900: How ASTHO Provides Value, Crisis Comms Webinar

JANSON SILVERS: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, May 6, 2025. I'm Janson Silvers. Now today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

This morning we bring you the next edition of "Get to Know ASTHO" where you hear firsthand from ASTHO's experts on what they do and how the work impacts members. Today, we continue our showcase of the government affairs team. Here's ASTHO Senior Director for Government Affairs, Jeffrey Ekoma, on why he chose to bring his talents to ASTHO.

JEFFREY EKOMA: 

What really brought me to ASTHO was one of its mission and who ASTHO members are in the important work that they do in their communities on a day-to-day basis, whether it's something that doesn't make headline news or whether it's a global pandemic, but ultimately, ASTHO members do amazing work. I think what also really drew me to ASTHO is when you think about sort of the wide gamut that is public health, that excites me, whether it's– we're talking about environmental health, right? We see what you see every day, or we see things that are happening in maternal child health, or things that we see happening in data modernization. What excites me is how interconnected a lot of the programmatic areas are at ASTHO, and the ability for me as a government affairs professional to be able to advocate and support the work that's happening at the national level.

SILVERS: 

Ekoma tells us how he uses his past experiences to be a proficient leader.

EKOMA: 

My background broadly is in community health and also in sort of biological sciences. I also have an MBA as well, which really, I think, allows me to really understand the intersection between what's happening in health and public health and also what's happening in the business space. So, I bring a lot of those experiences to ASTHO, and it really allows me to be a good advocate. I have the pleasure of leading our government affairs team at ASTHO, which really means that I manage our ability to make sure that we hit our targets related to our legislative agenda on behalf of our members, as well as meet the goals of our congressional engagement plan. I also lead the efforts that we have with our affiliate organizations at ASTHO, as well as the various coalitions that we work with. So, I– it's, it's a great honor and a privilege to lead that work

SILVERS: 

Ekoma says his goal is for him and his team to provide value to members.

EKOMA: 

There's also having an understanding of, are there any things that are immediate concerns for members, and what are the best ways for us to collect information or intel to be able to support our member understanding of those needs. And also, what actions should we as a government affairs team be taking to better understand that. But I think the most beautiful part of my day is the variability that exists. And I truly do love the opportunity to really pivot and be flexible to what member needs are. That really does excite me. It provides a different level of focus that I just enjoy. Almost feels like you're putting a cape on and walking out the door and going to do something completely different. So, I really enjoy that, and I really enjoy how my day to days look different based on what's happening in the field and what's happening on Capitol Hill.

SILVERS: 

While Ekoma is proud of the work his team has already done, there's still much in store this year.

EKOMA: 

I'm looking forward to a lot of the work that I know we're going to accomplish that may not be at the forefront that people may see. I'm really excited about the conversations that we're having now with folks in the administration, with the many friends and colleagues that we have on Capitol Hill, in how those conversations and those efforts, we're already beginning to see the results of that.

SILVERS: 

In the coming weeks, we will have more profiles from the ASTHO government affairs team. Make sure you are following the show so that you never miss a story.

On Thursday, May 8, ASTHO is hosting its "Don't Panic!" panel, which will teach you how to be an effective crisis communicator. "Vish" Vishwanath, with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will be one of the speakers.

K. "VISH" VISWANATH:

It's very exciting. There is a webinar on risk communication, or in other words, how do you communicate information about health and science when there is a lot of uncertainty.

SILVERS: 

Vishwanath says risk communications really involves all of public health.

VISWANATH: 

Risk communication is not about just you and the burden and the responsibility for risk communication. Communicating risk is not just on you as an individual, but as a system. How do we work together as a system, as an institution, to be very effective in our communications.

SILVERS: 

Vishwanath wants everyone to walk away better equipped to operate in what he calls a quote, "complex information ecosystem."

VISWANATH: 

My hope is that the audiences for that webinar will come away with some knowledge of the challenges in communicating during these turbulent times in a complex system, but also some possibilities on how to do that, some pointers, some tips that could be very helpful to them.

SILVERS: 

There's still time to sign up for the webinar. Use the link in the show notes to learn more.

Also, this morning, the Association of Immunization Managers, an ASTHO Affiliate Council Member, is celebrating its 25-year anniversary. ASTHO wants to say congratulations on this accomplishment and all the work that has been done over the last quarter century. AIM also recently released its annual report. The link is in the show notes.

Finally, ASTHO is announcing its newest member. We send a big welcome to Jeff Brown, the acting commissioner of health for the state of New Jersey. Brown stepped into his new role just last week. He's a seasoned public health veteran who recently served as the deputy commissioner of health systems at the New Jersey Department of Health. Learn more about Brown by clicking the link in the show notes.

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.