For Desarae Bradham, CPH ’15, opportunity does not just mean being in the right place at the right time, but also meeting the moment with new ideas. She made a name for herself by creating viral posts for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health during the first COVID-19 outbreak, and today, the social media supervisor continues to redefine digital public health messaging.
Photo by Photo Credit: Ryan S. Brandenberg, CLA ’14
I truly love what I do: Using social media to make an impact by educating and empowering others. And yet, it never really feels like work."
When the first outbreak of COVID-19 hit in 2020, Bradham was unofficially tapped for the city’s COVID-19 response team, and the communications director asked her to handle social media outreach.
“I was definitely nervous because at that point, I really didn't have much experience. But I just went for it and he ended up offering me a full-time position, which is where I have been ever since,” she said.
She now manages all of the social media for the Health Department’s main accounts, which includes Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Nextdoor and Twitter. Additionally, she oversees other programs within the department.
Bradham decided to major in public health during her first year at Temple. In the public health program, Bradham was required to undertake two internships. For the first, Bradham studied abroad in Costa Rica, spurring a lifelong love of travel. The second was a turn at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, working to educate high school students about STD prevention.
Despite her wanderlust, Bradham fell in love with Philadelphia—acquainting herself not just with its street plan but its restaurants and culture—and decided to make it her home after graduation. In her first role out of college, she returned to the Department of Public Health and conducted fieldwork, which only cemented her conviction that she was in the right place.
College: College of Public Health
Degree: BS, public health, 2015
Industry: Public health
Hometown: Williamstown, New Jersey
Desarae is the first in her immediate family to graduate from college and obtain a master’s degree.
She has traveled to nearly 30 countries.
An avid social media user, Bradham found it intuitive and fun to speak to a broad audience and make critical public health messages relevant to readers’ interests. Some of her tweets and posts have gone viral, with celebrities taking notice and local news outlets covering her work. Perhaps more importantly, she was able to help direct Philadelphia residents to resources they needed in real time.
“If we want to get an important message out, such as telling people to wear masks or to get vaccinated, the way that we do it has to resonate with our audience so they know they’re being heard,” she said. “We were a trendsetter in showing that messaging, even during a pandemic or crisis, doesn’t have to be plain language. It can be fun, it can be engaging and still be informative.”
Since 2020, Bradham has become a sought-after public speaker, and she talks to audiences at social media and government gatherings about bringing personality to professional accounts and reaching the public through messages that can’t be ignored. She’s not entirely sure what she will do next, but she would like to continue building a career in public health communications.
“In 2015, I had no idea about social media’s role in public health and just how powerful of a tool it is,” she said. “I truly love what I do. Using social media to make an impact by educating and empowering others, and yet, it never really feels like work.”
