Rutgers School of Public Health alumnus Rich Hubner, MPH, leads consulting solutions at BSI, where he advances environmental health strategies and human-centered approaches across industries
Each April, the Rutgers School of Public Health’s Office of Career Services features alumni whose work is advancing health and well-being locally and globally. Launched in 2021, Alumni April brings together students, alumni, faculty and community partners through stories and events that showcase diverse career paths and the many ways public health professionals drive impactful change.
This year’s Alumni April theme, Humans of Rutgers School of Public Health, centers the human stories behind public health – highlighting non-traditional journeys, interdisciplinary careers and the people-first values that shape the profession. These leaders illustrate the many ways our alumni bring public health values into varied roles and sectors, while keeping people and communities at the heart of what they do.
Among them is Rich Hubner, MPH, Northeast Regional Director at BSI Consulting. Here, he reflects on his journey, what it means to “humanize public health” and his advice for future public health leaders.
---
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.
For more than 30 years, I’ve partnered with organizations to help them grow, adapt, and perform at a higher level. My approach begins with stepping back to see the bigger picture — understanding what’s working, what isn’t, and where there’s meaningful opportunity to become stronger, more aligned, and more effective.
I specialize in connecting the dots—integrating strategic planning, data analytics, and creative thinking to solve complex operational challenges and uncover opportunities for safer, more resilient workplaces and environments. Whether developing or refining strategic plans to improve occupational outcomes or helping teams collaborate more effectively, I focus on practical, actionable changes that deliver measurable results.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked with a diverse range of clients, including law firms, corporations, nonprofits, trade associations, and government agencies. I’m often engaged at pivotal moments—when organizations are ready for change and need a fresh, objective perspective to move forward with clarity and confidence.
How did your non-traditional path shape your public health career?
I graduated with a degree in Biological Sciences from Cook College with every intention of continuing my education in the medical field. However, as circumstances and plans evolved, I found myself supporting the USEPA Region II Field Investigation Team, where I was responsible for developing and implementing field-based health and safety plans.
Through this experience, it became clear that my expertise and interests were better aligned with a different path in post-graduate education. At that time, Public Health studies were offered through a joint program between the former UMDNJ and Rutgers University. This presented an opportunity to expand my knowledge and expertise in environmental and occupational health—an area in which I have continued to grow and apply my skills throughout my career.
Humanizing the field helps ensure [decisions] are made transparently and with respect for those most affected. The strongest public health systems do both well—using data to see clearly and empathy to act wisely.
Rich Hubner, MPH
Alumnus, Rutgers School of Public Health
What does “humanizing public health” mean to you?
Population-level tools like surveillance data, risk modelling, and compliance metrics are powerful because they reveal patterns we can’t see at the individual level. They help prevent disease, allocate resources, and shape policy. But by design, they abstract people into categories: rates, percentages, “cases.”
Humanizing public health doesn’t replace that—it complements it by restoring context, dignity, and lived experience. It also addresses a more profound, ethical consideration: public health decisions often involve trade-offs—efficiency vs. equity, speed vs. inclusion.
Humanizing the field helps ensure those trade-offs are made transparently and with respect for those most affected. The strongest public health systems do both well—using data to see clearly and empathy to act wisely.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to those pursuing a career in public health?
The one piece of advice I would give to prospective and current public health students right now is simple: Create and activate your network. Public health has always been interdisciplinary, but at this moment in history—marked by political polarization, workforce shortages, emerging infectious threats, climate-related health impacts, and rapid information spread—the strength of your professional network may be just as important as your technical expertise.
