LWPC January 2026 Spotlight:
Bemnet Melaku, MPH
Tobacco Free Living Coordinator
Cincinnati Health Department Healthy Communities Programs
Bemnet is a Public Health Educator for the Tobacco Free Living program on the Cincinnati's Health Department's Healthy Communities Team, where she focuses on reducing tobacco use and promoting healthier, smoke-free environments. As she steps into this new role, she intends to center her work on advancing education, policy, systems, and environmental strategies that address the root causes of tobacco-related disparities and support equitable health outcomes.

Bemnet is a two-time Bearcat with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and a Master of Public Health. Driven by a long-standing passion for improving communities' positive health outcomes, Bemnet has conducted both county and regional level Community Needs Assessments, educated Cincinnati communities on health topics such as Diabetes, and supported program evaluation efforts through data analysis and reporting to guide continuous quality improvement. Her background informs her approach to public health practice, integrating an understanding of human behavior and trauma-informed care with evidence-based and data-informed strategies to support Tobacco Free Living efforts.
Outside of her professional life, Bemnet loves traveling, pilates, reading at local coffee shops, and enjoying her rent with her husband and two cats.
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