Monthly Public Health Consultant Spotlight: Quisha Umemba, MPH, BSN, RN, CDCES, CHWI
Each month, I will introduce you to a public health consultant or entrepreneur and they will share their path to self-employment and outline key pieces of advice for aspiring business owners.
Today we welcome Quisha Umemba from Austin, Texas (USA)!
1. Please share your educational background and business title/name.
I am the Owner/CEO of Umemba Health, LLC.
Degrees and Certifications:
MPH: Master of Public Health
BSN: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
RN: Registered Nurse
CDCES: Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist
CHWI: Community Health Worker Instructor
2. Tell us how you entered the field of public health and what your education and work experience was prior to consulting.
I have been a nurse for 13 years. I started out as a medical assistant and then went on to nursing school. I originally applied to a licensed practical nurse (LPN) program but I didn’t pass the math portion of the entrance exam so I didn’t get accepted. I found an RN program that didn’t require an entrance exam and became a Registered Nurse instead. I have severe math anxiety but I was able to overcome and fast tracked through the Associates program before eventually going on to complete my Bachelors in Nursing Science.
I started out as a staff nurse in Surgical ICU, worked as a Charge Nurse for a long-term care unit, a Clinic Coordinator for an Endocrinology clinic, a Chief Nurse for a local health department and most recently the Diabetes Nurse Consultant for a state health department. I also have a few certifications. I am a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (formerly Certified Diabetes Educator) and Community Health Worker Instructor to name a couple.
I fell in love with Public Health completing a windshield assessment assignment for a community health course in my BSN program. The windshield assessment basically means you drive around your neighborhood and take note of all things that are considered a public health hazard. It really opened my eyes to the environment around me. For the first time I really noticed things like new neighborhood developments without bus stops, communities without grocery stores, lack of sidewalks, and dogs running around without leashes. I was fascinated learning how all of these things contributed to health in some way. I was hooked.
3. When did you start consulting and what were your motivations for pursuing self-employment?
I started my business in 2019. For the first iteration of my business, I provided chronic disease and wellness coaching and counseling to individual clients. I pivoted my services at the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic and now provide workforce development for front-line health workers.
4. Who is your ideal client? What services do you offer?
As I work in both healthcare and public health, my ideal clients also come from both the healthcare and public health settings. Our clients are Community Health Workers, Certified Health Education Specialists, Medical Assistants, front office staff, and the organizations that employ them. We believe that front-line health workers have incredible expertise and by empowering them through online learning and virtual training, we make a larger impact on the world to save and improve more lives. Our services include continuing education through our online school Umemba Health Academy. We also provide workforce development training for groups and organizations, as well as consulting and technical assistance for businesses and healthcare systems. The goal of our services is to provide interactive, engaging learning experiences so learners can quickly achieve results that are easily replicated in the real world. We believe investing in front-line health workers is a win-win for everyone producing positive results for workers, employers, and communities.
5. What is your favorite type of project to work on and why?
Curriculum development and virtual event planning are some of my favorite things to do. I’m happiest when I am developing a customized training program for an organization and then delivering that training.
6. Many of our readers are considering a career as a self-employed public health consultant or entrepreneur. What is your best piece of advice for those considering or just starting out?
For those thinking about consulting and entrepreneurship, first I would say, find something that you love doing so much that you would do for free (but be sure to charge for it of course ). Many entrepreneurs like me have extensive skills in many areas but it doesn’t mean that we will love doing a particular type of work day in and day out. There are a lot of public health skills I’m experienced in but they are not fun for me like grant-writing and evaluation, so I knew when I started my business those were not services that I would offer.
Secondly, keep your eyes on your own paper. You will be tempted to look at other consultants and their businesses and try to compare where your business is to theirs. Entrepreneurship is crazy scary. It’s not easy putting yourself out there so give yourself credit for doing what others may be unable to do. Learn from your peers, share and collaborate with them but never judge your success by theirs.
7. How can readers connect with you?
Readers can connect with me via my website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and online courses.
Next week, Umemba Health is co-hosting the People of COLOR Living With Diabetes Virtual Summit
August 3-6, 2020
The Summit will feature health professionals, community educators, social media influencers and sports legends discussing issues that affect people of color living with diabetes.