, associate dean of and assistant professor at the (COPH), will assume the presidency of Delta Omega in January 2027, helping lead one of the nation鈥檚 oldest public health honorary organizations.
Founded in 1924 at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, was established to recognize excellence in public health scholarship, research and service and now includes more than 130 chapters and over 30,000 members worldwide.
鈥淚t is such an honor to serve in this role for the Delta Omega National Public Health Honorary Society,鈥 Oberne said. 鈥淭his position provides me with an opportunity to collaborate with other public health professionals and continue to elevate public health across the globe. We are all connected through Delta Omega and our passion for public health education, research and service鈥
Oberne鈥檚 involvement with the organization began in 2010 when she was inducted into Delta Omega during her first year as an instructor at the COPH. In 2020, she became president-elect of the college鈥檚 under the mentorship of , director of the COPH Office of Student Success and Well-Being, before stepping into the chapter president role in 2021.
During her leadership, Oberne helped modernize student application practices and re-established the chapter鈥檚 induction ceremony in 2023. Her engagement with the national organization expanded further that same year when she joined the planning committee for Delta Omega鈥檚 100-year anniversary celebration, helping organize a webinar series and programming tied to the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA).
鈥淲hen a call went out for a new president, I submitted my application and was excited to learn that I was selected,鈥 Oberne said.
As president, Oberne said she hopes to strengthen opportunities for students and early-career public health professionals through initiatives focused on scholarship and mentorship.
Among her priorities are expanding scholarship opportunities for students presenting at the Delta Omega Student Poster Session at APHA and creating mentorship matching opportunities between student and professional members.