Staff
Executive Director: Jasmine J. Opusunju, DrPH, MSEd, CHES, CPH
Dr. Opusunju received her DrPH in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Texas School of Public Health (Houston) with a minor in Management, Policy, and Community Health and a concentration in Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR). She has extensive experience in grassroots community engagement, capacity building, coalition development, and leadership and advocacy training to promote environmental changes essential for facilitating the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyles. Dr. Opusunju has spent over 12 years working in health promotion research in various capacities with a particular focus on social justice, health equity, the built environment and childhood obesity, and CBPR. She has also been engaged in research related to body image, patient navigation, and colorectal cancer screening. Her background experience extends from the corporate sector in the international food industry for over 15 years. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), serves in various leadership positions (eg. Board Member for the African American Health Coalition; Treasurer, Past President, and Advocacy Committee Chair for the Texas Society for Public Health Education, and is Certified in Public Health (CPH). Dr. Opusunju has been in academia for over 10 years and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Prairie View A&M University. Dr. Opusunju’s personal mission is to leverage resources to reach the communities in need while empowering communities to be engaged in the creation of effective policies and sustainable systems that will promote health equity.
Coordinator,Community Driven Initiatives: Marleny Vazquez
Marleny received her Bachelors of Science in Nutritional Science under the Didactic Program in Dietetics track from Texas A&M University. In the near future, Marleny aspires to become a Registered Dietitian and continue to work on CAN DO’s mission to reduce childhood obesity in the Houston area. She strongly believes that nutrition and physical fitness education is the key to making significant health changes in communities. Working at CAN DO Houston allows her to witness the implementation of those beliefs while learning about the necessity of community-based practices. In her spare time, Marleny enjoys to travel the world because it gives her an opportunity to learn about different cultures.
Interns
Eva Brechum
Eva Brechum is a graduate student attending Benedictine University. She will be graduating December 2018 with her Master's in Public Health. Through her internship with CAN DO Houston, she hopes to gain hands on professional experience by learning how to effectively engage and empower community members to take charge of their health. Fun fact: Eva loves to attend concerts and is The Weeknd's biggest fan.
Eldana Zewdie
Eldana Zewdie is a senior at the University of Houston majoring in Public Health with a minor in Human Development and Family Studies. Eldana is excited to learn more about community-based programs and initiatives through her internship with CAN DO Houston and hopes to apply the lessons she’s learned in her future career. Fun Fact: Eldana loves to read and began reading small chapter books by the age of three.
Sana Syed
Sana Syed is the current student at University of Houston class 2018. Her major is health education and she is specializing in public health track. Her future plans include Masters in public health track. For her Can Do Houston is an opportunity to learn and experince the policies that work together to build a strong and healthy society.
Shelby Griffin
Shelby Griffin attends The University of Texas at Austin where she is majoring in public health and receiving a certificate in the business of healthcare. She enjoys watching comedy specials in her spare time. Through her intership at CAN DO Houston Shelby hopes to learn more about how community engagement and effective social change intersect in the pursuit of greater public health.
Julian Peters
Julian Peters is a senior at the University of Houston, graduating December 2018 with a Bachelor's of science in health promotion and a minor in Biology. Through his internship at CAN DO Houston Julian hopes to gain skills that will help him navigate life after school in pursuing his desire to serve others where ever it may be. Amongst those skills are advocacy, community organization, healthy eating, and humbleness. Fun fact about Julian is that he loves classic and old school BMW's.
Daria Burton
Daria R. Burton graduated from Prairie View A&M University, where she holds a degree in nutrition with an emphasis in dietetics. She is currently a graduate student, at University of Nevada Reno pursuing a master’s in public health. Daria grew up in a family with a parent in the Military, and had the privilege of traveling around the world during her childhood to countries including South Korea, Germany, Thailand, and Italy. Her experiences in these countries made her realize her passion for health and nutrition. She aims to utilize her experiences and education to assist in addressing the impact of positive health changes in Houston.
Michaela Nelson
