Food And Nutrition Episodes

On today's episode, Nessa Richman from the Rhode Island Food Policy Council discusses how the Council brings diverse stakeholders together to tackle complex food challenges.

Major federal investments and national guidance can shape the future of public health, but only if states can turn policy into practice. This episode looks at two sweeping developments and the on-the-ground work required to make them matter. First, Chris Salyers, director of programs and evaluation at the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health explains the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), a $50 billion, five-year investment aimed at strengthening rural communities. Wit...

How do states turn public health messaging into real behavior change and how do the places we live shape our health every day? In this episode, Dr. Steven Stack, secretary of Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services, discusses the 'Our Healthy Kentucky Home' campaign and what it takes to move beyond awareness to action. Dr. Stack, an ASTHO member and former ASTHO president, shares how Kentucky is using simple, achievable goals—eat healthier, move more, and stay socially connected—along with clear calls to action, trusted partners, and data-driven refinements to engage residents and build long-term, sustainable health improvements. Then, Clint Grant, director of healthy community design, chronic disease, and health improvement at ASTHO joins us to explore the growing role of healthy community design in public health. From transportation and road safety to green space and mobility, Grant explains how decisions about streets, sidewalks, and transit are some of the most powerful,…

Diabetes remains one of the most serious and costly chronic diseases facing communities today. In this episode, ASTHO Vice President of Community Health and Prevention, Christi Mackie, breaks down the differences between type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, common symptoms parents should watch for, and why routine screenings are essential.

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.

Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer for ASTHO, discusses the recent Make America Healthy Again report, and the work done by state and territorial health departments that intersects with the report’s themes; Ryan Daly, deputy director of finance and operations for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health, explains...

Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, epidemiologist and CEO of Your Local Epidemiologist, addresses the intersection between health and politics and provides words of encouragement to her fellow colleagues in public health; Grace Lee, senior analyst for infectious disease infrastructure and policy at ASTHO...

Dr. Vanessa Coffman, Director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness, shares how the organization’s new Food Safety Culture Toolkit can help public health officials strengthen food safety efforts; Dr. Michelle Morse, Acting Commissioner for the New York City Health Department, explains how their new series, “Living with Long COVID,” is helping to educate New Yorkers about the illness; ASTHO will host a webinar on Thursday, July 24th, about effective communication strategies to enhance public health messaging; ASTHO has developed resources to help jurisdictions implement upstream policies that prevent adverse childhood experiences; and next Wednesday, July 23rd, the second session of the Accelerate series in ASTHO’s Ignite, Accelerate, and Activate online workshop will take place to discuss conflict and collaboration.

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...

Maggie Nilz, senior analyst for preparedness at ASTHO, explains how states can help support public health preparedness workforce resilience and capacity; Carolyn Mullen, senior vice president of government affairs and public relations at ASTHO, shares what Congress has been busy with in this week’s View from Washington, D.C. report...

Kristen Rogers, a jounalist for CNN Wellness, explains why synthetic food dyes are being banned by states across the country and how each state is taking action; Felicia Quintana-Zinn, associate director of health data with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, discusses...

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..

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 Capitol Hill; Dr. Ralph Alvarado, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health, shares how he works with legislators to improve public health

Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO; Dr. Scott Harris, ASTHO president; Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer; Dr. Lindsay Weaver of Indiana; Dr. James McDonald of New York; and Dr. Ralph Alvarado of Tennessee, share more from Tuesday’s deskside briefing on the Impact of Nutrition on Chronic Disease Prevention; Kelly Dougherty, deputy commissioner at the Vermont Department of Health, explains...

Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, Dr. Scott Harris, ASTHO president, Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, Dr. Lindsay Weaver of Indiana, Dr. James McDonald of New York, and Dr. Ralph Alvarado of Tennessee, held a deskside briefing on the Impact of Nutrition on Chronic Disease Prevention; Catherine Jones, senior analyst of government affairs at ASTHO, shares...

Beth Giambrone, senior analyst for state health policy at ASTHO, discusses her role on the state health policy team in this installment of the Get to Know ASTHO segment; Dr. Rose Molina, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School...

Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and an ASTHO member, explains how his state is taking action for youth behavioral health; Aurora GrantWingate, member and partner engagement manager at the National Association of...

Theresa Arriola, director of the Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services, tells us how she takes care of public health workers; Dr. Emia Oppenheim, public health consultant for the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists,...

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, offers an update on funding after a flurry of activity; Martha Hagen, consultant nutritionist with the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists, explains the cultural focus of new transition...

Dr. Mark Levine, commissioner of health for the State of Vermont and an ASTHO Member, looks back on his time as commissioner as he gets ready to depart his post; Melissa Touma, ASTHO director of the Public Health Infrastructure Program, tells us how a...

Dr. Steven Stack, ASTHO immediate past president and commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, tells us more about the Our Healthy Kentucky Home initiative; Dr. Josef Coresh, director of the Optimal Aging Institute at the NYU Grossman...

Christina Severin, ASTHO’s director of Public Health Law, dives into the ins and outs of the status of hemp; Linda Helland, manager of California’s Climate Change and Health Equity Branch at the California Department of Public Health, tells us...

Sasha Chavkin, senior reporter for The Examination, tells us about his investigation into whether the food industry is misusing anti-diet messages; Dr. Timothy Harrison, principal deputy director in the office of infectious disease and HIV AIDS Policy...

Christi Mackie, ASTHO vice president of Community Health and Prevention Programs, tells us about the USDA’s first update to WIC packaging in a decade; Jessica Baggett, ASTHO senior advisor for Public Health Response, reflects on lessons learned from...