From Cameroon to Texas, Fanesse Muyah brings academic leadership and data-driven approaches to improving health systems within medically underserved communities.   

For one rising leader in the field of pharmacy, transforming lives through medicine isn’t simply a career goal — it’s a personal mission rooted in lived experience and community service. 

“Having moved to Houston at the age of nine with my hardworking parents and eight siblings, I learned early the value of focused multitasking and advocating for myself and others,” Muyah said. “I also saw firsthand how health care impacts communities differently. 

“Watching my father navigate chronic illness was a huge motivator to want to improve patient education and access to care.” 

Today, the Johnson & Johnson/NMF Alliance for Innovation in Medicine scholar is working to integrate her academic leadership, research, and data analytics experience with more efficient and collaborative clinical service delivery in fast-paced health care settings. 

“It’s been such a great experience connecting with other scholars and alumni through workshops and professional development events. NMF has given me access to a network of mentors and peers I wouldn’t have had otherwise.” 

Despite facing financial challenges that sometimes made it difficult to prioritize academics, Muyah sought scholarships and seized opportunities that allowed her to begin her academic journey. 

“Earning my Associate of Science from Houston Community College was a strategic choice to stay close to home and family, save on tuition, and focus on building a strong academic foundation before transferring,” she said. 

Muyah also worked as a research assistant and project manager while earning her Bachelor of Science in biology from Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). 

“The health care informatics curriculum I helped develop is now adopted as a minor to better equip students with skills in data analysis, research, and digital health systems,” she said. “This experience opened my eyes to how health care delivery can be improved via data-driven clinical and administrative decisions.” 

Eager to impact health on a broader scale, Muyah — who speaks both English and Moghamo — earned her master’s in public health from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. 

“I wanted to understand health care beyond clinical settings — to learn how to impact entire populations, not just individuals.”

Her MPH studies were accompanied by meaningful professional experiences: serving as a Walgreens pharmacy intern; coordinating KU Medical School’s Pre-Admissions Program (where she mentored more than 50 premed students with an 80% MCAT pass rate); mentoring college-bound students at Alief ISD; and doing high-level project management for Kaiser Permanente, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

“Those experiences in particular taught me how large health systems operate and how important it is to coordinate care across different departments,” Muyah said. 

A 2023-2025 AHEC Scholar through the National AHEC Organization, she is currently earning her PharmD from Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. 

“My experience at TSU-COPHS has been challenging but rewarding,” Muyah said. “I love how the program emphasizes community engagement, but I’d also love to see it integrate more interprofessional experiences earlier in the curriculum.” 

For example, as a pharmacy intern with Harris Health, Muyah has shadowed staff focused on intravenous delivery, HIV injectables, chemotherapy, sickle cell anemia, and psychiatric support. 

And, as a fellow with Morgan State and Johns Hopkins University, Muyah will be presenting international research on the effects of postnatal doula support on maternal and newborn health at the American Public Health Association conference this fall. 

“This fellowship was one of the highlights of my academic journey, inspiring me to pursue additional fellowships in maternal and child health upon my graduation in 2027.”

Muyah remains plenty busy until then, serving not only as a pharmacology, pathophysiology, and biostatistics public health tutor for fellow students, but also in executive leadership for student organizations across TPS-COPHS, including as president of the Student Society of Health System Pharmacists and the African Pharmacy Student Association; vice president of Phi Lambda Sigma; and secretary of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, and Kappa Psi Pharmaceutics. 

“I see my extensive involvement as an investment in my growth and my passion for community health excellence,” Muyah said. “Participating with these organizations not only teaches me time management and team leadership but also keeps me connected to and grounded in my ‘why.’” 

Muyah said while TSU-COPHS is preparing her to address health and access challenges across patient populations on a systems level, NMF has provided the mentorship, professional development, and sense of belonging she needs to continue to think bigger. 

“NMF is unique because they are more than just funding — it’s about being part of a larger mission,” she said. “Representation matters, and by giving me access to others with similar backgrounds and goals, I’m reinvigorated with confidence and greater commitment to community.” 

“Community is everything in medicine. We can’t do this work alone, and I’ve seen how powerful it is when providers, patients, and advocates work together. Engaging with the community builds trust, and trust results in better outcomes.”