SC&I Doctoral Student Natalia L. Herman Receives 2026 Rutgers Health Chancellor Emerging Leader Award
Alumna Natalia L. Herman, MPH, MCM '25, has received a 2026 Rutgers Health Chancellor Emerging Leader Award. A first-year SC&I doctoral student, Herman is Associate Director for the Center for Health Services Research at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research.
The Emerging Leader Award, one of the annual Rutgers Health Chancellor awards established in 2020 to acknowledge and celebrate the extraordinary work of Rutgers Health faculty and staff, celebrates emerging leaders who “demonstrate a high potential for success through significant contributions” to Rutgers Health.
“Being nominated for, and receiving, this award is both humbling and exciting,” Ms. Herman said. “Much of my work focuses on building systems, relationships, and processes that help others succeed, and those contributions often happen behind the scenes. This recognition is especially meaningful because it highlights the value of that work, and I am honored to continue supporting the faculty, staff, and broader Rutgers community in achieving their goals.”
In her current role at the Center for Health Services Research, Ms. Herman’s responsibilities span leadership and oversight of the Center's operational, administrative, and financial functions, as well as guiding strategic planning initiatives for the Institute.
Natalia was selected for the Chancellor’s Award based upon recommendation letters from faculty and staff at Rutgers Health. A few excerpts from the letters of recommendation she received include:
"Natalia’s distinguished trajectory of increasing expertise and organizational problem-solving, informed by her thoughtful and deep interest in organizational processes and how to improve them, make her truly stand out among Rutgers’ emerging leaders. She is one of the largely unsung heroes who, in vital staff roles, makes it possible for our faculty to do great things while achieving compliance with complex and changing funder, human subjects, contracting and other vital challenges."
"Through her leadership, new procedures and process improvements have enhanced operational efficiency, reduced administrative burden, and improved understanding of both institute-level and university-wide processes among faculty and staff. Her ability to identify challenges, design solutions, and implement sustainable improvements has strengthened the infrastructure that supports research and academic excellence."
As a SC&I Ph.D. student in Health Communication, Natalia said she will explore the role of knowledge brokers as effective two-way bridges between research and practice, empowering knowledge brokers to address information gaps and communicate evidence-based insights that support healthcare-related decisions.
“Ultimately, I hope to contribute to stronger connections between research, policy, and practice,” she said.
“We are delighted to have Natalia joining the Ph.D. Program at SC&I, where her leadership skills have already become evident,” said Director of the Ph.D. Program and Professor of Communication Jennifer Theiss. “Just as she has demonstrated leadership in her role at IFH, she has emerged as a leader in the new Ph.D. cohort, sharing her knowledge and experience at Rutgers to help the new students acclimate to the program. She is a tremendous asset for the program and the school.”
Following her Ph.D., Ms. Herman hopes to continue to conduct research and serve the Rutgers community. “My long-term goal,” she said, “is to build a career that bridges health communication and the health sciences, working to ensure evidence-based knowledge reaches the people and communities who can benefit from it the most.”
As an alumna of the Master of Communication and Media program (she graduated in May 2025), Ms. Herman said her road to SC&I actually began with a desire to strengthen her leadership skills.
My long-term goal is to build a career that bridges health communication and the health sciences, working to ensure evidence-based knowledge reaches the people and communities who can benefit from it the most.
Natalia Herman
“During a mentorship and coaching conversation,” she said, “I was introduced to the Strategic & Leadership Communication concentration within the Master of Communication and Media program. As I progressed through the program, I realized I was not finished exploring questions related to knowledge sharing and knowledge brokerage. SC&I provided the language and foundation to connect my longstanding interests in public health with the field of communication. Just as importantly, the faculty were incredibly generous with their time and guidance as I developed my research interests. Their support, combined with the strength of the program, made SC&I the clear choice for pursuing this line of inquiry at the doctoral level.”
Natalia said a few current and former SC&I faculty members and the MCM courses they taught were particularly influential in her development as a leader and in shaping her decision to pursue a Ph.D. They include Associate Professor of Library and Information Science Kaitlin Costello (Human Information Behavior); Christine Goldthwaite Ph.D.’18, MCM’10 (now a Senior Organizational Development Consultant at Yale University); Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Communication Brent Ruben (Organizational Leadership); and Professor of Communication Matthew Weber (Organizational Communication Networks).
“These courses strengthened my understanding of leadership, communication, and knowledge sharing, while providing frameworks that continue to inform my work,” Herman said. “I regularly apply what I learned to research, develop, and support staff and organizational initiatives at the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, helping to strengthen collaboration, knowledge exchange, and strategic decision-making.”
