Sheila Mota is the embodiment of resiliency.
The Utah native has overcome a debilitating illness and the loss of her father to cancer, and is now committed to improving the delivery of healthcare and increasing the quality of life of those who “grew up on the wrong side of the train tracks.”
She is a master’s-degree student in public health and healthcare administration at the University of Utah. She also is a health educator at the Health Advocate and Interactive Health, Inc., and is a certified medical assistant at Granger Medical Clinic in West Valley, Utah.
She already has experience in front-line patient care and the design and implementation of programs to address health promotion and wellness, especially among the underserved.
To further her training and education, Mota applied for the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. The program, led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez at UT Health San Antonio with support from the National Cancer Institute, recruits 25 master’s-level students and professionals each year for a five-day summer institute to promote doctoral degrees and careers in Latino cancer.
“The [Éxito! Summer Institute] has changed my mindset from one of thinking that I might not be able to do it, to one that knows I can,” Mota said.
“It is so worth it. It will change your life.”
