USF College of Public Health (COPH) alumna Aditi Desai joined a growing list of alumni recognized for their exceptional service and dedication to public health. She was one of two awarded a 2026 COPH Outstanding Alumni Award, presented on October 15 as part of the COPH Award and Recognition Ceremony.
For Desai, the path to a career in public health at USF’s College of Public Health (COPH) was anything but conventional. What began as a plan to attend medical school became a journey into global health, community education and health literacy. Today, as community outreach manager at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Desai helps people access information and resources that can improve their health.
“I always say that where I am today was totally by accident,” Desai said. “If anybody doesn't believe in destiny or fate, my life trajectory is 100% evidence of destiny.”
Raised in Orlando, Fla., Desai developed an early interest in service and helping others. She attended an International Baccalaureate magnet program before earning a bachelor's degree in psychology, with minors in biochemistry and photography, from Mercer University in Macon, Ga. Initially pursuing a pre-medical track, she was drawn to Mercer's science programs and commitment to addressing health care shortages in rural communities.
When medical school did not work out as planned, Desai explored other options and discovered the COPH. Its Peace Corps Master's International Program offered an opportunity to combine graduate education with international service, so she enrolled in the MPH program with a concentration in global health practice.
Desai (front, center) in Uganda with the Peace Corps Master's International Program. (Photo courtesy of Desai)
Within her first few months of coursework, Desai realized she had found her calling.
“I asked myself, why am I going to med school? Public health is what I want to do,” she said. “To me, it made more sense to figure out the root of the problem and fix that.”
Public health offered the collaborative, holistic approach to health care that appealed to Desai. Rather than focusing only on individual illnesses, she wanted to understand the underlying causes of health challenges and work alongside communities to develop sustainable solutions.
As a student, Desai served as president of the Public Health Student Association and helped organize “Science and Society,” a TED Talk-style event featuring COPH faculty discussing the broader impact of public health. Additionally, she received the Golden Bull Award, one of USF’s highest student recognitions, reserved for students who have made significant contributions to the university community.
Desai credits former faculty members Drs. Boo Kwa and Richard “Ran” Nisbett with inspiring her through their international work and commitment to serving communities. A study abroad experience in China with Kwa further strengthened her interest in global health.
Their example taught her that professional success and meaningful service can go hand in hand.
“As long as you're feeling joy and you can have that joy in what you're doing, it's good work,” she said.
While earning her MPH in global health practice, Desai served in the Peace Corps in Uganda, where she developed a community-based menstrual health education program for primary and secondary school students. Working with local health educators and nurses, she helped create an eight-week program that taught students about menstrual health and how to make reusable menstrual pads.
“This gave families resources that would allow the young women to continue attending school (while menstruating),” Desai remarked. “Previously, they would miss school because they didn’t have money for pads or tampons.”
Desai (front, center) in Uganda. (Photo courtesy of Desai)
Desai focused on building a sustainable program rather than delivering the lessons herself. She trained local teachers, nurses and school administrators to lead the curriculum independently. More than a decade later, the program is still operating, making it one of the professional accomplishments she values most.
After returning to the United States and graduating from the COPH in 2013, Desai began working with a Tampa community-based organization providing HIV prevention and education services. She initially viewed the position as a steppingstone toward international work, but the experience changed her perspective.
“People need help here,” she realized. “Why wouldn't I help someone in my own backyard?”
In 2016, Desai moved to California, where she continued working in community health, including opioid addiction treatment, health education, case management and COVID-19 vaccine deployment.
Today, she applies that experience as community outreach manager at the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a state agency that funds research in regenerative medicine, including cell and gene therapy, as well as workforce development and programs that help patients access clinical trials.
Through health fairs, public events, presentations and partnerships with patient advocacy organizations, Desai helps Californians understand emerging research and available resources. She also connects eligible patients with programs designed to reduce barriers to clinical trial participation.
Her work has sparked a growing interest in health literacy, particularly as misinformation about research and clinical trials has become more visible. Since graduating from USF, Desai earned the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential. She is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in health literacy at Georgia State University and is considering a doctor of public health degree to deepen her expertise.
Desai has remained connected with USF through the COPH Alumni Society, serving as an at-large board member for nearly five years. After moving to California, she sought ways to build community with people who shared her interests and values. The Alumni Society provided that connection and she now advocates for distance alumni and virtual engagement opportunities.
More than a decade after discovering COPH during an uncertain time in her life, Desai continues to value the education, relationships and community the college has provided.
“Even after all these years, it's still continued to provide for me,” she said.
Fast Five
What did you dream of becoming when you were young?
An astronaut.
Where would we find you on the weekend?
Probably reading a book on the couch if I'm not at the farmer's market.
What is the last book you read?
"Good People". Each perspective is told as an interview and it's about Afghan culture and the idea of honor crimes.
What superpower would you like to have?
Instant teleportation
What’s your all-time favorite movie?
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. It's a Hindi movie that opened in 1995 and there is a theater in Mumbai that to this day still plays it. So, it is the longest consecutively running movie. From opening day to now it has always been playing! It's also on Netflix.