In this episode of the Courageous Public Health Podcast, LaTonya Bynum shares what it looks like when prevention stops being theoretical — and becomes a decision about your own body, your own life, and your own future. After learning she carried a genetic risk for cancer, LaTonya was offered preventive surgery. Instead, she made a different choice — one that required her to confront stress, identity, and the conditions shaping her health. This is a conversation about courage, prevention, and reinvention — and what happens when we apply public health not just to communities, but to ourselves. You're listening to the Courageous Public Health Podcast, Episode 51. Meet LaTonya Bynum, MPH, MCHES ✨ LaTonya Bynum, MPH, MCHES® is a Certified Grant Writer and Master Certified Health Education Specialist with over two decades of experience in public health writing, research, and training. As Founder and Senior Consultant of U.R.A. Resource Center, LLC, she has secured and managed over 20 federal, state, and nonprofit grants and contracts across 10+ states, specializing in strategic planning, program evaluation, and workforce development. LaTonya has authored more than 100 educational toolkits, peer-reviewed publications, and technical reports, including community health needs assessments and data-driven grant proposals. Her expertise spans SAS programming, GIS mapping, and digital content development, with a strong focus on translating complex data into actionable insights. She is a published author, app developer, and national speaker recognized for advancing equity and innovation in public health. Conversation Highlights 🎙️ Finding Her Place in Public Health — LaTonya shares how she moved from a secretary role into data, translation, and leadership by recognizing her ability to connect people to information in ways they could understand. Failing, Then Teaching Others to Succeed — After failing the CHES exam and later passing, she chose to tell the truth about her experience — ultimately building a course that now helps others pass and step into their own public health careers. When Prevention Became Personal — After learning she carried a genetic cancer risk, LaTonya made a deeply personal decision to address the conditions shaping her health — choosing to reduce stress in her life rather than pursue preventive surgery. Living the Data — After identifying transportation as a barrier in community health data, she found herself addressing that exact issue directly — driving patients to care and witnessing the realities behind the numbers. Redefining Health, Identity, and Leadership — LaTonya reflects on letting go of expectations, prioritizing her health and her children, and redefining what leadership and success look like in her life now. "I had to make a decision for myself." — LaTonya Bynum Stay in Touch 🔗 With LaTonya Bynum, MPH, MCHES LinkedIn ↗: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latonyabynum/ With Dr. Kristi McClamroch LinkedIn ↗: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-mcclamroch Website ↗: www.CourageousPublicHealth.com Follow for weekly reflections on courage and leadership ↗: http://eepurl.com/jcgQv6 Public Health Consulting to Support You 🤝 We partner with public health, healthcare, nonprofit, philanthropic, and government organizations to design and facilitate interactive workshops for women leaders in public health — turning courage into a leadership skill so it becomes an organizational strength. If your organization would benefit from this kind of support, we'd love to connect. Reach out on LinkedIn ↗ or through our website ↗.

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