Student Spotlight: Hailey Spaeth
Hailey Spaeth chose the Bloomberg School because of its commitment to improving health in the Baltimore community it calls home.
Meet Hailey Spaeth
- Degree Program: MSPH
- Area of Interest: Women's, Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Program Entry Year: 2023
- Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
- Previous Degree Earned: BA in Economics and Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis
- Fun Fact: The number one item on my travel bucket list is to hike along the Patagonia Mountain Range in Argentina!
What sparked your interest in public health?
I have many family members who work in medicine, including both my parents. While I never saw myself in a clinical role, I was always interested in learning about their work and experiences in the health care system. Throughout high school in Ohio, I also remember always being frustrated at the ever-changing policy landscape and lack of comprehensive services related to abortion and other sexual and reproductive health care. Freshman year of college I got involved with gender-based violence advocacy work on my campus and took a course about gender and adolescent health. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in public health ever since!
Why did you choose Bloomberg School of Public Health?
It was important to me that whatever school I chose recognized its history and presence within the larger community and worked to improve the health of all community members. The Bloomberg School emphasized its continued efforts to partner with community-based organizations and leaders in Baltimore. I also chose Bloomberg because it seemed like people in the same program pursued many different career paths following graduation. I liked the idea of being able to learn from classmates with completely different interests and skills from me.
It was important to me that whatever school I chose recognized its history and presence within the larger community and worked to improve the health of all community members.
What led you to join the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health?
I knew I wanted to join PFRH when I attended their accepted students day. The faculty in the department were doing such intriguing work in the field of contraception and abortion access, and I knew this department was the best fit for my research interests. Importantly, I immediately felt comfortable with the faculty and staff, and some of the students I met that day are now my best friends!
What is one experience in PFRH that stands out as a favorite or most memorable?
I loved the Back to School Orioles game! It was held within my first few weeks of joining the department and was such a great opportunity to chat with older students and faculty. It created a very welcoming and open environment right off the bat.
Tell us about your field placement.
I am involved with several research projects at Hopkins for my field placement work. I am a research assistant with the Monitoring and Action for Gender and Equity (MAGE) project. My team partners with the World Bank's Global Finance Facility to gather health facility assessment data to assess gender outcomes related to maternal and reproductive health care in low- and middle-income countries. I am also working with Carolina Cardona on a Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) project within the Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health. Our project looks at the adoption and discontinuation of contraception following the implementation of a family planning policy in Burkina Faso in 2019 and 2020.
What do you hope to do or accomplish after graduation?
After graduation, I'm really excited work on research that evaluates access and barriers to sexual and reproductive health care. I want to contribute to research that is actionable and accessible for policymakers and community advocates in the reproductive justice space.
What are some of your favorite places or aspects of living in Baltimore?
I love living in the Patterson Park neighborhood! I spend a lot of time running and walking outside and I have easy access to the running path along the harbor and all the green space in the park. There are so many community gardens around the neighborhood. I’ve found all my neighbors to be really welcoming—when my roommate and I first moved in, our neighbor brought us local cakes as a housewarming gift.
I’ve also found a ton of great local food spots: Moo Moo Cows and Taharka Bros for ice cream, Ovenbird for coffee and fresh bread, and Ministry of Brewing for drinks, just to name a few.
What advice do you have for prospective students interested in joining the PFRH community?
Get to know as many people within the department as possible! I tried to attend as many department events (seminars, social events, etc.) as possible throughout my first year. I would also emphasize to ask for help from your classmates, friends, and professors when you need it. You have access to a whole community who wants to help you and see you succeed in the program—I’ve found everyone to be very responsive, collaborative, and willing to help.
