Federal Government Affairs Episodes

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...

Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma , K. "Vish" Viswanath PhD

May 2, 2025

898: Community Crisis Centers, Congress Back In Session

Kelly Crosbie, director of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, tells us about the community crisis center initiative in her state; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO's senior vice president of...

Guests: Carolyn Mullen , Kelly Crosbie MSW LCSW

April 30, 2025

896: Get To Know ASTHO, PH in the Classroom

Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, begins the new “Get To Know ASTHO” series, which will highlight different experts at ASTHO; Madison Yerges, section supervisor for the student education section at the Center for Foundational Health, part of the...

Guests: Joseph Kanter MD MPH , Madison Yerges MPH MHA

April 17, 2025

887: Keep America Safe Coalition, Puerto Rico Health Priorities

Sharon Gilmartin, executive director of the Safe States Alliance, tells us about the Keep America Safe Coalition; Dr. Victor Ramos, secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health and an ASTHO member, breaks down the health priorities for Puerto...

Guests: Sharon Gilmartin MPH , Victor Ramos MD

Jan. 24, 2025

829: Overdose Prevention in the Justice System, Fentanyl Crisis Federal Action

JoAnne McClure, senior analyst on ASTHO’s State Health Policy Team, discusses a new ASTHO Health Policy Update that centers on the need for more overdose prevention supports for those in the criminal justice system; Catherine Jones, ASTHO Government...

Guests: JoAnne McClure MSW , Catherine Jones MPH

Jan. 22, 2025

827: Alpha-Gal Syndrome Interest, New Congress Priorities

Courtney Anderson, a director with ASTHO’s Environmental Health Team, discusses a blog article on alpha-gal syndrome that was one of ASTHO’s most popular resources of 2024; Catherine Murphy, government affairs analyst for ASTHO, uses past...

Guests: Courtney Anderson MPH , Catherine Murphy

Jan. 17, 2025

825: National Day of Racial Healing, New Administration Early Priorities

Natasha Harper-Levy, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at ASTHO, tells us the importance of racial healing as we get ready to celebrate the National Day of Racial Healing; an ASTHO blog article dives into how you can integrate race and...

Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma , Natasha Harper-Levy

Dec. 6, 2024

805: Lame Duck Priority Preview, National Influenza Vaccination Week

Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director for Government Affairs, tells us what to expect from Congress as the year wraps up; Dr. Brendan Jackson, director of the Office of Readiness, Response, and Operations for the CDC's National Center for Immunization...

Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma , Brendan Jackson MD MPH

March 15, 2024

622: High Food Costs Hurt WIC, Proposed Budget Breakdown

Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer with the Alabama Department of Public Health and ASTHO Member, recalls his recent visit to Congress a few weeks ago; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO senior director for Government Affairs, says ASTHO continues to talk with...

Guests: Scott Harris MD MPH FACP FIDSA , Jeffrey Ekoma , Susan Kansagra MD MBA

March 5, 2024

614: New ASTHO CEO Announced

Dr. Steven Stack, ASTHO president and commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, announces Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO alum, as incoming CEO; Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO’s newly-announced CEO, who joins ASTHO from the Louisiana Department of...

Guests: Steven Stack MD , Joseph Kanter MD MPH

March 4, 2024

613: Members Meet Legislators, Islands Discuss Priorities

Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, spent her week in Washington, D.C., discussing the importance of the Public Health Infrastructure Grant to her state; Arthur San Agustin, special assistant for health to...

Guests: Manisha Juthani MD , Arthur San Agustin MHR , Moses Pretrick

Feb. 16, 2024

603: Report Calls for New Health Data Approach, ASTHO Members Plan Hill Visit

Dr. Gabriel Seidman, Director of Policy at the Ellison Institute of Technology, details the need for a stronger nationwide health data ecosystem; Jeffrey Ekoma, ASTHO Senior Director for Government Affairs, tells us how some topics on the Hill that...

Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma , Gabriel Seidman DrPH

Jan. 22, 2024

584: Violence Prevention Work Gets Attention, First Responders Connect Via Telemedicine Link

Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer of the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, tells us about a recent meeting with officials from the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention;...

Guests: Carolyn Mullen , Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson MD MPH , Marty Link

Jan. 12, 2024

579: Tracking Congressional Deadlines, King’s Message Mirrors PH Concerns

Kyle Gasaway, ASTHO communications manager for the Leadership and Learning Unit, talks about the very successful Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health program; Jeffrey Ekoma, senior director for Government Affairs, is monitoring progress on...

Guests: Jeffrey Ekoma , Kyle Gasaway , Melissa Lewis MPH

Jan. 5, 2024

574: Tracking Respiratory Illness, Congressional Deadlines Loom

Dr. Marcus Plescia, ASTHO chief medical officer, is tracking reports of respiratory illness across the U.S.; Carolyn Mullen, ASTHO senior vice president for Government Affairs and Public Relations, discusses a federal funding deadline that is quickly...

Guests: Marcus Plescia MD MPH , Carolyn Mullen