Health Policy, Global Impact, and Community Roots

In this episode, Max Du ('24 cohort) and Anson Zhou ('24 cohort) speak with Eliza Ennis ('22 cohort) about her journey from a close-knit community in New Mexico to Stanford’s Health Policy PhD program and how her upbringing, family, and community have shaped her interests. Eliza discusses her academic journey from Harvard to Stanford, plans for her upcoming dissertation, and some of the research and social impact projects that she has worked on around the world. She discusses her passion for health policy, the challenges of translating research into real-world solutions, and her vision for a more equitable healthcare system worldwide.

Highlights from the episode:

(02:23) Growing up in New Mexico

(12:42) The role of Eliza's family and community on her academic path

(18:12) Eliza's journey to studying health policy at Stanford and her experiences within the PhD program

(25:02) Work she will do in summer 2025 and her past research projects

(30:18) How community stories have impacted how she thinks about and approaches global health

(36:22) Eliza's work in San Francisco and plans for her dissertation

(44:42) Reflecting on community

(48:35) Improbable facts