Biography of Cassandra Okechukwu, MSN, MPH, RN

Cassandra Okechukwu, MSN, MPH, RN

Secretary

Cassandra Okechukwu is doctoral student at Harvard School of Public Health. Most recently, she was a clinical research coordinator with an occupational health nursing research group at the University of Maryland School of Nursing from 2002-2004. Ms. Okechukwu earned Masters in Public Health and Masters in Community Health Nursing degrees from Johns Hopkins University in 2002. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society of nursing, and the American Public Health Association.

In 2000-2001, Ms. Okechukwu worked as an RN on an infectious disease ward at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree from the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore (UMBSON) in 2000, where she was the recipient of the U.S. Army's Spirit of Nursing Award and the University's Outstanding Student Leader Award. Prior to earning her BSN, Ms. Okechukwu worked for several years as a nursing assistant at institutions in Maryland. She earned an Associate's Degree in art from Montgomery College, Maryland in 1998.

Ms. Okechukwu has been active in several community advocacy groups, including HERO, which supports HIV/AIDS patients, and the Safe Haven Project, where she coordinates health programs and retreats for young people infected with HIV. She also is a member of the steering committee for the Substance Abuse and HIV prevention for black commercial sex workers study at UMBSON. In 1999-2000, she coordinated an HIV prevention program for sixth graders in Baltimore City. Prior to that she earned "Volunteer of the Year" awards for her work with Best Buddies at Montgomery College, which helps people with mental retardation, and with Hebrew Home of the Washington Area, where she served as an aide to elderly residents.

Ms. Okechukwu emigrated to the U.S. from Enugu State, Nigeria in 1993. She currently resides in Boston.

Ms. Okechukwu may be e-mailed at cokec001@umaryland.edu