Dominican national, Berlina Wallace-Berube, has been selected as an awardee of the 2022/2023 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Health Policy Fellows, following her participation in a national competition. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows program focuses on building professionals with an interest in health policy.
Upon interview with Emonews, Wallace-Berube expressed that she felt honored to receive this prestigious award. She stated, “I felt blessed and elated to have been selected as a RWJF Health Policy Fellow. The application process was rigorous and consisted of various parts, so I was happy just to be selected as one of the 10 finalists. Being selected as one of six fellows caused me to reflect on the steps that resulted in this accomplishment. Those reflections have filled me with a deep sense of purpose.”
Notably, she expressed that her passion for health policy stemmed from her career in Education. “I wanted to find a way to provide services to my community that would be impactful. While working as a school counselor, I developed supportive programming for families that enabled a better understanding of how family dynamics and adverse childhood experiences impact the trajectory of one’s life. That led me to pursue behavioral health as a career,” she voiced.
Further, Wallace-Berube explained that she became interested in policies that decrease health disparities in 2008. Later, she had the opportunity to present at the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center’s Health Disparities Conference wherein she heard presentations on the use of research to influence policy. Pointedly, she served as the president of the American Counseling Association of the Virgin Islands which has helped to increase the access to mental healthcare. Through various experiences, she developed a better understanding of how policy can be used to create a more just and equitable society.
Moreover, she pointed out that she has faced a myriad of challenges. “Migrating from Dominica to St. Croix was extremely difficult for various reasons. My academic journey has also been a challenging one. There have been many personal challenges but losing two of my favorite aunts and a close friend to cancer in less than a year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic was extremely difficult,” she added.
Despite these overwhelming battles, Wallace-Berube noted that her faith in God has seen her through the most challenging of circumstances. “Having a strong faith, an intimate prayer life, and my belief that God will see me through anything has kept me amidst my darkest moments,” she said.
Furthermore, she pointed out that her success has been as a result of the unwavering support from a number of persons. “No one attains accomplishments alone and I have been deeply supported by many throughout my lifetime. One person who stands out is my grandmother, Edris Dumas, who believed in me from the time I was a child. She also set an exceptional example of what it means to love people unconditionally and to be of compassionate service,” she voiced. Moreover, she thanked her kind and loving parents, Berle and Hyma Wallace, who have always supported and enabled her to grow into the woman that she is today. She also expressed deepest appreciation to her supportive husband Glen Berube and the University of the Virgin Islands, especially Dr. Aletha Baumann.
Moreover, Wallace-Berube offered words of advice to persons who are inspired by her story. “I believe that individuals should always be their authentic selves and that educational & professional attainments should center around providing service to the community. When we show up authentically and compassionately, we create space for others to do the same, thereby creating a better world,” she ended.
In light of this milestone, Emonews extends hearty congratulations to the awardee and wishes her all the best in her future endeavors.
