Dr. Patsy Schneider-Ingram sees other people’s wins as her own.

Originally drawn into the field by her interest in exercise science, Dr. Schneider-Ingram wanted to help others achieve active, healthy lifestyles.

She received a master’s degree in human performance from Southern Connecticut State University. After graduating, she worked in a state-of-the-art wellness center that offered perks to its employees.

She was surprised to see that such an impressive space saw few users. This led her to return to SCSU to learn about health behavior and wellness engagement.

When she got her PhD from Walden University, Dr. Schneider-Ingram discovered a new passion: teaching. Working with students, fostering their curiosity, and watching a “light bulb moment” happen makes her job infinitely rewarding.

Whether she’s developing a health promotion program, supporting others in finding a new career opportunity, or simply watching someone find joy in the work they do, Dr. Schneider-Ingram finds purpose and pride.

As a board member for Connecticut SOPHE, Dr. Schneider-Ingram got to know a variety of public health professionals, leading initiatives to improve public health education and practice across the state. She is now Vice-Chair of the 2027 SOPHE Annual Conference Planning Committee, bringing together public health educators, researchers, practitioners, and students from across the country to learn how to better their practice.

For future professionals in public health education, Dr. Schneider-Ingram encourages that they seek mentors and get to know their professional community:

“Remember that a successful career is rarely built alone,” she said. “The combination of strong mentors, meaningful professional relationships, and active involvement in the field can create opportunities and experiences that shape your career in ways you may never anticipate.”

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This blog post was written by Rea Yoh, a public health graduate student at Dartmouth College.