Non-Traditional Public Health Partnerships Episodes

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.

Public health doesn’t stop at hospitals or health departments, it lives in barbershops, grocery stores, schools, and small businesses. In this episode for National Public Health Week, Megan DeNubila-Griffin, ASTHO assistant director of chronic disease and health improvement, explores how agencies are building meaningful partnerships with non-traditional community players to address the social and environmental factors that shape health. From collaborating with local business owners to rethinking transportation and food access, this conversation highlights how public health leaders act as conveners, bringing the right voices to the table and asking who’s missing. Megan shares real-world examples, including a multi-year collaboration in Walworth County, Wisconsin, that shows how cross-sector partnerships can drive measurable impact.

On today's episode, Breanca Merritt from Trust for America’s Health discusses a new report that tracks how states are adopting evidence-based policies to improve health and reduce costs, amid a constantly changing political and fiscal environment.

ASTHO is entering a pivotal moment for public health, and it has a new strategic plan to meet it. In this episode, ASTHO CEO, Dr. Joseph Kanter, unpacks how ASTHO developed its 2026–2029 strategic plan and why now was the right time for a refresh. Dr. Kanter walks through the inclusive, year-long planning process, the rapidly shifting public health landscape that shaped the plan, and the four core pillars guiding ASTHO’s work...

Corinne Gillenwater, ASTHO chronic disease and health improvement analyst, talks about an ASTHO toolkit that uses the Healthy People 2030 framework to help build partnerships; Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO chief medical officer, says today’s Avian Flu...