Fernanda Carvalho, Danbury Director of Health and Human Services

In July 2024, Fernanda Carvalho was named the director of Health and Human Services for the city of Danbury. A 2012 Western Connecticut State University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Carvalho said, “My studies at WestConn provided a solid foundation in biology, chemistry, and the medical field, which has been instrumental in my career.”

In a News-Times article announcing her appointment, Carvalho is quoted as saying she ‘“fell in love with’ the science of public health as a college student. ‘You’re actually preventing disease from happening in the first place through programming, through health education, and through, obviously, vaccines.’”

Carvalho’s path to this position took a few turns, much as her childhood did. “I grew up partly in Brazil and partly in Danbury,” she explained. “I was born in New York City and moved to Brazil when I was 2 years old. I returned to the U.S. when I was 10-11 years old and lived in Danbury until the end of 2019. I attended Danbury High School.”

After graduating from DHS, she began her undergraduate studies at SCSU and spent a year there. “After the first year, I decided to transfer to WestConn due to the commute, expenses, and degree options,” Carvalho said. She had always wanted to be a doctor or a dentist, and WestConn’s Pre-Health/Pre-Med Pathways program was the perfect fit for how she envisioned her future.

Fernanda Carvalho at her 2012 Commencement.

While at WestConn, Professors of Biology Dr. Mitch Wagener and Dr. Frank Dye, and Professor of Chemistry Dr. Nicholas Greco were among the WestConn faculty who left a strong impression on her. As a student, Carvalho worked at Main Street Pharmacy, which provided a view of health care from that perspective. After her May 2012 graduation, she was employed by Nuvance Health.

“I worked full-time in Nuvance Health’s Finance Office/Business Office until the summer of 2020,” she said. During that time, Carvalho enrolled in the CCSU Master of Science in Biomolecular Science program, but found “it wasn’t for me.” By the summer of 2018, she began volunteering at the City of Danbury Department of Health and Human Services while still working at Nuvance, and it was there she discovered her passion for public health. In fall 2018, Carvalho began to pursue a Master of Public Health in Environmental Health Science and Certificate in Industrial Hygiene at New York Medical College, graduating in Spring 2020.

Carvalho has some good advice for students as they begin their college experience. “Use the first year to explore various degree possibilities,” she said. “Before choosing a degree, volunteer or shadow a professional in that field to understand the career opportunities your degree can provide post-graduation.”

Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.