CDC Episodes

1071: Culture, Coordination, and Care: From Dialysis Safety to Disaster Response
Feb. 18, 2026

1071: Culture, Coordination, and Care: From Dialysis Safety to Disaster Response

What do infection prevention in dialysis clinics and hurricane response in the Caribbean have in common? More than you might think. This episode explores how culture, leadership, and coordination shape health outcomes, whether in a treatment chair or a disaster zone. First, Shalini Nair, a senior a…
1064: From Formula Recall to Federal Grants: How Public Health Responds Under Pressure
Feb. 5, 2026

1064: From Formula Recall to Federal Grants: How Public Health Responds Under Pressure

Two very different challenges, and one shared public health reality: systems have to work when it matters most. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Erica Pan, director and state public health officer for the California Department of Public Health, and ASTHO member, about a rare and unprecedented inf…
1057: STI Trends: Progress, Prevention, and the Urgent Rise in Congenital Syphilis
Jan. 26, 2026

1057: STI Trends: Progress, Prevention, and the Urgent Rise in Congenital Syphilis

New CDC surveillance data show encouraging declines in several sexually transmitted infections—but a troubling increase in syphilis among newborns. In this episode, the Director of the Division of STD Prevention at CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Dr. Bradley …
1056: Keeping the Public Health Workforce Strong: What Data, Leadership, and Flexibility Tell Us
Jan. 22, 2026

1056: Keeping the Public Health Workforce Strong: What Data, Leadership, and Flexibility Tell Us

What does the public health workforce need to stay engaged, supported, and committed, and how can leaders act on those insights? Heather Krasna, associate dean of career and professional development at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, joins us to break down new research on what …
1045: Bringing Island Voices Into the Data: Inside the First PH WINS Territories Survey
Dec. 18, 2025

1045: Bringing Island Voices Into the Data: Inside the First PH WINS Territories Survey

For the first time, all eight U.S. territories and freely associated states have been included in PH-WINS, or the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey. Rachel Hare Bork joins the show to discuss how this landmark pilot effort came together, why it took extensive travel and collaborati…
1040: Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Discusses the Stakes of ACIP’s Vote on Hepatitis B Vaccine for Newborns
Dec. 10, 2025

1040: Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Discusses the Stakes of ACIP’s Vote on Hepatitis B Vaccine for Newborns

In this episode, ASTHO member and Michigan Department of Health & Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian breaks down a major development in national vaccine policy: the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP’s) decision to narrow its guidance on the hepatiti…
1035: Building Sustainable Public Health Data Systems in Montana
Dec. 2, 2025

1035: Building Sustainable Public Health Data Systems in Montana

On today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, we talk with Jenn Rico, data modernization and surveillance & informatics supervisor at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Jenn shares how Montana has used PHIG funding to accelerate statewide data modernization, and investe…
1027: RSV Season Update: Data Gaps, Trends, and Immunization Efforts
Nov. 12, 2025

1027: RSV Season Update: Data Gaps, Trends, and Immunization Efforts

Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, shares an update on rising RSV activity and how states are tracking trends during the federal shutdown. She highlights new tools that protect infants, including maternal vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, and explains how public health and birthi…
1019: PH Lessons From Wildfires, End-Of-Year Legislative Priorities
Oct. 27, 2025

1019: PH Lessons From Wildfires, End-Of-Year Legislative Priorities

Michelle Hale, preparedness program director with the Office of Preparedness and Response at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, shares what her state learned about responding to critical public health challenges amid a surge of wildfires in the state; Catherine Murphy, senior analyst…
1015: PHIG Grant Management Improvements
Oct. 21, 2025

1015: PHIG Grant Management Improvements

In today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, Amy Ferris, chief financial officer at the Washington State Department of Health, shares how her department is using the Public Health Infrastructure Grant to centralize its grant management system.
Guest:Amy Ferris
1012: Public Health’s 40 Under 40, Litigation Round-up
Oct. 16, 2025

1012: Public Health’s 40 Under 40, Litigation Round-up

Amelia Poulin, assistant director of emerging infectious disease at ASTHO, discusses how she was recently recognized as an honoree of de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 under 40 in Public Health awards; Christina Severin, director of public health law at ASTHO, breaks down her recent Health Policy Update,…
1009: ACIP Updates, Suicide Prevention Studies
Oct. 10, 2025

