Episodes

Feb. 17, 2026

1070: Rebuilding Smarter: How the U.S. Virgin Islands Is Modernizing Public Health After Disaster with PHIG Funding

What does public health modernization look like when you’re serving four islands, a geographically isolated population, and a community still shaped by the aftermath of major hurricanes? In this episode, Esther Ellis, Territo...

Feb. 13, 2026

1069: Data, People, and the Future of Public Health Response

Behind every public health response are two make-or-break factors: the people doing the work and the systems that help them work together. First, Shirley Orr, Executive Director of the Association of Public Health Nurses dis...

Feb. 12, 2026

1068: Health Beyond Healthcare: How States Are Advancing Smart Policies in Tough Times

What do school meals, housing, paid leave, and pre-K have to do with public health? According to Trust for America’s Health: everything. In this episode, Breanca Merritt, director of policy at Trust for America’s Health, breaks down a new report titled 'Promoting Health and Cost Control in States (…

Guest: Breanca Merritt PhD

Feb. 11, 2026

1067: A Nation at Risk: What a D+ in Birth Outcomes Means for Public Health

If the United States brought home a report card on maternal and infant health, it would need a serious parent–teacher conference. In this episode, Dr. Michael Warren, chief medical and health officer at March of Dimes, breaks down their 2025 Report Card on birth outcomes, and the headline is hard t…

Guest: Michael Warren MD MPH FAAP

Feb. 10, 2026

1066: Smarter Data Infrastructure for Public Health

New technologies, from telehealth to wearables to AI, are transforming how health data is created, shared, and used. But for public health agencies, keeping pace isn’t just about adopting the latest tools; it’s about building systems that are flexible, trustworthy, and sustainable. In this episode,…

Guest: John Stinn

Feb. 9, 2026

1065: Steady Hands: Leading Public Health Teams Through Chaos Without Losing Your Cool

What does calm leadership actually look like when everything feels urgent, political, and on fire? In this episode, John Auerbach, senior vice president of health at ICF, offers a preview of ASTHO’s upcoming Insight & Inspiration webinar, 'Steady Hands, Steady Teams: Leading with Confidence and Co…

Guests: John Auerbach MBA , Manisha Juthani MD

Feb. 5, 2026

1064: From Formula Recall to Federal Grants: How Public Health Responds Under Pressure

Two very different challenges, and one shared public health reality: systems have to work when it matters most. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Erica Pan, director and state public health officer for the California Department of Public Health, and ASTHO member, about a rare and unprecedented inf…

Guests: Erica Pan MD MPH , Alex Wheatley MPA

Feb. 4, 2026

1063: How Public Health Prepares for Wildfire Season

Wildfire smoke is no longer a rare emergency; it’s a predictable, climate-driven public health threat. In this episode, Gabriela Goldfarb, environmental public health section manager for the Oregon Health Authority's Public Health Division, tells us why health agencies must begin outreach and coord…

Guest: Gabriela Goldfarb MPP

Feb. 3, 2026

1062: Meeting Youth Where They Are: Expanding Mental Health Access and Youth Voice with PHIG

How do public health agencies expand access to mental health support while genuinely engaging the next generation? In this episode, we speak with Heidi Laird and Xavier Foster from the Southern Nevada Health District about two PHIG-funded initiatives designed to do exactly that.

Guests: Heidi Laird CHES , Xavier Foster MEd

Feb. 2, 2026

1061: Addressing Opioid Risk and Stigma Among Adults 45+

Fatal overdoses are rising among adults 45 and older and stigma often keeps this age group out of the conversation. In this episode, Dr. Philip Chan, consultant medical director at the Rhode Island Department of Health and a practicing primary care physician, discusses Rhode Island’s 'No Matter Why…

Guest: Philip A. Chan MD

Jan. 29, 2026

1060: What States Can Learn from Massachusetts and Medicaid Leaders

What does it take for states to expand access to substance use disorder treatment and build stronger, more sustainable partnerships between Medicaid and public health? In Massachusetts, leaders changed policies around provider models to increase access to care for opioid use disorder: Frances McGa…

Guests: Frances McGaffey MPP , Cory Caldwell MHA

Jan. 28, 2026

1059: Charting the Next Four Years: Inside ASTHO’s 2026–2029 Strategic Plan

ASTHO is entering a pivotal moment for public health, and it has a new strategic plan to meet it. In this episode, ASTHO CEO, Dr. Joseph Kanter, unpacks how ASTHO developed its 2026–2029 strategic plan and why now was the right time for a refresh. Dr. Kanter walks through the inclusive, year-long p…

