Samba Pathak (he/him/his) is the program manager, interim research lab manager, and administrative operations specialist. Pathak also serves as a co-chair of the inaugural CPH Staff Council. Pathak hit his third anniversary at Mason in January 2024 and is excited to continue his journey in the College of Public Health and School of Nursing.
His exploration into public health was an accident! In 2021, he joined the Department of Safety, Emergency, and Enterprise Risk Management (SEERM), where he focused on onsite personnel management, logistics, and operations for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Following the successful impact on the Mason community, SEERM wanted to focus some of its time on providing health access to communities that had barriers to obtaining the vaccine. From there, Pathak was a part of the planning team and a site admin dedicated to coordinating mobile initiatives where we could set up a COVID clinic in a van and go into the community to provide that continued access.
COVID introduced him to a new world and employed a new scope. Following the decline in vaccine demand later that year, Pathak joined the Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinics team. It focused on re-organizing MAP Clinic resources and helping the transition back into the standard in-person bridge care the clinic sites provided. Since then Pathak’s role has expanded toward delivering project management and operational support on grants projects, including Public Health AmeriCorps, VDH Latent Tuberculosis Infection Project, and Empowered Communities. Pathak also spends time coordinating administrative operations across all MAP Clinic sites and the Population Health Center on Fairfax campus, as well as managing lab compliance for the CPH Peterson Hall Labs managed by the Office of Research.
That said, Pathak’s background didn't revolve around healthcare before coming to Mason. Pathak holds a BA in Theatre and is finishing his MA in Arts Management this spring. That's very different than public health! Before his time at Mason, Pathak worked extensively in theatre production and marketing for creative enterprises. He was the director of marketing, PR, and communications for theatre companies and small businesses specializing in product merchandising. His primary focus was working on brand awareness, marketing campaigns for individualized musical productions, and data analytics management. He continues to work on freelance projects to support theatrical innovation and brand development.
Pathak is also an active award-winning stage manager practicing in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. When it comes to theatre, he's not the on-stage type of person, but he enjoys the active environment within rehearsals, the stress/fun of technical and dress rehearsals, and calling cues during performances. He is currently working on a production with Mason's School of Theater that is going up this March at the Harris Theatre on Fairfax campus.
You're probably thinking about how the arts and public health go together… and Pathak’s thinking the same question! Having consistent exposure to both realms, his capstone revolves around maintaining community engagement and access for all. Whether it be access to health services or art forms, it should be available to communities. He's also exploring creative art therapies, specifically drama therapy, to see how that can continue to make a difference in the intersection of his two worlds.
While all these things keep him busy, he is always open to support (the good and the bad!) of students, faculty, and staff across the university to ensure that everything is balanced. Don't hesitate to contact him if you need information about the college or if he can lend support. He has many resources to point you in the right direction if he still needs to get the answer. Pathak’s email is spathak5@gmu.edu, and his Office is in Population Health Center #2911. Always feel free to come by and say hi!