For Dr. Aihinoria Olisa, the journey from Nigeria to USF’s College of Public Health (COPH) was both personal and purposeful.
“I grew up in a suburban neighborhood in southern Nigeria where my parents, like many others, prioritized education,” he said. “My father worked as a harbor officer for more than 35 years and my mother managed small businesses.”
After completing his medical degree at the University of Benin in Nigeria in 2011, Olisa worked as a medical officer and saw firsthand the struggles of underserved communities. “I had patients who had barriers in accessing health care. That inspired me to start voluntary medical missions,” he said.
“We conducted health education outreaches, offered basic clinical consultations and even distributed mobility carts to 20 people with disabilities to address transportation challenges,” he said. “The results were real and immediate, improved health outcomes for people who had so few options.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Olisa led the response as director of health services for a tertiary institution. “Though we achieved measurable outcomes, it exposed how fragile our systems were,” he explained.
Olisa said the desire to have a better response in the future using public health principles inspired him to pursue graduate education in public health.
“I wanted to understand health in the broader community beyond the walls of the hospital and find ways to improve systems for people who are often left behind,” he said.
That decision brought him to the COPH where he earned his MPH in environmental and occupational health in 2024.
“Florida was my state of choice because of its beautiful weather,” Olisa admitted. “But when I searched for leading public health programs, the COPH stood out immediately.”
He quickly immersed himself in academics, research and service. “The Samuel P. Bell, III, building wasn’t just classrooms, it was a hub for genuine community experience,” he reflected. “I built lifelong friendships and a network of faculty and mentors who still guide me today.”
Olisa presented on the Ryan White Part B Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) program during the Mississippi Department of Health's monthly Grand Rounds in February 2025.
During his time at COPH, he earned academic achievement on the Dean’s list, served as a graduate student ambassador, presented at APHA and at the Florida Suicide Prevention Conference among other professional venues and worked closely with faculty on veteran suicide prevention initiatives and health care access for underinsured Floridians.
One of his proudest memories came during National Public Health Week 2024.
“I received a SHARP award and met my professional mentor, Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos, acting chief of staff and senior advisor in the Office of the Surgeon-General of the United States, who was also being honored,” he recalled. “Her work in ensuring health care access for children in Florida inspired me and she continues to be a mentor I deeply admire.”
Olisa presented his research at the Annual Public Health Association Conference in Minneapolis in 2024. (Photo courtesy of Olisa)
Today, Olisa is the program coordinator for the Mississippi State Department of Health’s (MSDH) Ryan White Part B Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) program. He manages grants, oversees subrecipients and works with community health workers to support uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV across the state.
“What I love most is working with a team of ambitious, interdisciplinary coworkers who are passionate about reducing new HIV infections,” he said. “It is rewarding to implement innovative, data-informed interventions that help people navigate the HIV care continuum from diagnosis to viral suppression.”
He credits his COPH training for preparing him well.
“Engaging systems thinking has been central to my practice. It helps me design interventions that are specific to the communities I serve,” he said.
In July 2025, Olisa represented MSDH at Health Resources and Services Administration’s Administrative Reverse Site Visit in Maryland, a career milestone he describes with pride.
“I also had the honor of visiting Dr. Haridopolos in the Office of the Surgeon General to share my progress,” he said. “It was a full-circle moment.”
Olisa (left) with Dr. Stephanie Haridopolos, Acting Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor in the Office of the Surgeon General in Washington, DC, on August 1, 2025.
Recognitions such as his induction into the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health and his earlier appointment as a scholar with the United Nations Population Fund continue to affirm his trajectory.
Olisa reflected on faculty who inspired him along the way: “Dr. Abraham Salinas helped provide opportunities for hands-on experience in public health practice and research. Those moments shaped how I translated classroom insights into community engagements and research efforts. Dr. Jay Wolfson evoked critical thinking discussions during classes and Dr. Anna Armstrong provided important mentorship touchpoints.”
Olisa’s passion for human-centered design fuels his long-term goal of pursuing a DrPH in health policy, health systems and leadership.
“In the short term, I want to keep advancing my work with people with HIV,” he said. “But my vision is bigger; I want to be part of advancing health systems and developing policies to meet people where they are.”
Fast Five:
What did you dream of becoming when you were young?
I had an elbow wound when I was learning how to ride my bicycle as a child that required several clinic visits for wound dressings. It was that experience that birthed a desire to become a medical doctor.
Where would we find you on the weekend?
I love to spend my weekends at home, to reset from being out there in the community. Also, I engage in faith-based activities.
What is the last book you read?
“Plagues and Politics” by Fitzhugh Mullan, MD
What superpower would you like to have?
End poverty! It is a foremost threat to public health. I really wish it were gone.
What’s your all-time favorite movie?
“The Haves and the Have Nots” by Tyler Perry.