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My Story

 

My name is Kaylee and I am an ambitious young woman from the Appalachian region of Ohio pursuing my goals to become a more effective health communication professional. 

 

It is important to know I did not end up where I thought I was going. I started my educational journey at Muskingum University studying communication, political science, and gender studies, to become a divorce attorney. Little did I know, I despised argumentation (sorry Professor Alesandrini!) and could not imagine myself in a courtroom. I found my fervor rested in persuasion and how carefully crafted messages and interpersonal interactions can influence our health behaviors.

 

This curiosity led me to continue my education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for my Masters degree. I worked with renowned researchers who developed successful social marketing health campaigns on both the local and national levels. I also had the opportunity to support the It's On Us National Sexual Assault Awareness campaign serving as a task force member and a regional leader. These experiences fueled my passion for violence prevention and I carried this interest with me into my Ph.D. program.

 

At the University of Kentucky, I worked with incredible health communication and message design scholars who helped me expand my expertise in the design and evaluation of health messages. I was able to apply these skills to expand knowledge on social and behavioral issues of importance such as working to alleviate the opioid epidemic, preventing sexual assault, and identifying communication strategies to support survivors of intimate partner violence. Notably, I had the privilege to work as a project manager and research assistant on an interdisciplinary and multi-institution project to carefully develop and test health messages promoting the proper disposal of unused prescription opioids in Appalachia. 

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I currently serve as a Research Development Manager at the Center for Social and Behavioral Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, My efforts focus on identifying, expanding, and supporting interdisciplinary research initiatives in the area of social and behavioral health. 

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Long story short, I am not the lawyer I (and my parents) hoped for when I was younger. Instead, my passion and drive have led to once in a lifetime opportunities I never knew existed. These experiences and exceptional relationships, personally and professionally, led me to this new phase of my career. I am proud to be somewhere I can support innovative research to improve the health and well-being of others.

 

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