Guest: Joseph Kanter MD MPH

Jan. 27, 2026

1058: From AI to Outbreaks: Tools, Trust, and the Future of Public Health

What does the future of public health look like when cutting-edge technology collides with persistent, preventable disease threats? Senior Vice President of Health at ICF and ASTHO alum John Auerbach joins us to break down how artificial intelligence can be responsibly and realistically introduced …

Guests: Jessica Baggett DrPH MPH , John Auerbach MBA

Jan. 26, 2026

1057: STI Trends: Progress, Prevention, and the Urgent Rise in Congenital Syphilis

New CDC surveillance data show encouraging declines in several sexually transmitted infections—but a troubling increase in syphilis among newborns. In this episode, the Director of the Division of STD Prevention at CDC's National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Dr. Bradley …

Guest: Bradley Stoner MD PhD

Jan. 22, 2026

1056: Keeping the Public Health Workforce Strong: What Data, Leadership, and Flexibility Tell Us

What does the public health workforce need to stay engaged, supported, and committed, and how can leaders act on those insights? Heather Krasna, associate dean of career and professional development at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, joins us to break down new research on what …

Guests: Omar Khalid , Heather Krasna PhD MS EdM

Jan. 21, 2026

1055: Healthy Choices, Healthy Places: State Strategies for Population Health

How do states turn public health messaging into real behavior change and how do the places we live shape our health every day? In this episode, Dr. Steven Stack, secretary of Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services, discusses the 'Our Healthy Kentucky Home' campaign and what it takes to m…

Guests: Steven Stack MD , Clint Grant MSPH

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’…

Guest: SzePui Hughes MPH

Jan. 15, 2026

1053: Preventing Diabetes and Improving Access: Food, Insulin, and Public Health Policy

Diabetes remains one of the most serious and costly chronic diseases facing communities today. In this episode, ASTHO Vice President of Community Health and Prevention, Christi Mackie, breaks down the differences between type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, common symptoms parents should watch…

Guest: Christi Mackie MPH

Jan. 14, 2026

1052: Strengthening Access to Care: Community Health Workers, Medicaid, and Rural Health

Community health workers (CHWs) play a critical role in bridging the gap between health systems and the communities they serve, especially in rural and underserved areas. In this episode, ASTHO Senior Director of Population Health, Alex Kearly, explains who CHWs are, how they build trust and addres…

Guest: Alex Kearly MPH

Jan. 13, 2026

1051: Meeting People Where They Are: Mobile Crisis Response and Expanding Access to Naloxone

As behavioral health and overdose crises continue to strain health systems, states are rethinking how and where care is delivered. In this episode, Dr. Jerome Larkin, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health and an ASTHO member, explains how youth-focused mobile response and stabilizat…

Guests: Richa Ranade MPH , Jerome Larkin MD

Jan. 12, 2026

1050: Leading Through Uncertainty: State Strategies for a Changing Public Health Funding Landscape

What happens when the federal government steps back and states are asked to lead? Continuing our Legislative Prospectus Series, which examines the public health policy trends set to shape 2026, ASTHO President and Connecticut Commissioner of Public Health, Dr. Manisha Juthani, joins the show to dis…

Guests: Brian Lentes MPA , Manisha Juthani MD

Jan. 8, 2026

1049: Vaccines and Screening: Need-to-Know for State Preparedness

In this episode, we continue our Legislative Prospectus Series, examining public health trends in policy going into 2026 with Meredith Allen, vice president for health security at ASTHO. She’ll discuss the critical role immunizations play in preventing the spread of disease and protecting communiti…

Guest: Meredith Allen

Jan. 7, 2026

1048: Flu on the Rise: Vaccine Uptake, New Variants, and Protecting the Most Vulnerable

As flu cases climb across the country and pediatric deaths rise, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, ASTHO member and Michigan’s chief medical executive, joins us to break down what this flu season means for families, health agencies, and health care systems.

Guest: Natasha Bagdasarian MD MPH

Jan. 6, 2026

1047: PHIG IMPACT REPORT: How Wisconsin Is Reducing Administrative Burden in Public Health

In this episode and as part of our PHIG Impact Report series, Amy Perkins of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services talks about how the state is rethinking public health infrastructure funding to make life easier for local and tribal health departments.

Guest: Amy Perkins MPH