Lacey Teal ’21, ’22 MPH

“I’ve always had a passion for health and wellness and knew that I wanted to make a positive difference for individuals and communities,” says health promotion major Lacey Teal. “The University of Lynchburg and the professors in my department have set me up for success. The health promotion program provides a well-rounded curriculum in several health areas such as drugs and behavior, women’s health and health disparities, equity, and advocacy. The program also allows students to discover areas of interest [through varied] assignments, projects, and internships, which can translate into potential future careers.”

Lacey became interested in public relations and marketing in health care toward the end of her degree. She connected over LinkedIn with the senior vice president of health equity at Ketchum — a public relations, marketing, and branding health care firm. That connection landed her as the first health equity intern with the company.

Ketchum hired Lacey part-time while she completes her master’s in public health at Lynchburg. Once finished, she joined full time. She has since moved on to become a senior associate in advocacy management with Woodberry Associates.