HHS Episodes

On today's episode, ASTHO's Catherine Murphy highlights the latest leadership changes across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including nominations within CDC, FDA, and more.

On today's episode, Catherine Jones, senior analyst for government affairs at ASTHO, breaks down HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s FY27 budget hearings. Then, Jeffrey Ekoma, vice president of government affairs at ASTHO, highlights a recent Legislative Alert and developments in congressional appropriations, pending leadership nominations, and more.

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.

In this episode, ASTHO CEO, Dr. Joseph Kanter, shares key insights from this year’s Spring Leadership Forum, an in-person opportunity to exchange lessons learned, strengthen peer support, and tackle the complex realities facing public health leaders today. From a productive visit with leadership at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to renewed conversations about partnerships around healthy eating and chronic disease prevention, Dr. Kanter reflects on why strong federal–state colla...

In this episode, ASTHO’s Catherine Jones, senior analyst for government affairs, breaks down the 2025 federal government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, and what made it uniquely disruptive compared to the 2018–2019 closure.

Rachel Lehman, acting director of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)’s Technical Resources Assistance Center and Information Exchange (TRACIE), celebrates 10 years of the Center’s existence and discusses how it provides states and territories with timely information and technical assistance; Peter Orton, director of media design at the Institute for Vaccine Safety at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, explains...

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 progress; Jeffrey Ekoma, senior director of government affairs at ASTHO, provides an update on the current government shutdown and explains how federal health agencies are impacted in this week’s View from Washington, D.C. report,...

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 update on funding for the federal government in this week’s View From Washington, D.C. report...

Dr. Jen Layden, senior vice president for population health and innovation at ASTHO, discusses her previous experience in data modernization and what’s to come as she takes on her new role; Dr. Rick Neitzel, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health...

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 CDC, this month’s federal funding deadline...

Former ASTHO president Dr. Anne Zink, senior clinical fellow at Yale University and practicing emergency medicine physician, shares how PopHIVE, a database of de-identified, population-level health data, draws data from various sources, allowing public health providers to find patterns and make informed decisions; Nicholas Porter, director for environmental health at ASTHO, discusses...

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...

Dr. Kris Mork, chief data officer for Leidos’ health & civil sector, explains how Leidos is modernizing Medicaid.

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

Brian King, executive vice president for U.S. programs at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, explains how state and local programs are the lifeblood of tobacco prevention; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO's senior director for government affairs, updates us...

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, offers details on the Make America Healthy Again report; Lexa Giragosian, ASTHO senior analyst for maternal and infant health, tells us about an ASTHO brief that zeroes in on adolescent health...

Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and an ASTHO member, tells us why his department wanted to create a dashboard focused on measles; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director of government affairs...

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...

Erin Laird, ASTHO director of emerging infections, explains how states are taking action against sepsis; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director for government affairs, tells us how the recently signed continuing resolution affects funding for public...

Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, brings us an update directly from ASTHO’s 2025 Spring Leadership Forum; and an upcoming webinar focuses on the positive impact Public Health AmeriCorps can provide.

Avia Mason, ASTHO vice president of Leadership and Learning, tells us what to expect from ASTHO’s 2025 Spring Executive Leadership Forum; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director for Government Affairs, takes us through some of the priorities for meetings on...

Dr. Heidi B. Miller, chief medical officer of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, explains how her state was able to see the first significant decline in drug overdose deaths in nearly a decade; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director...

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...

Rich Hamburg, executive director of the Safe States Alliance, reflects on his career in public health as he prepares to retire; Marita Chilton, senior director of Accreditation and Recognition at the Public Health Accreditation Board, tells us about...