Meet the Team: Nashia Choudhury, Associate Director, Workforce Development

Welcome to our blog series, “Meet the AAPCHO Team,” where you’ll have a chance to get to know our staff! Meet Nashia Choudhury, Associate Director, Workforce Development, as she answers some questions.

What’s your role at AAPCHO?

As the Associate Director of Workforce Development, I will be overseeing the Community Health Worker (CHW) Workforce Collaborative.

What are three Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander health topics that you think people should know about?

As we, at AAPCHO, and our partners are well aware, there is limited available research on Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (NH/PI) populations due to these populations being included in aggregate data of a larger category. Even with these limitations, there are some health topics that are pertinent to AA and NH/PI populations. Some of these health conditions that have a high prevalence in this population include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hepatitis B, and tuberculosis, among others. Factors that contribute to this are infrequent medical visits (and less likelihood of having a primary care provider), cultural and language barriers, and lack of health insurance.

How would you describe what community health centers do and why they should support them to someone who may not be familiar with them?

Community health centers were founded on the basis of providing whole-person care by focusing not only on the physical health of a person but all other aspects including mental health and social needs that impact a person’s health and well-being. The integration of community resources allows patients to better access care and have their needs met, addressing the root cause of and reducing chronic health conditions.

What are you most looking forward to in your new position at AAPCHO?

I am looking forward to learning from my colleagues who have been serving the AA and NH/PI communities in this space. I am also committed to supporting our partners in continuing to serve the AA and NH/PI communities and elevating their voices and advocating on their behalf to ensure they have the resources they need to continue to do this work on the frontlines.

What is your favorite or go-to childhood comfort food?

Rice and spicy chicken curry!