Leadership Development Episodes
Aug. 26, 2026
1193: Leading (Through) Change in Public Health
Brittany Cox, assistant commissioner of the Division of Health Disparities Elimination at the Tennessee Department of Health, shares about how attending an ASTHO Leading Change workshop helped her be a better leader.
Guest: Brittany Cox, PhD
July 21, 2026
1169: PHIG Impact Report: Building a Stronger Public Health Workforce in New Mexico
On today's PHIG Impact Report, Shadee Lauer, director for the Office of Training and Development at the New Mexico Department of Health, explains how the state is using PHIG funding to recruit, retain, and develop its workforce through data-driven strategies and innovative professional development programs.
Guest: Shadee Lauer, LPCC
July 8, 2026
1161: Finding Your Voice: Leadership Lessons from the DELPH Program
On today's episode, Gabby Hadly, emergency preparedness and response manager for the Snohomish County Health Department in Washington state, reflects on her experience in ASTHO's Developing Executives Leading in Public Health (DELPH) program.
Guest: Gabby Hadly, MPH
June 25, 2026
1153: Building Change Leadership and Implementation Capacity in Public Health
On today's episode, ASTHO's Sara Bell and Alice Schenall discuss how public health agencies can turn strategic plans into measurable progress and lead through change and uncertainty.
Guests: Alice Schenall, DrPH, MPH , Sara Bell, MPH
May 27, 2026
1134: Breaking Boundaries in Overdose Prevention Leadership
On today's episode, ASTHO’s Alice Schenall, senior advisor, cross sector leadership and change management, and ASTHO's Alyssa Merski, a senior analyst for social and behavioral health, talk about the role of boundary spanning leadership in strengthening Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) efforts.
April 29, 2026
1115: How Mentorship and Training Are Transforming Public Health Leadership
In this episode, Joshua Allen from the South Carolina Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Organizational Development discusses how targeted supervisor training and mentorship programs are reshaping workforce culture in public health.
Guest: Joshua Allen, HCI-CHC, CLC
March 23, 2026
1091: Leading Through Conflict: Building Stronger Public Health Teams
On today's episode, Dawn Morriston from the UNC School of Medicine highlights her upcoming webinar, part of ASTHO's Leadership Power Hour series, designed to help supervisors and managers strengthen their leadership skills through focused professional development sessions.
Guest: Dawn Morriston, MPH
March 3, 2026
1079: PHIG Impact Report: How Missouri’s Pathways Internship Program Is Creating the Next Generation of Leaders with Help from PHIG
Public health agencies across the country face a growing workforce shortage—but Missouri is tackling the challenge head-on. On today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, we explore how Missouri internship programs are building a diverse, skilled pipeline of future public health professionals while strengthening partnerships between state and local agencies. Scott Allen, an administrator and health officer of the Webster County Health Unit, shares how hands-on internships are giving students ...
Guests: Brenna Davidson , Scott Allen
Jan. 27, 2026
1058: From AI to Outbreaks: Tools, Trust, and the Future of Public Health
What does the future of public health look like when cutting-edge technology collides with persistent, preventable disease threats? Senior Vice President of Health at ICF and ASTHO alum John Auerbach joins us to break down how artificial intelligence can be responsibly and realistically introduced into public health workflows. He outlines five practical, low-cost steps agencies of any size can take to start using AI today, explains the leadership mindset needed to build staff confidence, and explores how AI can both spread and counter misinformation when used thoughtfully. Later, Jessica Baggett, senior advisor for public health strategy and response at ASTHO, unpacks why measles elimination status is back in the spotlight after the worst year for measles cases in more than 30 years.
Guests: John Auerbach MBA , Jessica Baggett DrPH MPH
Dec. 2, 2025
1035: Building Sustainable Public Health Data Systems in Montana
On today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, we talk with Jenn Rico, data modernization and surveillance & informatics supervisor at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Jenn shares how Montana has used PHIG funding to accelerate statewide data modernization, and invested in leadership, data governance, a new data lake, GIS capacity, and workforce development.
Guest: Jenn Rico, MA
419
Oct. 20, 2025
1014: PHF Technical Assistance, Island Area Relationships
Helen Linda, public health workforce development coordinator at the Vermont Department of Health, explains the value of academic health departments and shares how she worked with the Public Health Foundation to assess the current state of her agency’s experiential learning environment; Emman Parian, immunization program manager for the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation of the Northern Mariana Islands, discusses...
