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Photograph of Celeste Davis

Celeste Davis Professorial Lecturer and Director of Public Health Scholars CAS | DHS | Health Studies

Contact
Celeste Davis
(202) 885-1568
CAS | Health Studies
McCabe Hall 221
Tuesdays 10 -11 pm, Wednesdays and Fridays by appointment via Zoom
Additional Positions at AU
Director, Public Health Scholars
Degrees
BS, Psychology, Bennett College for Women
MPH, Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health
JD, Boston University School of Law

Book Currently Reading
Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want by Ruha Benjamin
Bio
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” — Albert Einstein

What I do is a mix of public health education, professional development, and strategy and program design in academic, community, and social impact spaces. Right now, I am embracing a hyperlocal approach to change through academia as faculty at American University where I serve as the faculty director of the Public Health Scholars. My other campus involvement supports innovative curriculum development, social justice and community-based training and scholarship, and deepening institutional commitment to supporting diverse faculty and students’ needs.

Outside of campus, I rely on my recent experiences as:


“There are two questions that we have to ask ourselves. The first is 'Where am I going?' and the second is 'Who will go with me?'” — Howard ThurmanWhat drives me is my significant experience educating and advocating with hundreds of brilliant students and brave practitioners across the United States and designing advocacy strategies, facilitating stakeholder convenings, and leading innovative approaches that champion thriving communities. My advocacy practice is informed by critical race scholarship, emergent strategy and design thinking.

Outside of my time on the frontlines, my other training includes earning a Master of Public Health in Health Management and Policy from the University of Michigan and attended Boston University School of Law. However, it was my education at Bennett College, a women’s HBCU, where I found public health and myself.

Courses Taught: Introduction to Public Health, Introduction to Health Promotion, Food Justice Matters, Local to Global Health Policy, Multicultural Health, Health Communications
See Also
On Campus Appointment
Virtual Appointment
Personal Website
For the Media
To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

Teaching

Summer 2024

  • HLTH-211 Emerging Issues Public Health

  • HLTH-245 Multicultural Health

  • HLTH-294 Comm Service Learning Project: Emerging issues public health

Fall 2024

  • HLTH-110 Introduction to Public Health

  • HLTH-111 Public Health Scholars Lab

  • HLTH-245 Multicultural Health

  • HLTH-294 Comm Service Learning Project: Multicultural Health

Spring 2025

  • HLTH-110 Introduction to Public Health

  • HLTH-616 Design Thinking Public Health