In this engaging conversation, Dr. Andrea Lowe shares her journey of courage in both her professional and personal life, discussing the challenges of starting her own business while completing her doctorate. She reflects on the importance of embodying power as an African American woman in public health, emphasizing her strong values and the need for representation. Andrea envisions a future where public health is integrated into everyday life, fostering community connections and valuing diversity. The discussion highlights the significance of celebrating both differences and commonalities among individuals.
Meet Dr. Andrea Lowe
Dr. Andrea Lowe operates the Social Impact Studio Consulting, LLC where she works with small-to-midsized health and human services agencies to build equitable policies, practices, and strategies at the local, state, and national level. Prior to starting her business in 2022, she spent 13 years supporting policy, advocacy, and strategic initiatives for local, state, and national governments, non-profits, and private sector entities. Now, she appreciates the opportunity to flex her entrepreneurial muscles in service to small-to-medium non-profits and local government agencies. Dr. Lowe holds a DrPH from Loma Linda University, and an MPH from University of South Florida. In her free time, she loves to read, play outdoors, and spend time with her friends and family.
Listen To This Episode of The Courageous Public Health Podcast
Conversation Highlights
- Defining Courage for Herself: Andrea shares her personal understanding of courage, not as the absence of fear, but as the decision to move forward despite it — and how that definition shapes her life and leadership.
- Vision-Driven Leadership: She talks about the importance of holding a bold, clear vision for change, especially when working toward health equity and systems transformation.
- Navigating Communication Challenges: Andrea vulnerably shares how speaking up, finding her voice, and trusting herself to communicate clearly — especially in high-stakes, high-pressure spaces — has been one of her biggest areas of growth and courage.
- She shares another example of courage: making the difficult decision to leave a secure, stable job in order to pursue work more aligned with her passion for equity and justice, even though the path forward was uncertain.
- Community as a Source of Strength: Andrea reflects on how community — both her personal community and her professional networks — sustain her, fuel her courage, and hold her accountable to her values.
- Authenticity as Resistance: She opens up about why showing up authentically as a Black woman in public health is an act of resistance, power, and healing in a world that often tries to silence or diminish BIPOC voices.
- Lessons from Setbacks: Andrea discusses times when things didn’t go as planned, and how those experiences taught her to trust herself even more deeply and to stay committed to her purpose.
- The Ongoing Practice of Courage: She reminds us that courage isn’t a one-time act — it’s a daily practice, a series of choices to align our actions with our values, even (and especially) when it’s difficult.
“When I show up fully as myself, I change the room.” – Dr. Andrea Lowe
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At Courageous Public Health, we are turning up the volume on courage within women, particularly Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color who are doing the work of public health. We support public health organizations through workshop design and facilitation, and speaking engagements. Interested in working with us? Reach out on email, LinkedIn, or our website!
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