Guests: Emman Parian MPH , Helen Linda MLIS
374
Aug. 14, 2025
969: Record Low Infant Mortality, Island Areas Learning Series
Dawn Shanafelt, director of the division of maternal and infant health for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, shares the policies and program that helped the state record its lowest infant mortality rate on record; Dulce Mendoza, senior analyst of island support at ASTHO, explains...
Guests: Dulce Mendoza , Dawn Shanafelt MPA BSN RN
368
Aug. 4, 2025
961: Bicillin Shortage, ASTHO OD2A Support
Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, outlines the recent recall of Bicillin; Marie Stratton, Overdose Data to Action program manager at the Maryland Department of Health, explains...
Guests: Susan Kansagra, MD, MBA , Marie Stratton
363
July 28, 2025
956: Suicide Prevention Legal Mapping, Applied Public Health Training
Ali Maffey, vice president of social and behavioral health at ASTHO, explains how ASTHO’s new legal map assists with suicide prevention infrastructure; Noell Stone, practicum and capstone director at the University of New Mexico’s College of Population Health...
Guests: Ali Maffey, MSW , Noell Stone MPH
356
July 17, 2025
949: Improved Leadership in Public Health, Wastewater Surveillance
Laura Knights, CEO and founder of Knights Consulting, shares what the second installment of ASTHO’s Ignite, Accelerate, Activate series has to offer public health leadership; Dr. Anil Mangla, director for disease surveillance and control at the South Nevada Health District...
471
March 13, 2025
862: Kanter at ASTHO Spring Leadership Meeting
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.
Guest: Joseph Kanter, MD, MPH
386
Oct. 24, 2024
777: Harris Embraces ASTHO Presidency, Boom-Bust Public Health Funding
Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health and now ASTHO president, previews the upcoming year in his new role; Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, correspondent for KFF Health News, discusses her article about public...
Guests: Scott Harris, MD, MPH , Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez
383
Oct. 21, 2024
774: Elimination of Health Inequities, Partnering With Community Action Agencies
Dr. Sejal Hathi, Director of the Oregon Health Authority and an ASTHO Member, dives into her state’s strategic plan to eliminate health inequities by 2030; Shalini Nair, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Infectious Disease, wrote an article about ASTHO’s...
Guests: Shalini Nair MPH , Sejal Hathi MD MBA
782
Oct. 18, 2024
773: Fusion Centers Assist Public Health, DELPH Endorsement
David Moffitt, captain of the Phoenix Fire Department's Homeland Defense Bureau and public health program manager and threat liaison officer, tells us how Fusion Centers are integrating with public health; Keon Lewis, health equity consultant for C4...
Guests: Keon Lewis MHSA , David Moffitt
256
April 19, 2024
647: A New Social Determinant, Measles Outbreak Response
Admiral Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the United States Department of Health and Human Services, reflects on the policy factors that impact public health; Massimo Pacilli, deputy commissioner of the Disease Control Bureau with the...
218
Feb. 23, 2024
607: Spring Meeting Preview, ASTHO CEO Farewell
Amber Williams, ASTHO senior vice president for Leadership and Organizational Performance, previews ASTHO’s upcoming Spring Meeting; Mike Fraser, ASTHO CEO, prepares to say goodbye as he ends his time at ASTHO next week; and an ASTHO blog article...
205
Feb. 5, 2024
594: New Opioid Website, Firearm Violence Strategy
Dr. Tomás Aragón, ASTHO Member and Director and State Public Health Officer of the California Department of Public Health discusses a new website to give people the information they need to understand and deal with the opioid crisis; Dr. Elizabeth...
193
Jan. 18, 2024
582: Telehealth Recommendations, Empowering Diverse Executives
Mike Ellsworth, Federal Relations director at the Washington State Department of Health, says his organization has released a study of telehealth activities and opportunities; Erika Kirtz, an epidemiologist at the Tennessee Department of Health, tells...
Guests: Michael Ellsworth MPA JD , Erika Kirtz MPH CPH
178
Dec. 19, 2023
567: Strategic Primer Helps PH Navigate Challenges; Lead, PFAS, and Food Safety Policy
Mike Fraser, ASTHO chief executive officer, talks about the new book he wrote with Dr. Brian Castrucci, president and chief executive officer of the de Beaumont Foundation; Elke Shaw-Tulloch, public health administrator for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, says many agencies saw...