Public health is one of the most misunderstood fields in the job market. It’s full of people who quietly hold entire communities together, designing prevention programs, managing data, and saving lives. Yet they’re often underpaid, overlooked, and invisible to recruiters.
The irony is that the very professionals trained to serve others often struggle to advocate for themselves.
They’re taught to be humble, to focus on the team, and to chase the same oversaturated government jobs as everyone else. It leaves brilliant, mission-driven people stuck, and a huge pool of untapped talent hiding in plain sight.
The problem has never been a lack of skill, but rather a lack of visibility. The industry doesn’t teach them how to translate their experience into the language of opportunity.
And recruiters who claim there’s a “talent shortage” are often just looking in the wrong places, or using job titles no one in public health would ever search for.
That’s the gap Dr. Desiree Strickland set out to close with The Public Health Club, a community that helps public-health professionals uncover new career paths, build digital portfolios, and market themselves with confidence.
What can recruiters do to serve the public health dig better? In this episode, the public health entrepreneur, consultant, and professor shares why public-health talent gets overlooked, what recruiters are missing, and why visibility, not credentials, is the new currency of opportunity.
Guest Bio
Dr. Desiree Strickland is an award-winning Public Health Entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Strickland Health Consulting, and The Public Health Club. She is also an Adjunct Professor at South University. Dr. Strickland is a visionary public health professional with over a decade of experience in health equity, strategic planning, and career development. As Founder and CEO of The Public Health Club, she has built a dynamic network of 560+ members, providing mentorship, workshops, and career coaching that have helped professionals secure jobs, launch consulting careers, and achieve significant financial growth. Dr. Strickland is a proven leader in public health consulting and project management, specializing in health equity-focused initiatives. She has developed training programs and needs assessments impacting professionals across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Her work addresses critical topics like overdose response, workplace equity, and community engagement, earning her recognition for creating scalable solutions tailored to diverse populations. With expertise in public health policy, program evaluation, and partnership development, Dr. Strickland has served in leadership roles at the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Florida Department of Health. She has managed multimillion-dollar programs, directed strategic planning efforts, and developed health equity-driven frameworks to tackle chronic disease prevention and health disparities at local, state, and federal levels. To get in touch with Dr. Strickland, send an email to info@publichealthclub.com.
About Your Host
Vince Holt is the founder and CEO of Management Recruiters of Mercer Island. With 35+ years of industry experience, he is the only MRINetwork team member to win CSAM of the Year, Person of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. In addition to spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, Vince has raced motorcycles for over 50 years, winning 5 National Championships.
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