Leveraging CHES® to Build Opportunities in Public Health
Last week, I had the pleasure of watching something I worked on for months come to life,What’s Next After CHES or MCHES? A 3-Step Framework for Your Next Career Chapter. One of the key questions was, entrepunership leveraging the CHES and MCHES certification. Let’s explore my journey.
My CHES® Journey
Many people know that my work through I Am Health Education® started with my own CHES exam preparation.
When I was preparing for the exam, I:
Co-founded a study group
Built study guides for each Area of Responsibility
Used my undergraduate coursework and textbooks to stay aligned with the competencies
Practiced questions with peers and constantly checked my understanding
That preparation paid off — I passed the CHES exam on my first attempt. At the time, I began sharing my study materials and resources for free.
The Beginning of I Am Health Education®
After becoming CHES certified in 2020, I was working in a very data-heavy role and began asking myself:
How am I actually using this certification I worked so hard to obtain?
Somewhere along the way, the name I Am Health Education® came to me. Initially, the vision was simple:
create health education videos and resources for the community.
I didn’t consider myself an entrepreneur at all. But someone who served as a mentor asked me a question that shifted my thinking:
“Why are you giving your CHES prep resources away for free?”
People were paying significant amounts of money for CHES preparation support. That question pushed me to think differently.
Building My First CHES Bootcamp
It took several months to build my first CHES Prep Bootcamp.
The original version was a 4-day synchronous course. Each day we covered two Areas of Responsibility and included:
Quizzes
Interactive polls
Presentation slides
One-on-one discussions
Exam preparation strategies
Evaluation and feedback
It was a lot of work. At times, I questioned whether it was worth the effort.
But participant feedback made it clear that the course was helping people.
Turning the Bootcamp Into an Online Course
After receiving feedback — and honestly feeling a bit exhausted from the live format — I transitioned the bootcamp into an online course.
Over time, the course has been updated, refined, aligned with updated HESPA competencies, and improved through participant feedback. The most rewarding part is hearing from people who say:
“Your course helped me pass the CHES exam.”
How CHES Opened New Doors
As the course grew, so did my audience. That visibility created opportunities I never expected.
I began thinking about teaching as an adjunct professor. I saw another Brown woman teaching in the field, and it made me realize that this path might actually be possible.
I leveraged the skills I developed while creating the CHES course to apply for my first adjunct role. The hiring manager — who was MCHES certified — was impressed that I had built a CHES preparation course.
That opportunity changed everything.
Three years later, I now teach at my alma mater, and it has been an incredible experience.
Opportunities I Never Expected
Since starting I Am Health Education®, I’ve also had opportunities to:
Contribute to textbook writing
Serve on advisory boards
Review federal grant applications
Collaborate with public health organizations
And I’m certain many opportunities still exist that I haven’t even discovered yet.
What I’ve Learned Along the Way
Here are a few lessons from my journey.
Network — and Keep Networking
Many opportunities happen through simple conversations. You never know what might come from connecting with someone new. Sometimes it starts with something as simple as a coffee chat.
Join a Public Health Coffee Chat
Leverage the Skills You Already Have
You may already have valuable expertise. Think about what you’ve already done:
Program planning
Evaluation design
Needs assessments
Training modules
Curriculum development
These skills can open doors beyond your current role.
Take the Leap
Sometimes you have to create something and simply put it out into the world.
Even if it isn’t perfect.
Even if it evolves over time.
Taking action allows you to refine your ideas and grow into your expertise. And you never know who may be watching and thinking about potential collaboration opportunities.
Reach Out to Partners
I’ve connected with many public health professionals and organizations over the years.
Some emails go unanswered — and that’s okay. But many people said yes.
Those yeses lead to collaborations, partnerships, and new opportunities.
Why I Started I Am Health Education®
All of the opportunities I’ve experienced started with one decision:
Taking the leap to create something.
When I launched I Am Health Education®, there were no partners or collaborators.
Just an idea.
Six years later, it has been an incredible learning journey — sometimes productive, sometimes messy, but always meaningful. And I still have many ideas brewing.
Want to Be Part of What’s Next?
Join a Public Health Coffee Chat.
Short conversations designed to help public health professionals connect.
Explore the Public Health Workforce Lab
A space for conversations, networking, and career development.
🧠 Explore the Public Health Workfroce lab
Join the CHES Collective Interest List
A peer-supported study community launching ahead of the October 2026 CHES exam window.
📝 Join the CHES Collective Interest List