Episodes

On today's episode, Melissa Sever from the Public Health Accreditation Board tells us about the Strengthening Public Health Workforce Capacity in Island Jurisdictions Project and the unique workforce challenges facing island jurisdictions.

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’s Alice Schenall, senior advisor, cross sector leadership and change management, and ASTHO's Alyssa Merski, a senior analyst for social and behavioral health, talk about the role of boundary spanning leadership in strengthening Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) efforts.

What does it take to rebuild the foundation of public health in the United States, and why did it take 30 years to get here? Director of the Division of Jurisdictional Support, CDC's Public Health Infrastructure Center, Stacey Mattison Jenkins breaks down the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG), a $4.6 billion investment reaching more than 100 health departments nationwide.

On today's episode, Carolyn Mullen, senior vice president for government affairs and public relations, reflects on the defining moments, leadership lessons, and policy battles that shaped her nine years at ASTHO and her tenure in public health advocacy.

On today's episode, ASTHO Vice President of Health Security, Meredith Allen, tells us about the ongoing monitoring response tied to an outbreak of the Andes strain of hantavirus linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. Later, Emily Lapayowker, assistant director of web content at ASTHO talks about Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

On today's episode, ASTHO'S Brianna Gorman discusses ASTHO’s new Workforce Employee Experience Implementation Tool. Later, LaShonda Freeman with the South Carolina Department of Public Health discusses South Carolina’s Supplemental Tuition Assistance Policy Program (STAP).

Today: Ben Lopman, professor at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health, discusses the new Vaccine Impact Map. Later, Bryan Patenaude, associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, breaks down the financial realities of measles outbreaks and why even relatively small outbreaks can carry massive costs.

On today's episode, the de Beaumont Foundation's Amanda Kwong discusses why effective public health communications go far beyond public awareness campaigns. Later, ASTHO's Ashley Nanthavongsa-Mosley highlights innovative efforts to introduce public health education into K-12 schools.

On today's episode, Umair Shah, chief medical officer at Jaan Health and the AI-powered care management platform, Phamily, discusses the future of proactive healthcare and the role AI can play in connecting patients, providers, and public health systems.

In this episode, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Government Affairs, Catherine Murphy, unpacks the ripple effects of ongoing changes at the Department of Health and Human Services and CDC. Later, ASTHO Chief Medical Officer, Susan Kansagra, zooms out to the state level, where leaders are racing to deploy Rural Health Transformation Program funds.

On today's episode, Conlin Bass, health systems suicide prevention manager for the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention, explains Colorado’s comprehensive, data-driven strategy focused on reaching people before they hit a breaking point.

On today's PHIG Impact Report, leaders from the Tennessee Department of Health (Sanjana Stamm and Jen Trail) share how they’re using PHIG funding to transform care at both the clinical and community levels, including the use of care coordinators across rural areas, and targeted grant management.

On today's episode, Senior Advisor for Public Health at MaineHealth, former state health official, and ASTHO Alumni Society Representative, Dora Anne Mills, tells us about the rapidly escalating rural maternity crisis, beyond just hospital closures.

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, ASTHO Director of Infrastructure Communications Elise Moore explores a growing trend in grant funding: community impact statements, and how they explain not just what public health agencies are doing, but why it matters.

Today, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Environmental Health Shelbi Davis shares how island communities are navigating some of the most severe climate-related health risks in the world, with limited infrastructure and strained public health systems.

Today, we’ll hear about a new platform, PopHIVE, aiming to unlock the full potential of population health data with insights from Anne Zink, ASTHO past president and a senior fellow at the Yale School of Public Health, and Jen Layden, senior vice president of population health and innovation at ASTHO.

On today's episode, Melanie Ramsey from CDC’s Office of Rural Health addresses rural public health challenges. She shares how the Rural Health Academy offers state and local health leaders the opportunity to strengthen capacity and meet jurisdictional needs.

On today's episode, ASTHO's Maggie Nilz explains how cyber disruptions are reshaping the foundation of public health systems. She shares how digital infrastructure makes core health functions more vulnerable and what jurisdictions can do to meet these challenges.

In this episode, Jessica Pough, director of overdose preparedness and response at ASTHO, talks about a new tool designed to help communities prepare before a crisis hits.

In this episode, Joshua Allen from the South Carolina Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Organizational Development discusses how targeted supervisor training and mentorship programs are reshaping workforce culture in public health.

In this episode, Kirsten Aird, from Oregon’s Multnomah County, explores how strategic investments are strengthening workforce capacity, stability, and community impact.

In this episode, ASTHO Senior Vice President for Population Health and Innovation, Jen Layden, discusses the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, or HIMSS, conference and the real public health progress happening across the country and the persistent challenges that remain.