David Abafi

Seasoned public health specialist with a distinguished research portfolio on prevalent diseases, translating findings into actionable solutions. A proven leader and excellent team player, skilled at orchestrating diverse teams, optimizing workloads, and promoting community involvement for enhanced well-being. Committed to advancing public health goals through collaborative and strategic initiatives.

• SAS Course Completion: Statistics- Introduction to ANOVA, and Logistic Regression, 04/2023
• Social and Behavioral Responsible Conduct of Research, CITI Program, 01/2023
• Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED, American Heart Association, 09/2022
• Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) Training, Samaritan’s Purse, 03/2022
• From Zero to NVivo 12 - Qualitative data analysis with NVivo, Udemy, 02/2022
• OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens, CITI Program, 12/2021
• Biomedical & Health Science Researchers, CITI Program, 10/2021

• Governor’s Fellowship, Office of the Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia, 06/2023, Undertaking policy analysis, Obtaining hands-on experience with state government administration in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Working in the Department of Health and Human Resources under Secretary John Littel to ensure Virginians have the best possible health., Working in the Department of Health & Human Resources to support Governor Youngkin's behavioral health plan "Right Help Right Now" to reform the current behavioral health system in Virginia and support Virginians before, during, and after a behavioral health crisis occurs.
• Institute for Women’s Health, Washington, D.C., 06/2023, Working to promote the highest attainable health and wellbeing for women throughout every stage of their lives and working to tackle the most pressing women's health issues through targeted action and forming strong alliances., Working on addressing Neglected Tropical Diseases as they affect maternal and child health and developing strategies for diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
• Public Health Conference, Liberty University Conference Center, Lynchburg, VA, 04/2023, Research presentation: Oral and Dental Health of College Students on a Private University Campus
• Research Week, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, 04/2023, Research: Oral and Dental Health of College Students on a Private University Campus, Research: Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria: An Ecological Framework, Research: Exploration of Health Outcomes among Rural and Indigenous Populations in Guatemala
• Health Worker (Volunteer): Community Health fairs, Norfolk, VA/ Amherst, VA, 11/2022/04/2023, Provided blood pressure screenings and health information to the Spanish community., Provided blood sugar screenings and health information to the Spanish community., Measured bone densities using the bone ultra-sonometer to check for predisposition to Osteoporosis., Performed dental checks for the people., Enlightened the people on lifestyle and feeding choices for better health.
• Graduate Student Worker, Liberty University Student Health Center & Wellness Initiatives, 05/2022–05/2023, Partner with Assistant Director to organize the “Annual Health Expo” and “Health Campus Week.”, Design a survey to collect assessment data and identify health promotional needs for college students, Research health education programming using the “Nine Dimensions of Wellness. “, Assist with preparing curriculum for health education programs and other events, Lead students through the health-education programming/ events
• Infection Prevention Specialist (Volunteer), Centra: Lynchburg General Hospital, VA, 11/2021 – 05/2023, Collaborate with the Registered nurses and infection prevention specialists to enforce proper hand hygiene (washing hands and using alcohol-based sanitizers) before and after entering wards (rooms) where patients are admitted., Enforce the proper use and disposal of gloves and good hand hygiene after the use of hand gloves
• Epi-Response Team member (volunteer), Virginia Medical Reserve Corps, 09/2021 – Present, Assisting in contact tracing for SARS-CoV-2, Reaching out to COVID - infected people and helping connect them to the caregivers
• Researcher, Biorepository & Clinical Virology Lab, University College Hospital Ibadan, 02/2021 – 06/2021, Molecular detection of the Monkeypox virus in wild rodents using conventional PCR, Extraction of viral DNA using the Qiagen protocol (QIAamp DNA Mini kit (250)
• Researcher, Regional lab for Avian Influenza & Transboundary Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), 04/2021 – 06/2021, Molecular detection of the Monkeypox virus in wild rodents using RT- PCR on a Rotor G (QIAGEN Co, CA), Extraction of viral DNA using the Qiagen protocol (QIAamp DNA Mini kit (250)), Analysis of data obtained from questionnaires using SPSS version 23.0 software
• Veterinary Doctor, Ministry of Agriculture, Zonal Veterinary Clinic, Katsina, 04/2016–04/2017, Awareness of the zoonotic importance of Toxoplasmosis from cats in the Katsina metropolis, Assisted in the free vaccination of dogs against Rabies and the campaign against Rabies

• Dean's Award, Outstanding Student Achievement, School of Health Sciences, Liberty University
• Graduate Research Award, 2nd Place; Category: Theoretical Proposal, Liberty University Center for Research and Scholarship, Liberty University
• Student of the Year, Department of Public and Community Health, Liberty University College of Medicine

• Member, American Heart Association (AHA) Sept 2022– present
• Member, American Public Health Association (APHA), October 2021–present
• Member, Virginia Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Sept 2021 - Present
• Member, Liberty University Public Health Students Association (LUPHSA) Sept 2021 - Present
• Member, War Against Rabies Foundation (W.A.R.) Jan 2018 - present
• Member, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), December 2015–present

I am a dedicated advocate for public health, driven by a deep-seated passion to make a lasting impact. My overarching goal is to champion the fight against infectious and non-communicable diseases. I aspire to excel in this pursuit, focusing on achieving One Health by curbing antibiotic-resistant illnesses. By improving human and animal health, I am committed to halting the spread of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases. Moreover, my commitment extends to improving the living conditions of women and children. Maternal and child health is a matter close to my heart, and I am resolute in contributing to their well-being. I am also deeply passionate about addressing the pressing issues of substance abuse and mental health. By fostering awareness and driving solutions, I strive to make a meaningful impact on these critical areas. My determination and unwavering positive attitude make me a driving force in any professional setting. I believe in leading by example, encouraging hard work and success among colleagues. Beyond my professional aspirations, I find solace in nature's beauty, nurturing my passion for photography and painting.