The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was mobilizing for COVID-19, which meant after five years of working with the organization — as an intern, ORISE Fellow, contractor and employee — Walter- Garcia would serve on her first response team.

A graduate of Emory University’s Rollins School of Public health with a master’s degree in public health in behavioral science and health education, Walter-Garcia was working as a public health analyst with the CDC’s Division of Global Health Protection. The day after receiving the invitation, she became the first CDC Foundation liaison for the CDC’s COVID-19 response.

Walter-Garcia’s work involved building systems from the ground up to ensure that public and private resources were funneled quickly to the areas of greatest need.

“Every response is unique, and I was responsible for developing the procedures and mechanisms to make sure we reviewed gifts quickly and efficiently,” says Walter- Garcia. “I worked with task forces and leadership to determine priorities for projects. I was able to grow so much in such a short span of time.”

Walter-Garcia say she thrived off the energy in the Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta and transitioning to full-time telework took some adjustment. She says the greatest personal benefits of her three months on the coronavirus response team were the connections, which have ultimately led her to her next career adventure at the CDC as a health policy analyst in the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. In this role, she is also serving on the COVID-19 vaccine planning unit in policy and partnerships.

“I cannot overestimate the value of networking,” she says. “Every single opportunity I have been afforded has been due in part to my ability to network. … I try to make sure I have at least one networking coffee or lunch a month to expand my horizons and learn about others.”

One of Walter-Garcia’s favorite networking opportunities was with Catherine Hastings Zilber ’98, associate vice president for infectious disease programs at the CDC Foundation. When Walter-Garcia saw Zilber’s feature in Wofford Today, she found her email and reached out asking for a meeting.

“She graciously said yes, and we spent a wonderful lunch chatting about my professional development and her work at the CDC Foundation. Fast-forward two years later; I am now in a role where I interact with the CDC Foundation and Catherine daily, and my conversation with her was one of the many factors that emphasized to me the importance of partnerships in public health.”

Walter-Garcia lives in Atlanta with her husband, Jacolvy Garcia ’15, a financial education program coordinator with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity.

By Jo Ann Mitchell Brasington ’89