Kerry Schubert-Mackey’s journey to earning her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is all about hard work, a passion for making a difference in public health, and the resilience to push through tough challenges and come out even stronger. Starting her part-time studies in 2017 and graduating in 2021, Kerry’s story is a great example of how determination and education can shape the future of public health leadership.
After completing her undergraduate studies in Southern Ontario and going through a dietetic internship, Kerry worked at Sunnybrook Hospital before returning to her hometown in Northern Ontario, New Liskeard/Temiskaming Shores. There, she found herself drawn to public health, especially the areas of preventative health and health equity. It was clear that public health was her calling, and she was determined to make a real difference.
Kerry’s career took her from front-line healthcare work to senior leadership at a local public health unit. And with those growing responsibilities came the realization that post-graduate education would help her further her impact. She decided to pursue the MPH program at the University of Waterloo, and it turned out to be the perfect fit. The program’s flexibility, especially the part-time, remote learning option, made it easier for her to balance work and study—especially important as the COVID-19 pandemic made an already demanding job even more challenging.
The University of Waterloo was a natural choice, not only because of its strong academic reputation but also because Kerry’s younger brother had already completed his studies there. It felt like a connection to her family and her future. The remote learning setup worked well for her, and she especially appreciated the unique on-campus weeks that kicked off and concluded her studies. She loved meeting her professors and fellow students in person during the foundational course at the start of the program. Even though COVID-19 meant she couldn’t return for the final in-person sessions, the faculty made sure to keep the experience meaningful with virtual connections and support.
Throughout the program, Kerry found that the skills she was learning, particularly in communications and social marketing, were exactly what she needed. She also loved the flexibility the program offered, allowing her to shift from a general MPH stream to more evaluation-focused electives as her interests evolved. "The program gave me the tools and confidence to make a real difference in public health, even when the challenges seemed overwhelming. The connections I made and the skills I learned were exactly what I needed to lead through a pandemic and beyond."
Her capstone project was a perfect example of how she could apply her learning to real-world issues. Kerry worked on assessing the transferability and applicability of Nutri-Step for a small Northern Ontario public health agency. She focused on identifying barriers and solutions for implementation, and the project had a direct impact on her local work.
But the most memorable part of her studies was the practicum experience. Originally, Kerry had planned to step away from her current job to gain new experiences elsewhere, but the pandemic turned those plans around. Instead, she was able to use her practicum to directly support the pandemic response in her own public health agency. She worked on a real-time developmental evaluation of the agency’s response, providing crucial insights that helped improve strategies on the fly. This hands-on experience was exactly what she needed to see the power of her MPH education in action.
Today, Kerry is the Executive Lead for a local Ontario Health Team, and the skills and knowledge she gained during her MPH program are a huge part of her success. From leadership and collaboration to evaluation and emergency response, she uses what she learned every day in her role. The MPH program helped her grow into a leader who can handle the challenges that come with improving public health, especially in Northern Ontario communities.
If you're passionate about public health and ready to work hard, this program will give you the tools to make a real difference. It’s flexible enough to work around your life, and the connections you make along the way will support you throughout your career.