Nathania Ornis

Nathania Ornis, MPH, has a seven-year public health career promoting the health of populations impacted by chronic disease, mental health, and substance use. After earning a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in public health, she served in the largest public health agency in the country—the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. One week prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, Nathania began working as the special assistant to the executive deputy commissioner. There, she supported the Division of Mental Hygiene transition to remote work, while also supporting the work of four executive deputy commissioners within a two-year span.

By working with senior leadership, Nathania was able to get a bird's eye view of policies, programs, and data that impacts the mental health of New Yorkers, substance use disorders, and the intersections between the criminal legal system and equity. After working there for two years, she got the itch to get on the ground to answer the question that was constantly asked: What do people experiencing mental health challenges need, and where are the gaps?

Nathania considers herself blessed with the opportunity to start to find the answer through the TRIUMPH study, where she works directly in Black communities, connecting people to mental health services.