Maria Jose Velasco Burgos

Home and Community

Extension Assistant Professor I Home and Community I Social Determinants of Health I Interim Latino Program Director I Create Better Health


Maria Velasco

Contact Information

Office Location: Grand County
Phone: (435) 797-1482
Email: maria.velascoburgos@usu.edu

Expertise

Social Determinants of Health, Community Health Education, Global Health, Prevention, Diversity, Community Health Worker, Diabetes Prevention, Latinx Population, Canva Design, Digital Marketing, Social Media Ads, Refugee Community Health Worker, Health Education, Biology, Chemistry, Community Health

Biography

María José Velasco Burgos is from Manta, Ecuador. She has a Master’s in Public Health and Public Administration from the University of Utah. While completing her graduate studies, she was involved in leadership roles, including the ASUU Diversity Associate Director, Senator of the School of Medicine for two years, and Area of Health Education Scholar. She has extensive experience working with diverse communities. One of the main programs she has participated in is facilitating the Community Health Worker State Certificate in Spanish and English for refugee, Hispanic and rural communities. She is passionate about teaching community programs in prevention to help them be healthy. Her research interests and work efforts have focused on health disparities affecting underserved communities, diabetes prevention, access to care, breast cancer, obesity, and preserving the Sego Lily (Utah State flower). In 2016, She went to Medical School in Ecuador but could not complete her studies due to an Earthquake emergency in her townhome. She completed her bachelor’s in Biology, Chemistry, Community Health, and Pre-med at Utah Valley University (UVU). While at UVU, she was part of the International Student Council, UVUSA, School of Science and Health Senator, foundation ambassador, and founder of the UNICEF campus initiative. Mariajose is currently working as Assistant Professor at Grand County; her researches interest is SDOH, diversity and inclusion, health disparities, and global health.

Teaching Interests

Public Health
Social Determinants of Health
Health Disparities
Global Health
Curriculum Adaptation
Diabetes Prevention and Management
Obesity prevention
Community Health Workers Certificate
Refugee and Immigrants health
Diversity and Inclusion

Research Interests

Breast Cancer
Public Health Issues Affecting the Hispanic Community
Obesity
Social Determinants of Health
Curriculum Adaptation
Sleep Health
Diversity and Inclusion
Roles of Community Health Workers
Diabetes and Prediabetes

Extension

Cultural Belonging (CUBE Extension Program), 2023 - Ongoing
Diverse-Centered Health Promotion and Wellness, 2023 - Ongoing
Community Health Worker Programming in Extension- Cohort Certificate Training, 2023 - Ongoing
Social Determinants of Health Grand County , 2023 - Ongoing
Community Health Worker Core Skills Training Program, 2024 - 2025