Public Health is an integral part of Jennifer Benson's identity. Through it, she has created long-term solutions that empower individuals to make better decisions for themselves and their families.
To Benson, the work she has done in the public health field has been a team effort.
“It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit,” she said.
Benson emphasizes that success is achieved when people come together. By surrounding herself with people who lift her up, Benson has created impactful changes as a senior humanitarian consultant for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Currently focused on child nutrition, Benson views her work as more than just feeding children.
“It’s about helping families become self-reliant and educating communities on sustainable solutions,” Benson said.
Benson’s journey to this position was not a straightforward one. Initially working as an ICU nurse, Benson decided to integrate public health into her life after noticing preventable issues among patients.
“It’s not just about the treatment or adding interventions, but it’s preventing things in the first place and helping families to be healthy rather than treating illness,” she said.
This shift in focus wasn’t just academic but also deeply personal and spiritual. As a mother and grandmother, Benson knew she had to pursue public health to secure a better future for her grandchildren.
“I felt a deep sense of responsibility as a grandmother to have an impact on my their lives,” she said. “Realizing that each child had their future ahead of them was incredibly impactful.”
Choosing which public health master’s program to attend was an easy decision. BYU aligned with Benson’s professional goals, faith, and values.
“BYU’s public health program provided a principle of true healing through service, compassion, and the light of Christ,” Benson said.
After zipping through the program, Benson began her passionate work on children’s health and nutrition. As the senior humanitarian consultant for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she educates communities and funnels resources to families.
Determining which direction to take has never been difficult for Benson and her team. With divine inspiration, they always know what steps to take to help others.
“Every step of the way we know what we need to do and we go full force,” she said.
Moving forward, Benson hopes to continue creating change in her position by empowering families and breaking the cycle of malnutrition and poverty. She also aspires to continue mentoring and supporting other public health professionals in understanding the true meaning of service.
“True service is more than just statistics and policies,” Benson said. “It’s about people. It’s about the heart. It’s about lifting others where we can.”
While Benson continues to lift individuals, she advises others to do the same. Public health is about the people, and everyone should aspire to impact as many lives as possible.
“It’s about seeing individuals as God sees them and doing everything in your power to help them to live healthy, fulfilling lives,” she said.
