ORR/ Special Projects Manager
Lutheran Social Services of ND
Fargo, North Dakota 

What is your background?

Originally from Nepal, I graduated from high school in 2006. I moved to Fargo and graduated with my undergraduate degree from NDSU in 2011 and from the MPH Program in 2013. During my schooling, I was employed at a local Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), where I worked exclusively with the refugee population for six years. 

What did you specialize in at NDSU?
Infectious disease management, CDC's recommendation with refugee screening processes involves infectious diseases quite heavily. 

How did the NDSU MPH prepare you for the workforce?

NDSU’s MPH program educated me about the health disparities in our communities. The program not only provides you with information, but also challenges you to think about what you can do to fix it. The MPH program taught me to look into social and behavioral components of health backed by evidence-based research to come up with potential solutions to fix a problem. It changed my personality, and the way I think in terms of problem-solving. 

What is your current position or academic pursuit?

I work for Lutheran Social Services of ND as ORR/ Special Projects Manager. The majority of my job involves working with federal grants with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR); reporting and financial aspects of those grants. I also oversee health-related grants for newly resettled refugees in the state of ND and also supervise interpreter & immigration services. 

How are you impacting the health of North Dakotans?

My work is mostly focused on refugees. In my position, I try my best to ensure our refugee population has proper access to quality and affordable medical services in the community. I meet with community health partners regularly to make sure we are following federal guidelines when serving our refugee population and eliminating barriers to healthcare as much as possible. I work very closely with the State Refugee Coordinator and State Refugee Health Coordinator to design programs and improve service delivery for refugees in an efficient and effective manner.