Briella Ntungane is a passionate Public Health student at the University of Southern Maine and currently serves as a Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Coordinator at Maine CDC. As an immigrant and advocate for equitable care, Briella brings a deeply personal and culturally grounded perspective to her work, with a strong commitment to bridging health gaps in diverse communities across Maine.

Her work focuses on co-designing and implementing community-based programs that foster dialogue, connection, and culturally responsive approaches to public health—particularly in the realm of maternal and child health. She has partnered with various nonprofit organizations to address systemic barriers, challenge stigmas, and create safe spaces for conversations that are often considered taboo.

At the core of Briella’s approach is cultural humility. She believes that the people she serves are the experts in their own lives and cultures, and she centers their voices in all aspects of her work. Whether facilitating workshops for Somali youth, collaborating with Spanish-speaking families on health education materials, or engaging one-on-one with mothers from Burundi, Briella begins by asking questions, listening with intention, and building solutions together.

Briella is pursuing her MPH with the goal of continuing to co-create sustainable, inclusive public health initiatives that reflect the lived realities of the communities they aim to serve. Her vision is to amplify every community voice in the pursuit of health equity and justice.