Public Health Infrastructure And Systems Improvement Episodes
Sept. 2, 2026
1197: Building Public Health Infrastructure for the Next Emergency
Brannon Traxler, acting director of the South Carolina Department of Public Health, and an ASTHO member, shares about the state's public health and environmental laboratory, which was recently built in response to the demands of COVID-19 testing and modern laboratory equipment.
Guest: Brannon Traxler, MD, MPH
April 20, 2026
1109: Modernizing Grants Management
In this episode, ASTHO's Colton Anderson explains how agencies across the country are rethinking and improving their grants management processes.
Guest: Colton Anderson MPH
April 16, 2026
1108: How Louisiana Transformed Performance Management
On today's episode, Anna Bryant from the Louisiana Department of Health breaks down the essential connection between performance management and quality improvement, showing how big-picture strategy and day-to-day problem solving must work hand in hand.
Guest: Anna Bryant, MSN, RN, CEN
Jan. 20, 2026
1054: Building Public Health for the Long Term: Inside the Public Health Infrastructure Grant
What does it take to strengthen public health systems nationwide and why does flexible funding matter? In this PHIG Impact Report, we’re joined by SzePui Hughes, senior director of public health workforce and infrastructure at ASTHO to unpack the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) and ASTHO’s role as a national partner.
Guest: SzePui Hughes, MPH
421
Dec. 17, 2024
812: SAPHE 2.0 Promotes Equity, ASTHO President Weighs In On Bird Flu
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...
Guest: Robert Goldstein, MD, PhD
402
Nov. 18, 2024
793: Braiding & Layering Funds, EPA PFAS Limits
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...
Guests: Karl Ensign , Beth Giambrone, MPP
388
Oct. 28, 2024
779: Public Health State-Level Funding Changes, Telehealth Impact Report
Maggie Davis, ASTHO’s director of State Health Policy, examines recent state-level funding changes for public health; Dr. Pamela Mink, director of Health Services Research at the Minnesota Department of Health, tells us about a report on the impact...
Guests: Maggie Davis JD MA , Pamela Mink PhD MPH
385
Oct. 23, 2024
776: Stack Reflects on ASTHO Presidency, Improving Recruitment and Retention in Public Health
Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health and current ASTHO President, tells us about ASTHO’s upcoming leadership transition; Madison Novosel, North Dakota’s Lead Program coordinator discusses the program’s new...
Guests: Steven Stack, MD , Madison Novosel MPH
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
780
Oct. 16, 2024
771: ASTHO Peer Assessment Program, PanREMEDY Report Sheds Light on Recovery
Kristin Sullivan, ASTHO director of Public Health Systems Improvement and Infrastructure, details how the ASTHO Peer Assessment Program can benefit an organization; Dr. Monica Schoch-Spana, research professor in the Department of Environmental Health...
Guests: Kristin Sullivan , Monica Schoch-Spana PhD
278
May 21, 2024
669: Lawmakers Consider PH Priorities, Public Health Strategies for Older Adults
Lillian Colasurdo, ASTHO director of Public Health Law and Data Sharing, tells us about part one of ASTHO’s 2024 Legislative session update; Dr. Katrina Piercy, director of the Division of Prevention Science in the Office of Disease Prevention and...
Guests: Lillian Colasurdo JD , Katrina Piercy PhD
222
Feb. 29, 2024
611: Harm Reduction Strategies, A Recruiter Calls Mike Fraser
Dr. Kaitlan Baston, ASTHO Member and acting commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, discusses a new law in New Jersey that decriminalizes many harm reduction supplies; Andra Samoa, a Department of Health consultant and liaison, wants...
196
Jan. 23, 2024
585: 2024 Legislative Agenda Looks Familiar, Learn Trauma-Responsive Leadership
Andy Baker-White, ASTHO Senior Director for State Health Policy, previews the state of the legislative calendar this year; Omar Khalid, ASTHO Director of Workforce Development, says leaders can support their teams by adopting a trauma-responsive...
Guests: Andy Baker-White, JD, MPH , Omar Khalid
167
Dec. 4, 2023
556: New Suicide Prevention Policy Statement, Testing Could Curb Newborn Syphilis Cases
Dr. Mark Levine, commissioner, Vermont Department of Health, says ASTHO’s new policy statement on suicide prevention offers many recommendations including a call to improve access to health care services for those at highest risk; Dr. Robert...
156
Nov. 15, 2023
545: Medicaid and Public Health Collaborate, Covey’s Parting Advice
Dr. Shannon Dowler, chief medical officer for North Carolina Medicaid, says healthcare gets better when state Medicaid and public health agencies take the time to understand each other; Dr. Matthew Christiansen, state health officer for the West...
154
Nov. 13, 2023
543: Rural Health Equity, Covey’s Advice for Building Trust
Dr. Somava Saha, President and CEO of Well-being and Equity in the World, discusses the importance of National Rural Health Day; Stephen Covey, a well-known author, had a message for ASTHO when he joined members at a meeting in Washington D.C. in late...
151
Nov. 7, 2023
540: How to Hire a Public Health Nurse, Roundtables Get Lawmakers Talking
Dr. Robert Goldstein, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, says local agency partnerships are key to the success of new public health performance standards; Allison Nickrent, director of governmental affairs at the Illinois...
Guests: Robert Goldstein, MD, PhD , Allison Nickrent
135
Oct. 16, 2023
524: CDC Director Urges Data Sharing, Wisconsin Prioritizes Youth Mental Health
CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen encourages public health agencies to share their data with each other; Linda Hall, Director of the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health, says her state is working to align its government agencies on a strategy to...
Guests: Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH , Linda Hall
121
Sept. 25, 2023
510: Harm Reduction Partnerships, AI in PH Comms
Brandon Del Pozo, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Public Health at Brown University, explains that collaboration between public health, public safety, and harm reduction is needed to fully address public health needs; Antony Cousins, the Executive...
Guests: Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA , Antony Cousins
119
Sept. 21, 2023
508: Healthy Aging Challenges, Supporting Maternal Mental Health
Dr. Puja Seth, the Healthy Aging Branch Chief at the CDC, shares a new state-focused program that aims to address dementia; Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, the Deputy Secretary of Public Health at the Maryland Department of Health, explains that policy...
Guests: Puja Seth PhD , Nilesh Kalyanaraman MD
113
Sept. 13, 2023
502: Rural Health Plan, Age-Friendly Public Health Systems
Dr. Ralph Alvarado, Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health, explains the work the Tennessee Rural Health Care Task Force sets out to do; Dr. Karon Phillips, Policy Development Manager at Trust for America's Health; shares a funding...
96
Aug. 18, 2023
485: Planning Post-Pandemic, Arizona’s Heat Map
Warren Villagomez, Director of Public Health Hospital for the Emergency Preparedness Program at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, shares the public health planning lessons learned form COVID-19; Hsini Lin, Office Chief for Environmental...
Guests: Warren Villagomez , Hsini Lin ScD MSPH
93
Aug. 15, 2023
482: Back-to-School Water Dollars, Youth Mental Health Partnerships
Wendi Wilkes, Senior Advisor at the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water, explains lead testing program that allows schools and child care agencies to remove the threat of lead; Heather Sebero, ASTHO’s Senior Analyst for Social and...
Guests: Heather Sebero MPA , Wendi Wilkes
86
Aug. 4, 2023
475: Health Data Modernization, Senate Appropriations Bill
ASTHO President Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Medical Officer for the State of Alaska, says policy is the biggest challenge facing public health data modernization; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Relations,...
Guests: Carolyn Mullen , Anne Zink, MD, FACEP