Helen Linda, public health workforce development coordinator at the Vermont Department of Health, explains the value of academic health departments and shares how she worked with the Public Health Foundation to assess the current state of her agency’s experiential learning environment; Emman Parian, immunization program manager for the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation of the Northern Mariana Islands, discusses...
Helen Linda, public health workforce development coordinator at the Vermont Department of Health, explains the value of academic health departments and shares how she worked with the Public Health Foundation to assess the current state of her agency’s experiential learning environment; Emman Parian, immunization program manager for the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation of the Northern Mariana Islands, discusses his recent ASTHO article about how relationships are at the heart of public health; on October 30, ASTHO will host an Insight & Inspiration webinar on how to find the clarity to lead with intent; and stay current on Public Health Infrastructure Grant deadlines, events, opportunities and more by subscribing to the PHIG National Partners' Connections newsletter.
ASTHO Webinar: Strengthening Academic Health Department Partnerships for Student Success in Vermont
ASTHO Blog: For Emman Parian, Strong Partnerships Are at the Heart of Public Health
ASTHO Webinar: Insight & Inspiration: Finding the Clarity to Lead with Intent
ASTHO Web Page: Subscribe to PHIG Connections Newsletter
JANSON SILVERS:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Monday, October 20, 2025. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
HELEN LINDA:
These partnerships have the potential to strengthen the pipeline of public health professionals by exposing students to the simple fact that every type of profession can be a public health profession.
SILVERS:
Academic health departments are an innovative way to engage with students and support workforce development, but creating a program that fits the needs and capabilities of each department can often be a challenge. That's why Helen Linda with the Vermont Department of Health reached out to the Public Health Foundation for technical assistance to assess the current state of her agency's experiential learning environment.
LINDA:
Kicking off this project with an environmental scan right at the beginning ensures that we have a complete picture as it exists today, and together, as a whole department, we can decide what we think will be the most effective starting point for improvement.
SILVERS:
Linda knew that working with the Public Health Foundation would give her team a more global view of how academic health departments can work across the public health landscape.
LINDA:
They can more effectively show us where we are on the continuum of academic health department implementations and have better-informed opinions about where we can be the most impactful, which then we can couple with our local knowledge as we decide what to try first.
SILVERS:
Together, they decided on a focus group format for the environmental scan, and early findings are already helping Linda and her team to form an approach.
LINDA:
Our staff say that having students often energizes them, and since they're coming in with fresh eyes and new ideas, it breathes a little extra life into our teams. So, if it's done thoughtfully, these partnerships can add to the retention of existing public health staff.
SILVERS:
To hear more from Linda and the Public Health Foundation about their experience strengthening academic health department partnerships, be sure to catch them in ASTHO's webinar on the subject next Monday, October 27 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. You can sign up for the event using the link in the show notes.
As the immunization program manager for the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation of the Northern Mariana Islands, Emman Parian works closely with a range of organizations. In a new ASTHO blog article, Parian shares what he's learned about the importance of maintaining relationships and how his mentors at the organization played a role in his growth.
EMMAN PARIAN:
The leaders that I had were very supportive. I like to ask a lot of questions, and they were always willing and able to help me.
SILVERS:
Parian believes partnerships are at the heart of public health.
PARIAN:
Strong partnerships could be as small as working amongst the team members that I have in the program to colleagues in another public health program that goes back to our external partners and stakeholders in the community.
SILVERS:
Whether he's working with regional or federal partners, Parian says building a lasting relationship is essential to effective public health outcomes.
PARIAN:
The goals and objectives may be done, but in reality, it's always a continuous cycle to sustain that partnership that we have to ensure that it benefits not only the program of public health but the overall community.
SILVERS:
To read more about Parian's approach to partnership in the Northern Mariana Islands, you can access the full blog article on ASTHO's website. We'll have a link in the show notes.
Coming up on October 30 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time, join ASTHO's Insight and Inspiration webinar on how to find the clarity to lead with intent. You will learn how to cut through ambiguity and make mission-forward decisions that leave space for adjustment. Sign up for the event now using the link in the show notes.
Finally, make sure to stay current on Public Health Infrastructure Grant deadlines, project updates, events, resources, opportunities, and successes through the PHIG National Partners' Connections newsletter. Click the link in the show notes to subscribe.
That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Janson Silvers. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
