If I Could Change One Thing: Dr. Amanda Miller on Human First Global Health
Mar 25, 2026
In this episode of If I Could Change One Thing, Dr. Brittnie Bloom and co-host Grana Safi speak with Dr. Amanda Miller, a tenure-track professor at San Diego State University and recipient of a prestigious NIH career development award, to explore what it really means to do global health research with integrity and intention. Dr. Miller reflects on a career that didn’t follow a straight path. From studying anthropology and nannying in San Francisco to earning her doctorate and leading community based research in Uganda and South Africa, Dr. Miller makes a compelling case that the “messy” parts of our journeys are often some of the most formative experiences. She breaks down the critical intersection of mental health, substance use, and infectious disease prevention by sharing details of some of her groundbreaking work to reduce perinatal alcohol use and better support expectant fathers living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. The conversation also turns to the current challenges facing global health funding and why building equitable, locally led partnerships has never felt more urgent.