Federal Government Affairs Episodes
495
April 17, 2025
887: Keep America Safe Coalition, Puerto Rico Health Priorities
Sharon Gilmartin, executive director of the Safe States Alliance, tells us about the Keep America Safe Coalition; Dr. Victor Ramos, secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health and an ASTHO member, breaks down the health priorities for Puerto...
Guests: Sharon Gilmartin MPH , Victor Ramos Otero MD
438
Jan. 24, 2025
829: Overdose Prevention in the Justice System, Fentanyl Crisis Federal Action
JoAnne McClure, senior analyst on ASTHO’s State Health Policy Team, discusses a new ASTHO Health Policy Update that centers on the need for more overdose prevention supports for those in the criminal justice system; Catherine Jones, ASTHO Government...
Guests: JoAnne Deehr MSW , Catherine Jones, MPH
436
Jan. 22, 2025
827: Alpha-Gal Syndrome Interest, New Congress Priorities
Courtney Anderson, a director with ASTHO’s Environmental Health Team, discusses a blog article on alpha-gal syndrome that was one of ASTHO’s most popular resources of 2024; Catherine Murphy, government affairs analyst for ASTHO, uses past...
Guests: Courtney Anderson MPH , Catherine Murphy
434
Jan. 17, 2025
825: National Day of Racial Healing, New Administration Early Priorities
Natasha Harper-Levy, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at ASTHO, tells us the importance of racial healing as we get ready to celebrate the National Day of Racial Healing; an ASTHO blog article dives into how you can integrate race and...
Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma, MBA, MS , Natasha Harper-Levy
414
Dec. 6, 2024
805: Lame Duck Priority Preview, National Influenza Vaccination Week
Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director for Government Affairs, tells us what to expect from Congress as the year wraps up; Dr. Brendan Jackson, director of the Office of Readiness, Response, and Operations for the CDC's National Center for Immunization...
233
March 15, 2024
622: High Food Costs Hurt WIC, Proposed Budget Breakdown
Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer with the Alabama Department of Public Health and ASTHO Member, recalls his recent visit to Congress a few weeks ago; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director for Government Affairs, says ASTHO continues to talk with...
225
March 5, 2024
614: New ASTHO CEO Announced
Dr. Steven Stack, ASTHO president and commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, announces Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO alum, as incoming CEO; Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO’s newly-announced CEO, who joins ASTHO from the Louisiana Department of...
Guests: Joseph Kanter, MD, MPH , Steven Stack, MD
224
March 4, 2024
613: Members Meet Legislators, Islands Discuss Priorities
Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, spent her week in Washington, D.C., discussing the importance of the Public Health Infrastructure Grant to her state; Arthur San Agustin, special assistant for health to...
214
Feb. 16, 2024
603: Report Calls for New Health Data Approach, ASTHO Members Plan Hill Visit
Dr. Gabriel Seidman, Director of Policy at the Ellison Institute of Technology, details the need for a stronger nationwide health data ecosystem; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO Senior Director for Government Affairs, tells us how some topics on the Hill that...
Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma, MBA, MS , Gabriel Seidman DrPH
195
Jan. 22, 2024
584: Violence Prevention Work Gets Attention, First Responders Connect Via Telemedicine Link
Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer of the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, tells us about a recent meeting with officials from the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention;...
190
Jan. 12, 2024
579: Tracking Congressional Deadlines, King’s Message Mirrors PH Concerns
Kyle Gasaway, ASTHO communications manager for the Leadership and Learning Unit, talks about the very successful Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health program; Jeffrey Ekoma, senior director for Government Affairs, is monitoring progress on...
185
Jan. 5, 2024
574: Tracking Respiratory Illness, Congressional Deadlines Loom
Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO chief medical officer, is tracking reports of respiratory illness across the U.S.; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO senior vice president for Government Affairs and Public Relations, discusses a federal funding deadline that is quickly...
Guests: Marcus Plescia, MD, MPH , Carolyn Mullen
158
Nov. 17, 2023
547: Listening and Data in Native Communities, Congress Meets a Deadline
Melissa Magstadt, secretary of health for the South Dakota Department of Health, outlines how she works with nine sovereign nations in her state; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO senior vice president for Government Affairs and Public Relations, tells us about...
151
Nov. 7, 2023
540: How to Hire a Public Health Nurse, Roundtables Get Lawmakers Talking
Dr. Robert Goldstein, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, says local agency partnerships are key to the success of new public health performance standards; Allison Nickrent, director of governmental affairs at the Illinois...
Guests: Robert Goldstein, MD, PhD , Allison Nickrent
149
Nov. 3, 2023
538: One Health Simplified, Shutdown Potential
Dr. Karen Smith, Former California Public Health Officer, discusses how agencies can begin their One Health approach; an ASTHO report outlines how Idaho and New Jersey are taking a One Health approach to address environmental health concerns; Jeffrey...
144
Oct. 27, 2023
533: ASTHO President Seeks Common Ground, Congress Moving Again
Dr. Steven Stack, ASTHO’s New President and Commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, wants to find common ground to push public health forward in his new role; Georges Benjamin, Executive Director of the American Public Health...
110
Sept. 8, 2023
499: Equity Strategies Cohort Forming, Federal Shutdown Looms
Jessica Fepelstein, ASTHO Analyst of State and Community Engagement, explains the work the ASTHO Strategies to Repair Equity and Transform Community Health (STRETCH) Initiative is doing to promote health equity; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO Senior Vice...
81
July 28, 2023
470: Mental Health Rulemaking, Senate Version of PH Spending
Alison Maffey, ASTHO’s Vice President of Social and Behavioral Health, explains the impact of President Biden’s proposed rule to make it easier to access in-network mental health care; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s Senior Director of Government...
Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma, MBA, MS , Ali Maffey, MSW
76
July 21, 2023
465: New Violence Prevention Plan, FY 24 Public Health Funding Proposal Examined
Tracie Campbell, Senior Health Manager and the leader of Mecklenburg County Public Health Office of Violence Prevention, shares a five-year plan to reduce community violence; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Public...
Guests: Carolyn Mullen , Tracie Campbell MS
71
July 14, 2023
460: Big City Gun Violence Data, Drug Shortage Letter to Congress
Chrissie Juliano, the Executive Director of the Big Cities Health Coalition, says that policy changes are needed to address rising rates of gun violence; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s Senior Director of Government Affairs, explains recommendations from...
Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma, MBA, MS , Chrissie Juliano MPP
63
June 30, 2023
452: Making Federal Connections, Malaria in the U.S.
Dr. Anne Zink, ASTHO President and Chief Medical Officer for Alaska Department of Health, explains best practices for building connections with the federal government; Dr. Benjamin Beard, Deputy Director of the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Diseases,...
10
April 14, 2023
399: Trust Strategies, Congress Gets Back to Work
Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Senior Associate Dean at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health, reflects on restoring trust in public health; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO Senior Director of Government Affairs, tells us what to expect when...
168
Oct. 18, 2022
285: COVID-19 Spending Oversight
Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s Senior Director of Government Affairs, says oversight of COVID-19 spending might increase if midterm elections lead to change in U.S. House leadership ; Heidi Westermann, ASTHO’s Director of Public Health Systems and...
Guests: Heidi Westermann MPH , Jeffrey Ekoma, MBA, MS