Get to Know Shaivi Herur

Bloomberg Fellow Shaivi Herur, alongside her team at JSI Research & Training Institute, is working to reduce stigma around drug use and improve the quality of care for addiction treatment across Massachusetts.

Born in India and raised in Singapore, Herur’s global upbringing gives her a unique perspective on health systems. After moving to the U.S. in 2017, she quickly recognized the gaps in culturally competent services—and how those gaps could directly affect both access to care and the effectiveness of services. 

After graduating from Tufts University in 2021, Herur joined JSI, where she began working on projects at the intersection of HIV, infectious disease, health equity, environmental health, and substance use. It was through this work that she also discovered a passion for using data to drive public health impact.

“Data sits at the center of public health innovation,” Herur explains. “It allows us to track surges in opioid-related deaths, identify treatment gaps, and evaluate the impact of medications for opioid use disorder, harm reduction strategies, and policy changes. Strong, real-time data gives us the evidence we need to advocate for reforms and show that targeted shifts in care models can truly save lives.”

Herur utilized her unique skillset to help establish the Massachusetts Opioid Treatment Program Training and Technical Assistance Center. Through this project, she began to see how often patients' voices were absent from policy decisions—and how stigma around opioid use shaped both funding priorities and individuals’ willingness to seek treatment.

Now, Herur and her team are developing tailored tools and strategies that help providers confront stigma within their own systems. “Stigma—both social and political—plays a major role in limiting access to methadone and other evidence-based treatments,” she says. 

To better understand how public health policy is shaped, Herur applied to the Bloomberg Fellowship. Since joining, she’s not only learned new technical skills but also found a powerful network to leverage.

“My favorite part about being a Bloomberg Fellow is being in community with passionate public health professionals,” she says. “I’m constantly inspired by my peers—their innovation, their commitment to evidence-based practice, and their drive to lead meaningful change. This network is incredibly diverse, reflecting a wide range of backgrounds and experiences, which mirrors the multifaceted nature of public health itself.”