USF College of Public Health (COPH) alumna Linsey Grove hails from Michigan, the Great Lakes State. From an early age, Grove wanted to help people and be involved in her community; she was an active member of the Girl Scouts, 4-H and many extracurricular activities.
According to Grove, her passion for public health grew from this early introduction to s community involvement.
“I volunteered and eventually coordinated a program called the Safer Sex Patrol,” she said. “That’s where I found my love of educating students and community members about comprehensive sex education in fun and salient ways.”
In 2010, Grove earned her bachelor of science in public health from Central Michigan University and soon moved to Florida.
“I chose to attend USF for my public health degrees because the COPH has many faculty and programs focused on sexuality, HIV prevention and sex education,” Grove said. “During my time at USF, I was able to participate in a study of sex education and media which helped inspire my future dissertation on sex education for people with intellectual disabilities.”
Grove became a double alumna of the COPH, earning her master of public health degree with a concentration in community and family health in 2013 and doctor of public health with a concentration in advanced practice leadership in public health in 2018. During her time at the COPH, Grove also received a social marketing graduate certificate.
The biggest challenge Grove said she faced during her time as a student was balancing her many responsibilities.
“I was earning both degrees, working full time and starting my own consulting business, all while living in St. Petersburg, Fla., a county away, ” she said. “It was difficult to be involved with extracurriculars, so the friendships I formed with fellow students were critical to my experience.”
Despite all of her challenges, Grove left the college with memories to last a lifetime.. “My favorite memory at the COPH was attempting to do stand-up comedy at the talent show for the college’s 35th anniversary celebration, Grove said. “Emphasis on ‘attempt!’”
Grove said the work of COPH Professor Dr. Russell Kirby inspired her. “Dr. Kirby served as my dissertation chair and he was instrumental in support during my DrPH program,” she said. “I’m proud of my dissertation work and continue to volunteer with young adults with intellectual disabilities at the South Florida Center for Independent Living to educate them about health, relationships and wellness.”
Earning the two COPH degrees laid the foundation for her career in advancing community wellness and health equity.
Grove’s professional experiences include working for health departments, nonprofits, universities and the private sector. She has worked in domestic and global tobacco, secondary education instruction for health sciences and social marketing, HIV prevention and case management and program planning and evaluation. She co-founded Carriage House Consulting, a nonprofit consulting firm in St. Petersburg, Fla. that provides evaluation, grant writing and research services.
Drs. Janice Zgibor, Linsey Grove and Russell Kirby with Elizabeth Bannon at the COPH's National Public Health Week Annual Awards Ceremony. (Photo by Caitlin Keough)
Currently, Grove is the co-owner and CEO of The Hypatia Collaborative, a shared services organization that provides nonprofit capacity-building services and professional development to organizations in St. Petersburg, Fla.
“Hypatia received a $2.5 million grant from the City of St. Petersburg and the Pinellas Community Foundation to implement this model as a part of a three-year pilot,” which Grove said is her proudest professional achievement yet. “I never anticipated owning my own business (let alone multiple businesses), however, I enjoy the challenges of business development and finding ways to partner and support the amazing work of small nonprofits in the community.”
Growing Hypatia and replicating the shared service model in other places is among her future aspirations, Grove said.
“Much of the skills I learned in the COPH apply to my professional career: understanding complex systems, evaluating programs, reviewing and synthesizing data and working with different individuals, organizations and institutions. These public health skill sets have been invaluable.”
Equipped with her passion for public health and a solid academic background, Grove said she is committed to making a meaningful difference in the field. “Whether through research, advocacy or community outreach, I aspire to contribute to creating healthier, more resilient communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” she said.
“I love seeing students choosing the USF COPH as their place to learn the practice of public health,” Grove said. “People should consider donating to the COPH because students need more support than ever and after COVID-19, it should be clear to the world that public health is a critical part of keeping our communities safe and thriving.”
Fast Five
What did you dream of becoming when you were young?
I was obsessed with being an astronomer until I realized how much math was involved.
Where would we find you on the weekend?
Currently, you’ll find me working on building a garage apartment with my spouse. After
that, you can find me at a bookstore or going freediving at a spring!
What is the last book you read?
“Silver Nitrate,” a horror story set in Mexico City. Highly recommend!
What superpower would you like to have?
Teleportation. It would be so convenient and fun!
What’s your all-time favorite movie?
“Amelie.”