1009: ACIP Updates, Suicide Prevention Studies

Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, discusses some of the downstream implications of CDC’s adoption of recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices earlier this week; Dr. Holly Wilcox, founder and director of the Center for Suicide Prevention and professor a…
1004: CHWs + Dementia, Government Shutdown Effects
Oct. 3, 2025

1004: CHWs + Dementia, Government Shutdown Effects

Mickal Lewis, associate director of the Center of Excellence on Dementia Risk Reduction with the Alzheimer's Association, shares how community health workers play an essential role supporting a continuum of care for community members with dementia, and how public health leaders can help advance pro…
998: Recent ACIP Meeting, Emergency Preparedness Priorities
Sept. 25, 2025

998: Recent ACIP Meeting, Emergency Preparedness Priorities

Kim Martin, director of immunization at ASTHO, recaps the recent ACIP meeting that took place and discusses the conversation’s potential impacts on public health; Veronica Bryant, emergency preparedness and outbreak coordinator for North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' environment…
995: CDC Funding Impact Report, Falls Prevention, EVD
Sept. 22, 2025

995: CDC Funding Impact Report, Falls Prevention, EVD

Dr. Joseph Kanter, CEO of ASTHO, joined Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), Rhea Farberman, director of strategic communications and policy at TFAH, and Lori Freeman, CEO of NACCHO, during a recent briefing about TFAH’s report that details the impact of CDC…
994: Healthy Aging Tactics, PH Funding on the Hill
Sept. 19, 2025

994: Healthy Aging Tactics, PH Funding on the Hill

JW Randolph, deputy commissioner at the Tennessee Department of Health, shares how his state’s new Office for Healthy Aging has been successful in coordinating statewide efforts to care for Tennessee’s aging communities; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s senior director for government affairs, provides an upd…
984: Childhood Vaccination Efforts; FY26 Public Health Funding
Sept. 5, 2025

984: Childhood Vaccination Efforts; FY26 Public Health Funding

Dr. Arti Barnes, chief medical officer at the Illinois Department of Public Health, describes how her agency is working collaboratively with other state departments to enhance access to pediatric vaccinations; Jeffrey Ekoma, senior director of government affairs at ASTHO, discusses changes to the C…
981: CDC‘s PHIG Perspective
Sept. 2, 2025

981: CDC‘s PHIG Perspective

In today's episode of the PHIG Impact Report, Sara Patterson, acting director of CDC’s Public Health Infrastructure Center, details her view of the Public Health Infrastructure Grant.
961: Bicillin Shortage, ASTHO OD2A Support
Aug. 4, 2025

961: Bicillin Shortage, ASTHO OD2A Support

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, outlines the recent recall of Bicillin; Marie Stratton, Overdose Data to Action program manager at the Maryland Department of Health, explains...
960: Animal Disaster Plans, View From Washington
Aug. 1, 2025

960: Animal Disaster Plans, View From Washington

Kathy Jorgensen, board member for the National Alliance of State Animal and Agricultural Emergency Programs, explains why it’s essential to account for animals in all emergency planning; Jeffrey Ekoma, senior director of government affairs at ASTHO, discusses HHS nominations, rescissions, and more.…
955: Medicaid Modernization with Leidos
July 25, 2025

955: Medicaid Modernization with Leidos

Dr. Kris Mork, chief data officer for Leidos’ health & civil sector, explains how Leidos is modernizing Medicaid.
950: Food Code Adoption, Public Health Impacts on Overdose
July 18, 2025

950: Food Code Adoption, Public Health Impacts on Overdose

Aileen Benavente-Pangelinan, environmental health program manager at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, describes how the new food code adopted by the Northern Mariana Islands will improve public health safety; Jessica Hulsey, founder and CEO of the Addiction Policy Forum, explains...
943: Mental Health + Overdose Prevention, Island Challenges
July 9, 2025

943: Mental Health + Overdose Prevention, Island Challenges

Dr. Allison Arwady, director at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, details a recent webinar focused on mental health and overdose prevention; Beth Giambrone, ASTHO senior analyst for state health policy, explains..
936: Reducing Opioid Overdoses, FY26 Budget Breakdown
June 27, 2025

936: Reducing Opioid Overdoses, FY26 Budget Breakdown

Kelly Dougherty, deputy commissioner at the Vermont Department of Health, shares how drug testing has helped reduce the state’s opioid overdose deaths; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s senior director for government affairs, breaks down this week’s View From Washington, D.C. report on public health news from…