Meet Klaudia Hernandez: 2025 Practicum Student

Hello! My name is Klaudia Hernandez, I am excited to be completing my practicum experience this summer at the Iowa Cancer Consortium! For my project I will be assisting in the evaluation of the 2022-2027 Iowa Cancer Plan. This project involves examining the plan’s effectiveness in reaching its goals, identifying areas for improvement, and providing recommendations to guide future efforts. I am thrilled to be contributing to this important project and to be working alongside such a dedicated team.

I am from Marshalltown, Iowa, and I recently graduated with my Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Iowa in May 2025! Prior to that I completed my Bachelor of Science in Public Health at the University of Iowa in May 2024. I am not exactly sure what my next steps are yet but I am hoping to work in a public health laboratory or to work at a local or state public health department as an epidemiologist. Throughout my time at the university I had the opportunity to work with other nonprofit organizations in Iowa City, serve as a research assistant for a study on e-cigarette use among young adults, and intern with local public health departments.

My interest in cancer prevention began when my grandpa was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer when I was in high school. Witnessing the impact of cancer on both individuals and families had a lasting effect on me. Over time, as I saw more people in my community affected by cancer, my passion for prevention deepened especially with a focus on ensuring that health equity is ingrained in all cancer control and prevention strategies. I hope through this project I am able to assist in advancing those efforts!