Food And Water Safety Episodes

Epidemiologist and Program Manager for Washington State's Wastewater-based Epidemiology Program Breanna McArdle,sits down with ASTHO and discusses how wastewater surveillance offers important data that fills in public health gaps. She also touches on the ethical and privacy concerns that come with wastewater surveillance, and the importance of collaboration in creating healthier futures.

On today's episode, ASTHO member Ayanna Bennett discusses the Potomac River sewage spill, the public health risks it created, and the coordination required between local, state, and federal agencies to protect residents. Later, ASTHO’s Jen Layden explains why partnerships are central to ASTHO’s 2026–2029 strategic plan.

What does it take to rebuild the foundation of public health in the United States, and why did it take 30 years to get here? Director of the Division of Jurisdictional Support, CDC's Public Health Infrastructure Center, Stacey Mattison Jenkins breaks down the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG), a $4.6 billion investment reaching more than 100 health departments nationwide.

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.

The FY27 federal budget proposal is officially out, and while it’s just the opening move, there’s already a lot to unpack. In this episode, ASTHO’s Senior Director for Government Affairs, Jeffrey Ekoma, breaks down what’s in the proposal, what’s changed from last year, and what it all signals for public health and federal agencies. He’ll dig into key highlights, including the proposed creation of the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), new structural changes within HHS, and fresh initiatives at the CDC and FDA, from data reporting requirements to food safety oversight. Jeffrey also explains how this year’s proposal compares to previous budgets, where cuts and consolidations stand, and why states may be asked to take on more responsibility.

On today's episode, and as National Public Health Week kicks off, ASTHO CEO Joseph Kanter reflects on the “invisible wins” of public health. And ASTHO's Carolyn Mullen joins the conversation to explore how state and federal agencies collaborate in a complex and often polarized environment.

On today's episode, Cornell University's Elsie Moore breaks down food system resilience and why it's more than just food supply maintenance.

As part of our state health policy portfolio, ASTHO releases an annual Legislative Prospectus Series: policy briefs summarizing state and territorial legislation that impacts public health. Today, Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO’s CEO, will summarize the 2026 series, identify trends in public health law for the next year, and provide a high-level overview for public health professionals and policymakers in time for upcoming legislative sessions.

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.

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 of government affairs at ASTHO, discusses the Federal Health Policy Update she authored...

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' environmental health section...

Sam Jarvis, community health division manager at Johnson County Public Health in Iowa, explains how his DELPH experience helps him prepare others to be leaders in emergencies; applications for ASTHO’s DELPH program are now open; Heather Tomlinson, ASTHO senior analyst for environmental health, updates us

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...

Dr. Allison Arwady, director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, tells us about historic progress in the field of overdose prevention; Catherine Murphy, ASTHO government affairs analyst, discusses the advocacy effort...

Sharon Gilmartin, the new executive director of Safe States Alliance, discusses her new position and her goals for the organization; John Auerbach, senior vice president for public health at ICF and a speaker at the upcoming STRETCH 2.0 national convening,...

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...

Dr. Robert Goldstein, commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and an ASTHO Member, describes how SAPHE 2.0 will promote health equity throughout the state; Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama state health officer and ASTHO president, is...

Karl Ensign, ASTHO vice president for Territorial Support, tells us why braiding and layering funding can be beneficial as ASTHO launches a learning module on the subject; Beth Giambrone, ASTHO senior analyst for State Health Policy, discusses the EPA...

Rachel Jervis, Foodborne, Enteric, Waterborne, and Wastewater Diseases program manager for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, discusses how Colorado played a key role in the response to the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak; Joshua...

Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO chief medical officer, is stepping away from ASTHO after seven years in the position; Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health and ASTHO president, says the next few years are...

Dr. Zack Moore, state epidemiologist with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, explains how his state effectively uses wastewater testing; Truc Taylor, director of public health informatics at Guidehouse, discusses Guidehouse...