Rachel Lobe Costonis
About Rachel Lobe Costonis
Rachel Lobe Costonis is a Graduate Teaching Fellow at Yale University, where she teaches courses on social justice and health equity, as well as health in humanitarian crises. She has extensive experience in public health and humanitarian work, including roles at USAID and Médecins Sans Frontières.
Current Role at Yale University
Rachel Lobe Costonis serves as a Graduate Teaching Fellow at Yale University since 2021. In this role, she teaches courses focused on public health, specifically 'Social Justice and Health Equity in Public Health' during the fall semester and 'Health in Humanitarian Crises' in the spring semester. Her teaching emphasizes the integration of community-driven approaches in public health education.
Professional Experience in Public Health
Costonis has extensive experience in public health, having worked in various roles at USAID. She served as a Junior Health Specialist in the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance for eight months in 2019, and held multiple positions including Technical Program Coordinator, Communications and Records Coordinator for the Ebola Response Management Team, and Program Assistant in Nutrition and Food Security. Her work at USAID spanned several years and involved significant contributions to health initiatives.
Educational Background in Public Health
Rachel Lobe Costonis earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases from Yale University, completing her studies from 2020 to 2022. Prior to this, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs with a concentration in Global Public Health and a minor in Public Health from The George Washington University, where she studied from 2013 to 2017. Her education has equipped her with a strong foundation in public health principles and practices.
Internship and Early Career Experience
Costonis began her career with various internships that provided her with valuable experience in public health and related fields. In 2015, she worked as a Segway Tour Guide at Capital Segway Inc. and held positions as a Congressional Intern for Congressman William R. Keating and as an Executive Intern at the American Red Cross. She also interned at Families USA and No More Epidemics, gaining insights into health policy and advocacy.
Current Research and Interests
Currently, Rachel Lobe Costonis works as a Graduate Research Intern at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Embu, Kenya, and as an Outbreak Investigator at the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Her research interests focus on pathogens of pandemic potential and integrating community-driven approaches to outbreak response. She also serves as a Fellow at the Yale Institute for Global Health, contributing to global health initiatives.