Briana Dawson, MPH

Briana Dawson, MPH, serves as the Communications, Outreach, and Marketing Coordinator at the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland (USMSM). In this role, she enhances the institution’s visibility and profile while strengthening community engagement through innovative communications, targeted marketing, and strategic partnerships. Briana’s expertise in health communication, health promotion, facilitation, and community engagement, allows her to connect diverse audiences with educational opportunities, resources, and services through a mission-driven approach. She is also an active member of College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals (CUPRAP).

As a Wellness Consultant and Certified Creative Strategist, Briana brings more than four years of experience developing communications and marketing initiatives for public health, nonprofit, and community-based organizations. She holds a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Health Promotion from George Mason University.

Throughout her career, Briana has collaborated with organizations including the Hope Health Comm Lab, Mason and Partners Clinics, the REAN Foundation, the American Minority Veterans Research Project, the African American Health Program, the Black Physicians and Healthcare Network, Holy Cross Hospital, the Morehouse School Of Medicine’s National COVID-19 Resiliency Network, and The National Center For Children and Families to develop audience-centered campaigns designed to raise awareness, increase engagement, and improve access to critical services and information. Her contributions have supported health initiatives focused on COVID-19 awareness, mental health advocacy, diabetes education, and health equity. Notable campaigns include Keeping It 100 About COVID-19, Keeping It 100 About Diabetes, Health Matters, Toast to Black Health, Your Health Is Your Wealth Through Dance, and the ElevateHER Health Equity Campaign: Black Health Facts initiative. Driven by a strong commitment to wellness and community impact, Briana also contributes to public health research focused on addressing disparities affecting underserved and vulnerable populations. She served as Project Manager for the Sexual Health & Religiosity (SHR) Study and Assistant Community Coordinator for the Digital Intervention on Sexual Health–Black Parents (DISH-BP) Study through the Hope Health Comm Lab. In 2025, Briana co-presented the poster Sacred Scripts and Silent Spaces: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Faith Leaders’ Sexual Trauma Communication with Black Youth at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting & Expo, themed Making the Public’s Health a National Priority. Through her multifaceted experience in higher education, public health, strategic communications, and research, Briana is committed to bridging community engagement, evidence-based practice, and innovative communication strategies to create meaningful and lasting impact.