Committed to protecting communities and advancing healthcare systems, Reza Taghiof is a public health professional with a growing career in healthcare administration. With over a decade of experience spanning environmental health, pharmacy operations, and regulatory compliance, Reza Taghiof brings a patient-centered, systems-oriented approach to public health leadership and organizational excellence.
Reza Taghiof is an environmental specialist II with the Florida Department of Health in Tampa, Florida, where he plays a key role in safeguarding public health across Hillsborough County. In this capacity, He leads inspections across multiple environmental health programs, ensuring facilities comply with Florida health codes and public safety regulations. His work directly supports disease prevention, environmental safety, and community well-being.
Before his promotion, Mr. Taghiof worked as an environmental specialist I from 2022 to 2025. He conducted inspections of public swimming pools, spas, and interactive water features and also managed complaint investigations, permitting issues, and re-inspections while maintaining regular communication with facility operators and the public.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
A typical day for me is working at the Florida Department of Health for eight hours, which involves conducting inspections, emailing reports for compliance, training new staff members, or reviewing quotas. After that, I go to class at University of South Florida (USF). I am in the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program and have three classes this semester. So I work full-time and then part-time with school. Then after class, I will either do some homework or assignments or watch some sports like football or basketball, if that’s on. Sometimes, I make myself a to-do list for stuff I need to do for the week.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I usually like to think of ideas that come into my head and let it play out or think of how it will work. Then I communicate my ideas to other colleagues or coworkers and get their input. Then I communicate with my supervisor to see what they think and get their feedback. I make adjustments based on their response.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The advancement of technology. It’s becoming more useful and can help in so many ways. Especially for my major of health aministration and being around healthcare, the advancement of technology and AI can do wonders.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Planning and writing lists. I like to write down the things I need to get done, whether it’s throughout the day or week. Then organize them in order of importance and make sure I complete things in a sufficient amount of time.
What advice would you give your younger self?
To always connect with others and don’t be afraid to take advantage of the opportunities that may come my way. I was working at Walgreens for 11 years because I felt comfortable. I was such a great employee. I could always use my talent to grow and learn more.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Sometimes it’s better to hire someone who is more capable of adapting and dealing with change to the work environment rather than someone who has the knowledge in that area. Things never last forever in a job and procdures always change, so it’s important to higher someone who has that ability to adapt to change and be productive.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
To plan and stay organized. I feel like if you plan out your work days, you really can be more efficient. This can produce great results and give you great skills to be able to move up in the workplace. Great qualities in being a leader.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Sometimes, I take a deep breath and try to relax. Get my mind off the subject and maybe listen to music. I do this for a few minutes to just calm my mind and then, when I feel ready, I go back into my task and stay focused on getting things done.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Having good communication. Any time I learn something new and want to be efficient, I always communicate with my supervisor to get feedback on how I do things and how I can improve. I’ve always been able to communicate well with my superiors and maintained a great relationship. I think being that person they can rely on has helped me grow in any workplace I’ve been in.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
In a group assignment, it was about four of us that needed to complete a powerpoint project in two weeks. Nobody was taking initiative and getting tasks divided within the group. I was more shy and reserved and this hurt our group, as we didn’t work until a few days before the project was due. I took initiative and got everyone accountable and divided up our work. We were able to get things done by the deadline.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A centralized scheduling system in healthcare. Being able to schedule appointments, make sure your insurance goes through, and have reminders and suggestions from your doctor.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
The notes section on my phone. I use it to make lists and bullets, and it helps me prioritize tasks and stay productive. With work and school, it really helps me stay on track with things.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
A second monitor. It helps me work more efficiently, and I am able to get things done quicker. Especially with school assignments, having two monitors seems essential.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I don’t really have a favorite book or podcast. I tend to sometimes see different sports podcast clips. I think it gives you different viewpoints about how people think, even if it’s about sports. People always have different views.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I recently watched the show “Suits.” It was such an intriguing show that always made me want to watch the next episode. It is just so interesting seeing the main characters come up with different strategies to win their case.
Key learnings
- Prioritize planning, communication, and organization.
- Success is driven by adaptability, continuous learning, and wanting to grow.
- Early initiative and planning can help prevent small issues from being big problems.
- Well-defined roles and expectations improve both accountability and performance.