UCLA Fielding graduate student Trishna Singh awarded healthcare finance fellowship

UCLA Fielding graduate student Trishna Singh will be awarded the 2026 EMPH Lee Thomassen Healthcare Finance Fellowship at the upcoming UCLA Health Policy and Management Alumni Association awards event, set for May 21.

Currently with the healthcare consulting firm Premier, Inc., Singh was selected by the faculty for her mastery of accounting and finance coursework and her promise in financial management. This fellowship is awarded in memory of Executive MPH alumnus and faculty member, Lee Thomassen (EMPH Class of 2012).

For Singh, whose interests are focused on maternal and child health, the EMPH finance curriculum has not just been about numbers - it’s been about ensuring that programs for vulnerable populations do not disappear due to poor funding structures.

“First, I want to express my gratitude for this opportunity. For too long, programs serving vulnerable populations, especially in perinatal health, have been underfunded or discontinued not because they lack impact but often they do not have a sustainable financial structure,” Singh said. “With the skills gained in finance and accounting, I hope to now have the tools to be a part of that change. By understanding proformas and reimbursement models, I can now build programs that don’t just serve communities but survive long enough to transform them. Financial management is ultimately the language of sustainability and for historically marginalized communities, sustainability itself is equity.”

The $1,000 fellowship supports returning second-year EMPH students who demonstrate excellence in finance and accounting, carrying forward Lee’s legacy of financial expertise and dedication to the healthcare field.

"A strong student overall, Trishna has shown exceptional performance in her financial coursework,” said Dr. Isomi Miake-Lye, assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management and director of the EMPH program. “Pairing this facility with a commitment to equity reflects Trishna's intellectual depth and sense of purpose, characteristics that embody the values of the EMPH program."  

In her professional role, Singh leads national maternal quality improvement initiatives. The EMPH program has provided her with skills to bridge the gap between clinical data and financial viability, she said.

“This curriculum has given me fluency in the financial and operational pressures that many executives face daily,” Singh said. “Now I can position data not just as insights, but as a strategic asset that justifies investment. I can connect patient outcome data to margin, strategy, and long-term financial viability.”

As she prepares to graduate this June, Singh credits the EMPH community for helping her integrate quality improvement with a rigorous financial framework.

“The program helped me gain the skills to connect my background in quality improvement, health equity, and cost improvement with a strategic and financial framework," she said. "I want to step into roles where I can shape how systems think about the continuum of care with an equity lens. The mentorship I received from professors and alumni throughout these past two years has been instrumental in shaping how I can best apply this degree into my next steps.”