- 3 min read

Episode #240 Public Health and Social Media with Kristy Schirmer, MPH

On This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast

Coming to us from the future, all the way from Adelaide, Australia, is the inspirational Kristy Schirmer. Kristy has 20 years of experience working in health promotion and public health in Australia and the UK and she now works with government and non-government agencies with a public health focus, providing training to help them use social media as effectively as possible. When Kristy presented her innovative ideas to a previous employer and was met with a flat “no”, she simply went on to start her own business! She is now the co-founder of the Australian Public Health Consultants Network and works as a social media strategy consultant for startups and other consultants. Kristy joins us today to discuss her career journey and how she came to recognize social media as a crucial health promotion and communication tool. We find out how her public health expertise and understanding of epidemiology help her to better serve her clients and community, and she fills us in on what makes a dream client! Tune in to find out more about how Kristy structures her training programs, and if you want to hear from our guest, you can catch her at this year’s Public Health Consulting and Entrepreneurship Expo.

Meet Kristy Schirmer

Kristy Schirmer (BHlthSc, MPH) has 20 years experience working in health promotion and public health in Australia and the UK. Kristy now works with government and non-government agencies with a public health focus to make the most of social media through providing face-to-face or online training. She also consults with start-ups and other consultants on social media strategy. Kristy is the co-founder of the Australian Public Health Consultants Network, a professional networking group that seeks collaboration over competition. Kristy was prized with the South Australian Primary Health Care Practitioner Award in 2014, and was recognized as one of South Australia’s top 40 under 40 business leaders in 2018.

Listen To This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast

Conversation Highlights

Introducing our impressive guest, Kristy Schirmer.
Kristy’s goal is to ensure that public health doesn’t get left behind in the age of social media.
How she came to recognize social media as a health promotion and communication tool.
The “no” that led Kristy to start her own business.
What sparked Kristy’s interest in public health and health promotion.
Where her passions lie and why Kristy considers herself to be a generalist.
Kristy describes the ideal customer for her business.
How she helps her clients use social media as effectively as possible.
What Kristy’s Health Promotion Social Media School e-course consists of.
How she structures her remote training.
Why her public health expertise is crucial in the work she does with her clients.
The freedom of choosing a career in public health.
How her understanding of epidemiology helps her better serve her clients and community.
How the same epidemiology principles can be applied to managing both epidemics and infodemics.
Advice for those interested in working in Kristy’s public health niche.