MPH Alumni Benjamin Sinclair: Where Is He Now?

The Master of Public Health program’s series titled “Where Are They Now?” dives into each individual’s time as a student and how those experiences shaped their current professions. If you are interested in taking part in the series, please contact mph@ewu.edu. Catch up with Benjamin Sinclair here!

Name: Benjamin Sinclair

Graduation Year: May 2016

Job Title: Safety Coordinator

Organization: Hermann Brothers Logging and Construction

Describe your career path. Why public health?

I started college in my mid-thirties after working for many years as a truck driver. I was looking for a new challenge. I also wanted to do something that would allow me to make a positive impact on the community around me.

After graduation, I spent two years working at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At NIOSH, I did a variety of occupational safety and health research and was able to expand upon the skills I learned in the MPH program. I found that my background as a blue-collar worker gave me a perspective that many other Occupational Safety and Health professionals don’t have. My background also helps me connect with the workers that I serve.

What are you responsible for in your current position?

In my position with Hermann Brothers Logging and Construction, I train new employees to be safe, courteous, and efficient drivers. I perform incident investigations and am working to begin tracking various metrics that would allow for company-wide safety interventions and improvements. I am also working to expand and improve the safety program over the entire company which includes trucking operations across the Pacific Northwest, our offices, mechanics shop, log yard, and chip mill.

What is your favorite part about your job?

I enjoy the challenge and variety that my job offers. I feel that occupational health is an area where we have made great achievements, but there is still much to be done. Many of today’s workers that are in dangerous jobs feel that it is “just the way things are.” They are often aware of the risks that they face, but they view the risk to their health as a commodity that they are trading in return for their wages.

How did the MPH program prepare you for your current position?

The MPH program helped me to build a solid foundation in public health as well as a strong epidemiology skill set. I was well prepared to enter the workforce.  My professors encouraged and nurtured the development of strong leadership qualities and self-confidence that has helped me stand out in the workplace.

What was most memorable to you about your experiences in the MPH program?

I enjoyed the interactions with a diverse student population and a variety of professors. The professors were experts in their fields and very knowledgeable. I made lifelong friends while in the program and look forward to working alongside many of them in the future.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering pursuing an MPH?

Public health is a broad field. Find something to focus on that you are interested in and passionate about, then get out there and change it.