Vaccine Confidence Episodes
Aug. 20, 2026
1190: State Health Leaders Outline Strategies Ahead of Respiratory Virus Season
On today's episode, hear highlights from ASTHO's recent briefing, where public health leaders from Connecticut, Alabama, New York, and Alaska discussed strategies to address vaccine hesitancy and improve access to vaccinations.
Dec. 10, 2025
1040: Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Discusses the Stakes of ACIP’s Vote on Hepatitis B Vaccine for Newborns
In this episode, ASTHO member and Michigan Department of Health & Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian breaks down a major development in national vaccine policy: the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' (ACIP’s) decision to narrow its guidance on the hepatitis B vaccine for newborns.
Guest: Natasha Bagdasarian, MD, MPH
426
Oct. 29, 2025
1021: Measles Prevention, Academic Health Partnership Benefits
Jeffrey Eason, director of the Office of Communicable Diseases at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, explains how his department is working to prevent transmission of measles during the state's largest outbreak in 30 years; Dr. C. William Keck, former director of the Akron City Health Department and professor emeritus of community health sciences and family medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University, shares
Guests: Jeffrey Eason MPH , C. William Keck MD MPH
425
Oct. 28, 2025
1020: Vaccine Confidence Strategy, HEP FREE 2030
Dr. Novneet Sahu, deputy commissioner for public health at the New Jersey Department of Health, discusses his state’s multi-pronged strategy to improve vaccine access and address vaccine confidence in response to a national rise in pediatric flu deaths; Thaddeus Pham, viral hepatitis prevention coordinator at the Hawaii Department of Health, explains...
Guests: Novneet Sahu MD MPA , Thaddeus Pham MPH
397
Sept. 17, 2025
992: Respiratory Vaccines Update, Succession Planning How-To
Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, discusses updates to federal health initiatives that continue to impact public health agencies, including the latest report from the Make America Healthy Again Commission and recent activity regarding vaccines; Tiffany Day, public health specialist with the Henry County Health Department in Ohio, previews...
Guests: Susan Kansagra, MD, MBA , Tiffany Day MPH GRMS
376
Aug. 18, 2025
971: Medicaid & Public Health Team Up, Respiratory Virus Season
Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, and Kate McEvoy, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, discuss a new partnership between the two organizations; Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO,...
375
Aug. 15, 2025
970: Respiratory Virus Season Briefing, CICT Course
Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, Dr. Scott Harris, ASTHO president and state health Officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, Dr. Ayanna Bennett, director of the District of Columbia Department of Health, and Dr. Manisha Juthani, ASTHO president-elect and commissioner for the Connecticut Department of Public Health, held a deskside briefing on the preparations for the upcoming respiratory virus season; Ericka McGowan, senior director of emerging infectious disease at ASTHO...
326
June 2, 2025
918: Tick-Borne Diseases At All-Time High, PH Legislation Roundup
Laura Harrington, professor in the department of entomology at Cornell University and director of the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, explains how public health can combat tick-borne diseases; Beth Giambrone, ASTHO senior analyst for state health policy, discusses public health legislation in states around the country...
Guests: Beth Giambrone, MPP , Laura Harrington PhD
508
May 6, 2025
900: How ASTHO Provides Value, Crisis Comms Webinar
Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director for government affairs, explains how he came to ASTHO and how his team provides value for members in today's "Get to Know ASTHO" segment; K. "Vish" Viswanath, professor of health communication at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public...
473
March 17, 2025
864: Impressive Vaccination Rates, Changing Immunization Conversation
Dr. Jerome Larkin, director of the Rhode Island Department of Health and an ASTHO Member, explains how his state achieved such impressive vaccination rates; Dr. Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge, ASTHO's senior vice president of Health Initiatives...
210
Feb. 12, 2024
599: Why Patients Don’t Want a COVID Vaccine, Policies to Help Young Families
Dr. Danielle Ofri, Clinical Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine, tells us some patients still have concerns about COVID-19 vaccines; Jessica Bissett, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Social and Behavioral Health, discusses several...
Guests: Jessica Bissett , Danielle Ofri MD PhD
120
Sept. 22, 2023
509: Bundling Vaccinations, Hoping to Avoid a Government Shutdown
Dr. Gillian SteelFisher, Director of Global Polling at the Harvard Opinion Research Program, says promoting the flu, RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines together help broaden the appeal; Dr. Jennifer Shuford, Commissioner for the Texas Department of State...
118
Sept. 20, 2023
507: New Vaccine Poll Data, Blogs Help PH Workers Connect
Dr. Gillian SteelFisher, Director of Global Polling at the Harvard Opinion Research Program, shares the results from a study on public perception of COVID-19, RSV and Flu; Dr. Jennifer Thomas, Employee Wellbeing and Resilience Program Manager at the...
116
Sept. 18, 2023
505: Looking for New Vaccine Messaging, Fall Vaccine Strategy
Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO’s Chief Medical Officer, says health departments are working to create effective vaccine messaging for this fall; Maggie Davis, ASTHO's Director of State Health Policy, shares policies aimed at reducing barriers to...
Guests: Marcus Plescia, MD, MPH , Maggie Davis JD MA
115
Sept. 15, 2023
504: Creative Vaccine Events, Congress Faces Two September Deadlines
Dr. Armando De Alba Rosales, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Student Programs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, shares creative strategies to boost vaccine uptake among Hispanic communities; a CDC campaign aims to boost...
100
Aug. 24, 2023
489: School Vaccinations, Chemical Weapon Disposal
Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, details the state’s back-to-school vaccination campaign; Terry Tincher, Section Chief for the CDC’s Chemical Demilitarization Program, marks a big milestone for the program;...
Guests: Sameer Vohra MD JD MA FAAP , Terry Tincher
91
Aug. 11, 2023
480: RSV Messaging, Emergency Contraception
Hear from the experts who participated in an ASTHO online briefing on the coming RSV season; Sophia Durant, ASTHO’s Analyst of Family and Child Health, says access to emergency contraception is a health equity issue; and an ASTHO virtual session...
90
Aug. 10, 2023
479: Considering Rural Voices, Misinformation and Disinformation
Bethany Alcauter, Director of Research and Public Health Programs at the National Center for Farmworker Health, is focused on local action when it comes to rural health infrastructure; an ASTHO online briefing discussed the coming RSV season; and...
Guests: Nirav Shah MD JD , Bethany Alcauter, PhD, MPH
35
April 8, 2022
153: Equity Gap – Public Health Week
Joan Adam, South Dakota’s Secretary of Health, discusses the health equity gap as part of our recognition of National Public Health Week; Dr. Jose Montero, Director of the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support at the CDC, outlines...
Guests: Jose Montero MD MHCDS , Joan Adam
28
March 30, 2022
146: Boosting Vaccine Uptake
ASTHO and the de Beaumont Foundation release early results of a new survey of America’s public health workforce; ASTHO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Marcus Plescia says there are steps public health departments can take to address lagging COVID-19...
Guests: Marcus Plescia, MD, MPH , Scott Harris, MD, MPH
107
Jan. 28, 2022
107: Immunization Opportunities
Rachael Banks, Oregon’s Director of Public Health, says the focus on immunizations during the pandemic is a perfect opportunity to expand the public health conversation. Immunizations are one of ASTHO’s top 10 policy issues to watch in 2022;...
Guests: Yaryna Onufrey MPH , Rachael Banks MPA