Mehaly Bekele

Mehaly Bekele is a first-generation college graduate originally from St. Louis, Missouri, with a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and a Master of Public Health, concentrating in Biostatistics and Epidemiology, from the University of Southern California, completed in 2024. While at USC, Mehaly contributed to multiple research initiatives, including the Religion and Public Life–Public Health Project under Dr. Irfan; served as an EH MATTERS Scholar and Graduate Research Assistant for the Inland Empire Children’s Respiratory Health Study; worked as a Laboratory Technician in the Maternal, Child, Adolescent/Adult Research Laboratory; and completed an internship at the National Institute on Drug Abuse at Washington University in St. Louis.

Currently, Mehaly serves as an epidemiologist at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services—Bureau of HIV, STI, and Hepatitis, focusing on statewide prevention of congenital syphilis and perinatal HIV. In this role, she leads investigations of reportable STI/HIV infections among pregnant individuals, ensuring timely testing, treatment, and partner services. Her responsibilities also include delivering CDC-aligned health education, providing technical assistance to healthcare providers and local agencies, and supporting quality improvement initiatives.

Her professional interests include environmental health, maternal and child health, biostatistics, and advancing epidemiological research in underserved communities. Outside of work, she enjoys painting, sewing, gardening, cooking, traveling, exploring new cafés, walking her dog, and watching sunsets.

LinkedIn page: www.linkedin.com/in/mehalybekele