goals. It’s also important to know who your audience is and how to tailor your information, whether it be to the general public or policymakers or other academics. 

What does a typical day look like for you?

That’s a difficult question! It totally depends on the day, week, month, season, and so on. Do we have an event coming up? Do we have new research coming out? I truly don’t feel like I have a typical day. I always start the morning by answering emails, and usually I check in on our social media accounts afterwards for any messages or alerts. These days, I’m reviewing a lot of work from our summer interns and doing prep work to launch our newsletter in the fall. I have weekly tasks that I keep up with and some monthly tasks too. I’m always on the lookout for funding opportunities as well. Besides that, it really depends on what’s going on around me. 

How do you hope that your work will impact how people see public health?

Public health often feels like this amorphous thing that people can't really see or understand. I hope that people understand that it's a complex dance between different systems like academia, communities, and government. Academic research provides essential knowledge, and the diverse backgrounds and experiences that academics bring help shape and inform that research in meaningful ways. But it’s the partnerships with community organizations and policymakers that turn knowledge into real-world impact. Everyone involved, from staff and students to local leaders, plays a vital role in this shared effort to improve health for all. I want people to see public health as a collective mission, driven by passionate individuals working together for a common good.

What’s your favorite software or toolkit that you use?

I’m very much looped into the Microsoft Suite, especially the planner function in Microsoft Teams and OneNote. Both are extremely helpful for keeping me organized. I also have to give a shoutout to Canva for graphic design. I would not be able to do my job without Canva.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to have a lot of hobbies and keep myself busy. I like to keep up with TV and movies. I go to barre classes every week and I’m on a volleyball team. Right now, I’m in the middle of a challenge where I try to hit 60 barre classes before the end of the summer. Thankfully, I’m on pace. I also play in a trivia league every Tuesday, and I love spending time at home with my cat.

What’s your favorite place to be in Baltimore?

I’m relatively new to Baltimore, so I’m still on the lookout for great spots. I love checking out the restaurants in Federal Hill. One of my other hobbies is reviewing Caesar salads, and I have an Instagram account called @CharmCityCaesar where I visit bars and restaurants around the city to rate their salads. 

Do you have any book recommendations?

The last book I really enjoyed was the most recent Hunger Games book, Sunrise on the Reaping. Its themes feel especially poignant for the political environment we're currently in—and it's just really good! I also like listening to podcasts. One of my favorites is Unexplainable, which explores scientific discoveries that are still unknown and ongoing. They cover a variety of topics, like finding life in Antarctic ice and how wolves first became domesticated. It’s super engaging and a fun way to learn about new things completely outside of my field.