Michelle Moon, MSc '04

Specialist, Mental Health

In 2000, Michele Moon had the opportunity to volunteer with a medical team in Tanzania. The team was responsible for doing needs assessments for a Rotary Club project that supported people with leprosy. It was this experience that inspired Moon to pursue a degree in health promotion and, in 2005, she received her master of science degree from the School of Public Health.

"I have felt really grounded with the education I received in public health," explains Moon. "The knowledge that I gained as a student, especially with the community-based focus, has influenced everything that I have done since completing my master's degree."

An occupational therapist by trade, Moon has held various leadership and management positions with OrionHealth since 1998. While there, she worked in program development and evaluation for interdisciplinary teams. She has also served as a research project coordinator and sessional instructor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta.

Most recently, Michele accepted a new position as a specialist in mental health for the Department of WellBeing and WorkLife in Human Resources at the University of Calgary.

Throughout her career, Moon has been able to bridge both her worlds-occupational therapy and public health-to plan, implement and evaluate evidence-based programs.

"A background in public health allows us to translate the knowledge we have into practice," says Moon. "Through my life, both personal and professional, I'm committed to finding ways to make public health better for all people."

(Last updated May, 2018)