Mari Freitas, Mph
About Mari Freitas, Mph
Mari Freitas, MPH, serves as a CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellow at the Minnesota Department of Health, focusing on Healthcare Associated Infections and antimicrobial stewardship. She holds a Master's of Public Health from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor's degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Westmont College.
Work at Minnesota Department of Health
Mari Freitas currently serves as a CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellow at the Minnesota Department of Health. She has held this position since 2021, contributing to various public health initiatives in St. Paul, Minnesota. In her role, she focuses on Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) and One Health Antimicrobial Stewardship. Prior to her fellowship, she worked as a Student Worker Para Professional Senior at the same department from 2020 to 2021, where she gained valuable experience in public health operations.
Education and Expertise
Mari Freitas earned her Master's of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, completing her studies from 2019 to 2021. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology from Westmont College, where she studied from 2014 to 2018. Her educational background provides a strong foundation for her current focus on antimicrobial stewardship and healthcare-associated infections.
Background
Mari Freitas attended Iolani School from 2007 to 2014, where she completed her high school education. Following high school, she pursued her undergraduate studies at Westmont College, obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree. She then continued her education at the University of Minnesota, where she achieved her Master's degree in Public Health. Her academic journey has equipped her with the knowledge and skills necessary for her work in public health.
Previous Experience in Public Health
Before her current fellowship, Mari Freitas gained practical experience in public health through various roles. She worked as a Summer Research Intern at the Hawaii State Department of Health in 2020 for two months. Additionally, she served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health for four months in 2020. These positions allowed her to develop her research skills and deepen her understanding of public health practices.
Research Focus and Initiatives
In her fellowship role, Mari Freitas is actively involved in initiatives aimed at improving antimicrobial stewardship practices. She participates in projects related to One Health, which integrates strategies across human, animal, and environmental health. Her focus on Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) reflects her commitment to enhancing public health outcomes through evidence-based practices.