Kelly R. Estilette, MPH, MCHES, CDI, CVT

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Candidate

Kelly R Estilette Headshot

Education & Affiliations

MPH, Community Health Sciences with focus in Genetic Epidemiology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, 2023
Honored Commencement Student Graduation Speaker
Tulane Global Health Scholar Certified Faculty sponsor Dr. Jane Bertrand
Biomedical Sciences Post Bacc, University of New Orleans
BS, Applied Animal Science & Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University
Genetic Alliance Intern
BroadStreet Institute Community Data Analyst Leadership
Tennessee Department of Health Leaders of Tomorrow Intern, Office of Healthy Aging
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Data Specialist
American Public Health Association (APHA) Genomics Forum Member
International Genetic Epidemiological Society (IGES) Young Investigator
International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) Member
Epigenetics Society

Biography

Kelly R. Estilette, MPH, MCHES, CDI, is a Doctor of Public Health candidate and Global Scholar at the Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine whose interests and research focuses on leadership, advocacy, public health genomics, genetic and molecular epidemiology, epigenomics, and precision prevention.

Her research is guided by an overarching question: How do environmental and social exposures become biologically embedded through molecular mechanisms across the life course, and how can those discoveries be translated into precision prevention, public health systems, and policy?

Her interdisciplinary career has progressed from clinical medicine in both veterinary and human healthcare to population health, epidemiology, genomics, and molecular investigation. This trajectory informs a systems-oriented approach to understanding disease across molecular, clinical, environmental, and population levels.

Research Areas

Molecular & Genetic Epidemiology
Cancer Epidemiology
Epigenomics & Epigenetic Epidemiology
Gene–Environment Interactions
Multi-omics & Systems Molecular Biology
Environmental Epidemiology & Exposomics
Biomarker Discovery & Validation
Precision Prevention
Public Health Genomics
Health Disparities & Genomic Equity
ELSI & Genomic Policy
Translational & Regulatory Science
One Health
Evolutionary Theory

Public Health Pedagogy
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning SoTL
 

Honors & Awards

2023 Delta Omega Public Health Honorary Society

2018 Society for Collegiate Leadership and Achievement (SCLA) National Honor Society

National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) Honors Society Member 

 

Kelly R Estilette Delta Omega Honors Badge
Kelly R Estilette Delta Omega Certificate
Kelly R Estilette National Society of Collegiate Scholars

 

Publications

Selected Publications & Scholarly Work

Estilette, K. (2020). Our future with COVID19 as a preexisting condition. Tulane SPHTM. The Internationalist, Political Health, 3-4
Estilette, K. (2022). Consideration of Epigenetic Factors and Disparities Influencing COVID-19 Infection Including Occupational Lens. Tulane SPHTM. The Internationalist, Where Do We Go from Here?
Estilette, K. (2023). Genomics Policy Analysis in Precision Medicine with Health Disparity Lens. Genetic Epidemiology (abstract publication post International Genetic Epidemiological Society conference poster presentation)


Selected Scientific Presentations

Estilette, K. (2026). A One Health Systems Framework for Integrating Transgenerational Epigenomic Signals Across Environmental Exposure Pathways. Poster and abstract, International Symposium on Epigenetic Inheritance, LSU.

 

Editorial & Peer Review Service
Peer reviewer, Public Health Genomics (Karger Publishers), 2026–present. Completed invited peer review of scholarly manuscript.

Courses

Tulane Course Instructor:
Public Health BSPH Program
SPHU 4560 Capstone Internship

Graduate Teaching Assistantship:
SPHL 6020 Foundations in Public Health
SPHU 4350 Zoonotic Infections
SPHU 1020 The Cell, the Individual, and the Community
SPHU 1010 Intro to Public Health/ Scientific Writing Intensive Course

Dissertation Info

Doctoral Practicum, Genetic Alliance

Research and translational scholarship examining the development of epigenomics and its integration into public health systems, including environmental exposures, health equity, ELSI, policy, and conceptual systems frameworks connecting molecular discoveries to population-health intervention. Her practicum includes a novel design of a systems-level causal framework connecting environmental exposures, epigenomic mechanisms and population-health outcomes across the life course.

Tennessee Department of Health

Applied epidemiologic, policy, data, and implementation-science work supporting statewide public-health planning.

Instructor of Record, Tulane BSPH Program

Undergraduate public health instruction through Tulane's doctoral student-to-professor training pathway, including service-learning and applied public-health education.

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Tulane SPHTM

Teaching support across undergraduate and graduate public-health coursework, including Foundations in Public Health, Introduction to Public Health/Scientific Writing, Zoonotic Infections, and The Cell, the Individual, and the Community.

Invited Lecturer, Tulane BSPH Program

Invited undergraduate lectures in Immunology and Epigenetics.


Training & Leadership

American Society of Human Genetics - Advocacy Certificate for Human Genetics and Genomics Trainee (ACGT), 2026–2027 Cohort