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Get to Know HBSSO

Mission

HBSSO represents student interests to the Department. It cultivates student engagement and acts as a liaison between students and HBS faculty and staff. 

Scope

HBSSO serves a variety of functions, from organizing events to facilitating student mentorship programs to planning the use of the HBS student work room. The organization also coordinates student representation on HBS committees, offering the Department student perspectives on critical developments related to practice, research, and more. 

Structure

The leadership of HBSSO is made up of four co-chairs, with one representative from each HBS degree program. 

With the aim of serving and advocating for the needs of HBS students, the organization chairs coordinate the following events:

• HBSSO Meetings (HBSSO chairs and committee members), once per academic term
• General Meetings (student body), twice per academic year
• Meet-the-Chair Event (HBS chair and student body), twice per academic year
• Student Social/Development Events (student body), as requested

Current Leadership

The current HBSSO co-chairs are:

MHS Co-Chair: Ashlyn Abrielle Pruitt 

Ashlyn Abrielle is a second-year MHS in Health, Behavior and Society student. She earned her BA in anthropology with a minor in African American studies from Texas State University in December 2021. Her interests include supporting youth aging out of foster care and individuals experiencing housing insecurity. A former third grade ELAR teacher in Houston Independent School District, she is passionate about serving underserved communities. Ashlyn currently supports outreach and center operations at the , where she is building experience in harm reduction. She is also conducting a scoping review on mobile health delivery services for unhoused populations.

MSPH Co-Chairs: Sofía Espinoza and Allison Zhang 

Sofía is a second-year MSPH in Health Education and Health Communication student who is also completing a certificate in the Evaluation of International Health Programs. She is passionate about addressing chronic health disparities in under-resourced populations, globally and in the United States. She is presently serving in her field placement in Puno, Peru, on the project, Addressing Hypertension and Diabetes through Community Engaged Systems (ANDES).

Allison is a second-year MSPH in Health Education and Health Communication student. She earned her Bachelor of Science in health science with a biomedical Concentration and Bachelor of Science in public health from St. Bonaventure University in May 2024. Allison's interests are in maternal health, child health, mental health awareness, advocacy, and policy development. She serves as president of the Mental Health Graduate Network, a teaching assistant at the Bloomberg School, and research assistant to the Early Childhood Services Research Program. Allison is currently serving her field placement with the Child Injury Prevention Network with the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Department at Johns Hopkins Hospital.