Case Study:

COVID vaccine rollout unfolded during an unprecedented global health emergency, where decisions had to be made quickly while information, eligibility guidance, and public understanding continued to evolve in real-time. Clinics were launched while systems were still being built, requiring teams to balance urgency with accuracy and public trust.

Communications and operations moved in sync. Outreach needed to reach the right populations at the right moment, appointment systems had to adapt as eligibility expanded, and community concerns required thoughtful, informed responses.

Much of the work felt like building the plane while flying it, responding deliberately and responsibly under conditions that had no established playbook.

During COVID-19 emergency response, I supported the planning, communication, and day-to-day coordination of both mass and mobile vaccination clinics serving communities across Northern Virginia.

This work sat at the intersection of public health communication and real-time, boots on the ground operations. As vaccine eligibility, supply, and public guidance evolved rapidly, my role focused on helping ensure community members understood how to access vaccine while clinics operated safely, efficiently, and at scale. This required close coordination with university leadership as well as local and state health departments throughout the rollout.

The heart of the work? Removing barriers between people and care. I developed targeted outreach campaigns and managed a dedicated public vaccine communications channel, responding directly to questions ranging from appointment logistics to safety concerns and vaccine hesitancy. I oversaw appointment registration and second-dose coordination while also supporting the operational side of clinic delivery, including volunteer coordination and on-site clinic support.

As access became the next challenge, we shifted beyond large campus clinics and partnered with trusted community leaders to bring mobile vaccination clinics directly into underserved neighborhoods. I helped coordinate outreach and logistics for these efforts and personally led operations for several community clinics, ensuring both patient flow and emergency readiness were in place.

Behind the scenes, I was also responsible for tracking vaccination progress and translating operational data into public-facing reporting that kept leadership and the community informed throughout the response.

Over the course of emergency operations, these combined efforts helped deliver more than 120,000 COVID-19 vaccinations through mass and mobile deployed clinics. Thousands of residents received individualized support navigating eligibility requirements, scheduling appointments, and completing their vaccination series. The approach expanded access across the region while maintaining clear, consistent communication during a period marked by fear, isolation, uncertainty and rapidly changing guidance.

The program was formally recognized by the Fairfax County Department of Health for its contribution to regional vaccination efforts. The public COVID dashboard developed to report vaccination progress and outbreak data was one of only four universities to receive an “A+”rating for transparency and accessibility (source), reflecting a shared commitment to clear communication and public trust during a critical public health moment.