CDC Episodes

Oct. 27, 2025

1019: PH Lessons From Wildfires, End-Of-Year Legislative Priorities

Michelle Hale, preparedness program director with the Office of Preparedness and Response at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, shares what her state learned about responding to critical public health challenges amid a surge of wildfires in the state; Catherine Murphy, senior analyst…
Oct. 21, 2025

1015: PHIG Grant Management Improvements

In today's installment of the PHIG Impact Report, Amy Ferris, chief financial officer at the Washington State Department of Health, shares how her department is using the Public Health Infrastructure Grant to centralize its grant management system.
Guest: Amy Ferris
Oct. 16, 2025

1012: Public Health’s 40 Under 40, Litigation Round-up

Amelia Poulin, assistant director of emerging infectious disease at ASTHO, discusses how she was recently recognized as an honoree of de Beaumont Foundation’s 40 under 40 in Public Health awards; Christina Severin, director of public health law at ASTHO, breaks down her recent Health Policy Update,…
Oct. 10, 2025

1009: ACIP Updates, Suicide Prevention Studies

Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, discusses some of the downstream implications of CDC’s adoption of recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices earlier this week; Dr. Holly Wilcox, founder and director of the Center for Suicide Prevention and professor a…
Oct. 3, 2025

1004: CHWs + Dementia, Government Shutdown Effects

Mickal Lewis, associate director of the Center of Excellence on Dementia Risk Reduction with the Alzheimer's Association, shares how community health workers play an essential role supporting a continuum of care for community members with dementia, and how public health leaders can help advance pro…
Sept. 25, 2025

998: Recent ACIP Meeting, Emergency Preparedness Priorities

Kim Martin, director of immunization at ASTHO, recaps the recent ACIP meeting that took place and discusses the conversation’s potential impacts on public health; Veronica Bryant, emergency preparedness and outbreak coordinator for North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' environment…
Sept. 22, 2025

995: CDC Funding Impact Report, Falls Prevention, EVD

Dr. Joseph Kanter, CEO of ASTHO, joined Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), Rhea Farberman, director of strategic communications and policy at TFAH, and Lori Freeman, CEO of NACCHO, during a recent briefing about TFAH’s report that details the impact of CDC…
Sept. 19, 2025

994: Healthy Aging Tactics, PH Funding on the Hill

JW Randolph, deputy commissioner at the Tennessee Department of Health, shares how his state’s new Office for Healthy Aging has been successful in coordinating statewide efforts to care for Tennessee’s aging communities; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s senior director for government affairs, provides an upd…
Sept. 5, 2025

984: Childhood Vaccination Efforts; FY26 Public Health Funding

Dr. Arti Barnes, chief medical officer at the Illinois Department of Public Health, describes how her agency is working collaboratively with other state departments to enhance access to pediatric vaccinations; Jeffrey Ekoma, senior director of government affairs at ASTHO, discusses changes to the C…
Sept. 2, 2025

981: CDC‘s PHIG Perspective

In today's episode of the PHIG Impact Report, Sara Patterson, acting director of CDC’s Public Health Infrastructure Center, details her view of the Public Health Infrastructure Grant.
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...
Aug. 1, 2025

960: Animal Disaster Plans, View From Washington

Kathy Jorgensen, board member for the National Alliance of State Animal and Agricultural Emergency Programs, explains why it’s essential to account for animals in all emergency planning; Jeffrey Ekoma, senior director of government affairs at ASTHO, discusses HHS nominations, rescissions, and more.…
July 25, 2025

955: Medicaid Modernization with Leidos

Dr. Kris Mork, chief data officer for Leidos’ health & civil sector, explains how Leidos is modernizing Medicaid.
Guest: Kris Mork PhD
July 18, 2025

950: Food Code Adoption, Public Health Impacts on Overdose

Aileen Benavente-Pangelinan, environmental health program manager at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, describes how the new food code adopted by the Northern Mariana Islands will improve public health safety; Jessica Hulsey, founder and CEO of the Addiction Policy Forum, explains...
July 9, 2025

943: Mental Health + Overdose Prevention, Island Challenges

Dr. Allison Arwady, director at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC, details a recent webinar focused on mental health and overdose prevention; Beth Giambrone, ASTHO senior analyst for state health policy, explains..
June 27, 2025

936: Reducing Opioid Overdoses, FY26 Budget Breakdown

Kelly Dougherty, deputy commissioner at the Vermont Department of Health, shares how drug testing has helped reduce the state’s opioid overdose deaths; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO’s senior director for government affairs, breaks down this week’s View From Washington, D.C. report on public health news from…
June 6, 2025

922: 2025 Preparedness Summit, View from Washington, D.C. Report

Nate Weed, chief of resiliency and health security at the Washington State Department of Health, discusses a conversation at the 2025 Preparedness Summit between Directors of Public Health Preparedness, the CDC, and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response facilitated by ASTHO; Ca…
May 30, 2025

917: World No Tobacco Day, One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Brian King, executive vice president for U.S. programs at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, explains how state and local programs are the lifeblood of tobacco prevention; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO's senior director for government affairs, updates us...
May 28, 2025

915: Healthy Aging, New Federal Health Policy Update

Danny Staley, ASTHO senior vice president for public health programs and practice, details the recent Healthy Brain Initiative Summit where he presented a keynote presentation; Catherine Murphy, ASTHO government affairs analyst, explains...
May 19, 2025

909: Measles & Avian Flu Outlook, Older Americans Month

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, provides updates on measles and the avian flu; Dr. Ralph Alvarado, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health and an ASTHO member...
May 16, 2025

908: Measles Outbreak Simulator, HHS Secretary Testifies

Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and an ASTHO member, tells us why his department wanted to create a dashboard focused on measles; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director of government affairs...
May 5, 2025

899: Preventing Lead Exposure, Disability Definition

Brian Weaver, lead policy advisor at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, tells us about an emergency rule to strengthen standards that protect children from lead exposure; Annie Evans, ASTHO’s director of preparedness, discusses a recent...
April 28, 2025

894: Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Safe State Capitol Hill Priorities

Emi Chutaro, executive director of the Pacific Island Health Officers Association, explains what she hopes others gain from Pacific Islander Heritage Month; Paul Bonta, director of government relations for the Safe States Alliance, tells us about his...
April 23, 2025

891: ACIP Recs, Academic Health Department Partnerships

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO Chief Medical Officer, outlines the recommendations from the most recent ACIP meeting; Kathleen Amos, Director of Workforce Development at the Public Health Foundation, explains how Academic Health Department Partnerships can...