Each year, PNHP California selects an outstanding health professional student for a one year fellowship dedicated to the education and advocacy for a single payer health plan. We are thrilled to announce that the 2010-2011 Shearer Student Fellow is Molly Tavella from UC Davis Public Health School. The Shearer fellowship is named in honor of the former president of the California Physicians’ Alliance, John Shearer, a devoted champion of the California single payer movement, and dear friend to many.

MOLLY TAVELLA

Molly Tavella is a native of San Jose, California. She attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she earned her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences, as well as minors in English, Psychology and Biotechnology. Molly discovered public health from an advisor and completed an internship at the San Luis Obispo Department of Public Health, working to dispel myths about vaccines in the Immunizations Program.

Molly attended the UC Davis MPH program, focusing her coursework in the study of epidemiology. While attending UC Davis, Molly worked as the Saving Lungs, Saving Lives intern in the Yolo County Health Department’s Tobacco Education Program. There she worked with campus, community, and government organizations to address tobacco-related issues. She also helped pass a citywide resolution encouraging apartment complex owners to designate at least 50% of their property as smoke-free. Additionally, during this time she completed her practicum with the Sacramento Wraparound Program, a comprehensive hospital-based intervention program that helped gang-involved youth change their lifestyle.

Molly became interested in government health insurance after learning that out of all developed nations, the healthcare system in the United States was ranked the lowest. She believes that universal health care is a right and the lack of it is currently the biggest public health problem in America. Molly is currently the 2010-2011 Shearer Student Fellow for Physicians for a National Health Program California, working to make single payer a reality.

Molly is excited to meet the members and friends of PNHP California. She is working with Dr. Skeen in the Berkeley office where she can be reached at (510) 665-8523. You can also email her at molly@pnhpcalifornia.org.