ASTHO Members Episodes

Cameron Webb, ASTHO member and commissioner of the Virginia Department of Health, highlights the agency's approach to building trust, strengthening the public health workforce, and implementing a new electronic health record system.

In today's episode, Lawrence Greenblatt, an ASTHO member and state health director of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, discusses the state's approach to healthy aging. Later, hear from Jewel Mullen, an ASTHO alum and associate professor at Dell Medical School, about the importance of boundary-spanning leadership in addressing public health challenges.

CNMI Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation's Warren Villagomez, Patrick Fitial, and ASTHO Member Esther Muna discuss how the territory prepared for back-to-back super typhoons in 2026 and responded to their aftermath. They describe efforts to activate emergency operations, protect health care facilities, plan workforce coverage, and more before the storms arrived.

ASTHO member and New Jersey Department of Health Commissioner Raynard Washington discusses his plans to strengthen the state's public health infrastructure, pulling from his past experience in North Carolina and Philadelphia.

On today's episode, guest Luigi Leblanc, a doctoral student at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, shares his research findings on data modernization across the territories. Leblanc highlights why data interoperability, governance, and workforce stability are critical to residents' health care in island areas.

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.

On today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, Raynard Washington, ASTHO member and commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, discusses how PHIG funding supports local health departments, strengthens the state’s public health workforce, and enhances communications infrastructure.

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.

Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for the State of Michigan and ASTHO member, highlights Michigan's Cyclospora outbreak and reflects on what can be learned from the state's response.

On today's bonus long-form episode, we hear from three public health experts as they highlight the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) program and how it has become one of the nation's most important investments in infectious disease preparedness.

ASTHO's Beth Giambrone discusses a recent ASTHO Health Policy Update that discusses how states are approaching vector-borne disease policy. Then, ASTHO"s Orobosa Idehen shares about a new Medicaid Oversight Governance Map.

Jerome Larkin, ASTHO member and director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, discusses Rhode Island's "Better State of Healthy" campaign and how it is helping the department build connections with the community.

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.

On today's episode, ASTHO member Naomi Adeline-Biggs discusses the development of Oregon’s five-year State Health Improvement Plan.

On today's episode, ASTHO member Robert Goldstein discusses why Massachusetts recently made alpha-gal syndrome a reportable condition and the benefits of expanded case surveillance.

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.

On today's episode, ASTHO member and State Health Officer Daniel Edney explains what’s driving the infant mortality crisis and what it will take to improve infant outcomes, including the roles of maternal health, obesity, and preterm births.

On today's episode, Victor Ramos Otero, secretary of health for Puerto Rico, joins the show to discuss the urgent challenges facing the island’s health care system.

On today's episode, ASTHO member James McDonald returns to the show to unpack the state’s investment in the new, state-of-the-art Wadsworth Center Laboratory.

On today's episode, Justa Encarnacion, ASTHO member and commissioner of health for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health, shared how island jurisdictions are tackling some of the nation’s toughest health challenges using real-time data, advanced training, and wastewater surveillance.

On today's episode, ASTHO member Jennifer Shuford discusses how Texas is preparing for a potential return of New World screwworm, prompting proactive clinician alerts and enhanced environmental surveillance for detection and containment.

In today's episode, hear updates from ASTHO's Spring Leadership Forum. ASTHO member Natasha Bagdasarian shares how bipartisan conversations with members of Congress revealed a shared commitment to healthier communities. Plus, ASTHO's Carolyn Mullen provides a behind-the-scenes look at meetings with lawmakers during Hill Day.

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...

Today, two conversations highlight how policy shapes public health, both in communities and on Capitol Hill. First, Beth Giambrone, senior analyst for state health policy at ASTHO, explains how states are rethinking their approach to hypertension. From telehealth and remote blood pressure monitoring to expanded insurance coverage, policymakers are leveraging new technology to improve heart health across the lifespan. Later, Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s senior director of government affairs, shares wha...