Arpita Appannagari, MPH

Arpita Appannagari, MPH has a diverse work experience in the public health field. Arpita is currently serving as the Associate Director of Policy and Partnerships at the National Institute for Reproductive Health/NIRH Action Fund, where they started in September 2022. Prior to this role, they were the Policy Manager at the same organization from March 2019 to August 2022.

Before joining the NIRH, Arpita worked at The Center for HIV Law and Policy as the National Community Outreach Coordinator from June 2017 to March 2019. Arpita also held the position of Liv Ullman Fellow at the Women's Refugee Commission from January 2016 to January 2017.

Arpita's experience includes a role as a Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies Intern at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) from June 2015 to December 2015. Arpita also worked at Sakhi for South Asian Women as the Women's Health Initiative Coordinator from June 2014 to December 2015, and as an Intern from January 2014 to June 2014.

Moreover, they served as a Choice and Rights Intern at EngenderHealth from May 2014 to May 2015, and as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health from October 2014 to December 2014.

Additionally, Arpita gained experience as a Summer Intern at Sótero del Río Hospital in 2012, where they were involved in a project to evaluate the results of an integrated care model during delivery. Arpita interviewed mothers and their partners and compiled data to assess the effectiveness of the initiative.

Arpita started their career as an Undergraduate Researcher at Indiana University Bloomington from August 2009 to April 2012. Arpita worked in the Walczak Lab, focusing on cell alignment and chromosome segregation regulation during mitosis. Arpita also contributed to a project related to coronary artery disease.

Lastly, Arpita participated in the Summer Shadowing Program at St. Mary's Hospital from May 2010 to July 2010, where they shadowed doctors in various fields and delivered a Grand Rounds presentation as part of the program.

Overall, Arpita Appannagari has extensive experience in policy, outreach, research, and coordination roles within the public health sector.

Arpita Appannagari pursued their Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Biology, Spanish, and Gender Studies at Indiana University Bloomington from 2009 to 2013. Following their undergraduate studies, they enrolled at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, where they served as a Master of Public Health (MPH) Candidate specializing in Sociomedical Sciences from 2013 to 2015.