About Us
Our Purpose
Our purpose at the Office of Public Health Practice is to advance academia and practice toward a more effective, interconnected, just, and modernized public health system. We achieve this through our academic and practice partnerships, capacity development efforts, the training and technical assistance we offer, and student practice experiences.
Our Commitments
We provide high-quality experiences, responsive to the needs of those we serve. Our success is achieved through the following core commitments:
- We build and maintain authentic and trusted partnerships.
- We embrace difficult questions to challenge the status quo.
- We elevate the current and future public health workforce.
- We listen and respond.
- We are intentional about the experiences we craft.
- We value an environment of fun and growth.
What is public health practice?
Academic public health practice is the applied, interdisciplinary pursuit of scholarship in the field of public health. Learn more about developing an exceptional public health workforce.
Our Work
Our services are available to any organization working to advance the health and well-being of the communities they serve, including local, state, and Tribal health departments, non-profits and community-based organizations, students, academics and beyond. To engage our Office, please submit an OPHP Request Form or contact one of our staff members.
Core Areas Of Work
Highlighted Projects
Established in 2005, the Great Plains Leadership Institute is a year-long competency-based training program designed for established and emerging leaders in organizations whose primary mission is to improve the health and well-being of populations and communities they serve. Institute scholars come from a broad range of organizations, from State, Local, and Tribal health departments, to academia, non-profits, hospitals, and more. A robust experiential curriculum includes on-site and distance-based learning, mentoring and coaching, and collaborative practice projects. The Institute serves public health professionals from across the Midwest region, including Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Minnesota, and beyond. Applications open each spring and the Institute kicks off each fall.
For more information and how to apply, browse our GPLI website or contact Institute Director Brandon Drozd.
Meeting Public Health Accreditation Board standards and measures requires health departments to undergo a thorough, multi-dimensional process. To uplift these efforts, we offer training and technical assistance to support state, local, and tribal health departments striving to meet these national standards and measures. Our services are designed to fortify the capacities and enhance the performance of the public health system. We specialize in accreditation consultation, conducting documentation reviews, mock site visits, fostering communities of practice, and delivering tailored accreditation-related trainings, presentations, and workshops. While our primary mission is to support Nebraska governmental public health, our services are offered to any organization seeking training or technical assistance.
To learn more, please contact our Performance and Improvement Manager, Celeste Ehrenberg, or visit our services page.
Nebraska joined the 21st Century Learning Community, a group of states focused on intentional statewide public health system transformation, in 2022. 21C participants are leading efforts to transform health equity, foundational capabilities, the public health workforce, and accreditation in their states. The OPHP helps coordinate Nebraska’s 21C efforts.
Our Director
Assistant Dean of Public Health Practice, UNMC College of Public Health
Director, Office of Public Health Practice
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion
Our Staff
Workforce Development and Leadership Program Manager
Director, Great Plains Leadership Institute