I'm an epidemiologist, professor, single mom to 3 cool kids, and podcast host! I started Shiny Epi People in summer of 2020 (remember the fresh hell of those days?) when I was feeling lonely, sad, and disconnected from people. I was craving humor, connection, and truth about our shared experiences in early pandemic.  What started out as, quite honestly, a selfish endeavor to improve my mental health, transformed into a refuge for folks to foster empathy for others, to learn of people's vulnerabilities, to see the humanity of scientists, and to learn about the barriers others have faced and how they overcame them. I also realized that I had an important platform for raising voices that our systems and institutions silence. I've learned so much from my guests! I'm thrilled to bring joy, kindness, and empathy into the world at a time when our lives feel hard.