Employee Engagement Episodes

In this episode, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health and ASTHO member Dr. Debra Bogen joins us to break down a major change in national vaccine guidance, and why it has sparked concern among pediatric and public health leaders.

As part of our spotlight series on artificial intelligence in public health, today’s episode explores the BEACON Portal—a groundbreaking collaboration between Google and the state of Illinois designed to streamline access to behavioral health services for children and families. Dr. Dana Weiner, chief officer for children’s behavioral health transformation in the Illinois Governor’s Office, and Julia Strehlow, senior advisor at the Illinois Department of Public Health, discuss how BEACON centralizes information for families...

ASTHO's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Susan Kansagra, joins us for a candid conversation about the state of public health today. She reflects on her unexpected path into the field, the urgent need to rebuild public trust, and why communicating the everyday value of public health is more critical than ever. Dr. Kansagra also explores how social media, new messengers, and emerging tools like AI can help reshape engagement, boost impact, and energize a workforce facing growing pressure. A motivating reminder that public health is a marathon, not a sprint, and that meaningful progress takes time, partnership, and persistence.

Erin Penniston, chief of staff of public health services at the Maryland Department of Health, describes how ASTHO’s Peer Assessment Program helped her state’s health department strengthen its administrative infrastructure; Kelsey Tillema, senior analyst at ASTHO, shares...