Monthly Public Health Consultant Spotlight: Sarah Gilman, MPH, CHES

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 Sarah Gilman from the Washington, DC area (USA)!

1. Please share your educational background and business title/name.

I am the Owner & Principal Consultant  for Wayfinder Health Strategies, LLC.

Degrees and certifications: Master of Public Health (MPH) and Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)

2. Tell us how you entered the field of public health and what your education and work experience was prior to consulting or starting your own business.

I was brought up in Lima, Perú, by two passionate and inspiring public health professionals who regularly included me in their work. Some of my earliest memories revolve around public health, from dissecting a diseased pig with my dad to accompanying my mom to the pueblo jovenes outside of Lima, and watching her work with families and health promoters on community-based programs. After college, I returned to Perú to work in the Amazon for a year, serving on a team that aimed to increase the hospital’s access to water and handwashing for patients and staff. That was a big turning point for me. When I returned to the United States, I worked at Planned Parenthood, where I built my knowledge in reproductive health, and then Chemonics International, where I  acquired program management skills while working and traveling throughout Latin America. I then earned a Master of Public Health at Emory University, focused on Global Health. I loved my time as a student—I learned so many skills that I still use as a consultant. In Atlanta, I also had the opportunity to work for the Dekalb County Board of Health, helping to coordinate the Board’s application for accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board. In 2013 I moved to the DC area with my husband and started work as the Lupus Foundation of America’s Health Content Manager—and eventually, Director for the National Resource Center on Lupus. And now, I have the opportunity to wrap all of these different experiences and skills into my consulting work, while also pursuing a doctoral degree in Translational Health Sciences, where I can continue to deepen my public health knowledge.

3. When did you start your business and what were your motivations for pursuing self-employment?

I started Wayfinder Health Strategies in 2017. I moved to consulting because I wanted to play a driving and creative role in setting my own business goals, while aligning my professional goals with my personal priorities.

4. Who is your ideal client? What services do you offer?

I find that everyone I work with brings something different and valuable to the table, which is why I love consulting. Wayfinder Health Strategies offers a range of services around two areas: program dissemination & implementation, and health education. Within these broad categories we assist with research design, qualitative and quantitative research, grant proposals, program implementation, monitoring and evaluation, health content strategy, and content writing. One of the things I love the most about consulting is that, often, I can do this work in two languages, as I am also a native Spanish speaker.

5. What is your favorite type of project to work on and why?

My favorite projects revolve around program dissemination & implementation, and are responsive to the broader goals of translational science. Through this work, we can help shift research findings and clinical best practices forward, into population-level interventions that can measurably improve the health of individuals and the public. I’m learning about many of the theories and frameworks behind this as I complete my doctoral studies in GWU’s Translational Health Sciences program, and I love applying what I am learning in practice.

6. How has your consulting business been impacted by COVID-19? What adjustments have you made in order to continue to be successful?

COVID-19 has impacted many of Wayfinder’s projects, and I have learned some valuable lessons about creating adaptive, resilient public health programs. In some cases, we’ve delayed program milestones. In others, we’ve worked aggressively to adapt our plans, discarding ideas that no longer work. I’ve learned that context is essential, and there is no one way to adapt effectively. I have a 5 year old and a one year old, and like many working parents, I am balancing my consulting work, homeschooling my children, and homeschooling myself. So, even on an individual level, I’m continually adapting and learning more about myself.

7. 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?

Think about what success means to you ahead of time, and don’t use someone else’s definition. For one consultant, success may mean bringing in a certain amount of profit every year. For another, it may revolve around having a more well-rounded life. Think about what success is to you, and then create a business plan that drives you towards that vision. Your daily actions and overall goals should be aligned with who you are and what you want out of life.  

8. How can readers connect with you?

Readers can connect with me via my website, newsletter, LinkedIn profile, and Twitter.