From Iraq to Okinawa to the 小黄鸭视频 (COPH), David Wright鈥檚 path to public health has been defined by service, resilience and relationships.
Originally from Orlando, Fla., Wright was raised in a working-class family where education, hard work and community were core values.
鈥淏oth of my parents earned their bachelor鈥檚 degrees and instilled in me and my sister the importance of education and giving back,鈥� he said.
His father worked in juvenile justice and his mother in early childhood education, which gave him an appreciation for how social systems shaped people's lives.
Growing up, I saw firsthand how structural barriers affected health, safety and opportunity. Even though I didn鈥檛 have the language for it then, that experience planted the seed for my interest in public health.
David Wright
After high school, Wright enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2004 and served for 17 years on active duty as a hospital corpsman where one of his earliest and most formative experiences came in Iraq just one year into his service during a peacekeeping mission with his unit.
鈥淚nitially, the community was cautious around us and were not convinced that we had their best interests at heart,鈥� he said. After meeting with the sherif and other local leaders, Wright shared, through an interpreter, that he hoped to offer basic medical training and exams for the village.
鈥淭hey ultimately agreed, as they could see that I was being genuine and honest,鈥� he said. When he asked the interpreter what had convinced them, the reply stuck with him for years: 鈥淭hey could see the kindness in your eyes.鈥�
As a result, Wright was able to teach first aid to several villagers and treat children who had been injured playing in war-damaged areas or were sick due to poor living conditions.
鈥淭hat experience taught me the importance of building trust, forging connections and making a tangible impact,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 often reflect on that moment and others like it鈥攂ecause in the end, regardless of what language we speak or what our personal opinions are, we all need someone to lean on, and our actions can speak louder than words.鈥�
Wright was able to lean into the public health side of his work and decided to formally specialize in being a preventive medicine health technician. In this role he got a taste for community health work in the field by providing medical care, training units in hygiene, conducting water safety checks and investigating disease outbreaks.
(Photo courtesy of Canva)
After serving across the globe Wright realized public health was always his calling and by 2021, Wright was ready for a new chapter and chose 小黄鸭视频 to earn his bachelor degree in public health.
鈥淎 childhood friend worked for 小黄鸭视频 and told me about the reputation of the COPH,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 knew I could just about choose any place in Florida, but when I looked into the faculty and the history of 小黄鸭视频鈥檚 COPH, it felt like the right place. Plus, it was close to family鈥�
While an undergraduate student, Wright was active in several initiatives including the Refugee and Migrant Matriarch鈥檚 Initiative, the and the .
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 just sit in classrooms together鈥攚e worked alongside each other on real community needs,鈥� he said. He credited faculty members for their mentorship.
鈥淚 thank Patrick Rodriguez and for all their compassion, guidance and understanding,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd, for showing everyone the opportunities and possibilities public health has to offer while also showing how to look your best.鈥�
Now pursuing his with a from the COPH, he credits Drs. , and for learning what it means to practice your passion.
Wright鈥檚 efforts didn鈥檛 go unnoticed. He was inducted into , the honorary society for public health, while still an undergrad and later received a Navy Achievement Medal for his emergency response work in Panama City Beach during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, Wright works in the Public Health Preparedness Office at the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County. His role focuses on evaluating emergency response programs, preparing hurricane shelters and helping communities become more resilient in the face of crises.
鈥淲hat I learned from my instructor Elizabeth Dunn about emergency management helped me connect the dots between my military experience and local health preparedness,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 rewarding to see how those two worlds come together.鈥�
What he valued most was the people. 鈥淚 got to work with incredible COPH alumni like Katherine Patino and Jay Rajyaguru who are doing amazing things in the region,鈥� he said.
In August, Wright and his wife will return to Japan, where he previously lived for six years, and where they met. He recently accepted a civilian position as an embedded integrated prevention coordinator in Sasebo where he will work to strengthen mental, emotional and social well-being among sailors and their families. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about building up the whole person before problems escalate鈥攑revention, education and support,鈥� he said.
As he prepares to begin the next chapter of his career in Japan, David remains grounded in the same values that brought him to public health in the first place: service, empathy and the belief that lasting change begins with genuine connection.
鈥淣o matter where I go, I want to be someone who listens first and leads with compassion,鈥� he said.
Whether on the front lines of a humanitarian crisis or in a COPH classroom halfway around the world, David is committed to helping people live healthier, safer lives--one community at a time.