Manisha Juthani, MD

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.

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.

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 Composure,' on February 11, and digs into the real-world skills behind steady leadership in volatile times. From pandemic burnout to nonstop crises, today’s public health leaders are navigating faster information cycles, rising mistrust, misinformation, and exhausted teams. So how do you keep people focused, grounded, and moving forward? We’ll also hear from Dr. Manisha Juthani, ASTHO president and Connecticut commissioner of public health, who is co-hosting the webinar.

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 discuss the creation of a new public health emergency funding safety net and the difficult decisions leaders face when planning amid constant uncertainty. Later, ASTHO’s Senior Director of Public Health Infrastructure, Brian Lentes, breaks down key federal funding streams, governance models, and practical steps states can take to stabilize infrastructure, modernize data systems, and support the public health workforce.

On this Public Health Thank You Day, ASTHO’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Susan Kansagra, joins us to share encouraging news from the front lines of public health. Thanks to increased partnerships with birthing hospitals and the rollout of monoclonal antibodies for infants and the maternal RSV vaccine, infant RSV hospitalizations dropped nearly 30–40% last season, one of the most significant improvements in years. Dr. Kansagra also discusses a major decline in overdose deaths, driven by expanded community partnerships, naloxone distribution, peer support specialists, and innovative response programs...

Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, joins the show for the first time as ASTHO’s president to discuss her plans for the new term; Dr. Karen Hacker, health policy fellow at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, co-authored an article...

Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, and Kate McEvoy, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, discuss a new partnership between the two organizations; Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO,...

Dr. Joseph Kanter, ASTHO CEO, Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, Dr. Scott Harris, ASTHO president and state health Officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, Dr. Ayanna Bennett, director of the District of Columbia Department of Health, and Dr. Manisha Juthani, ASTHO president-elect and commissioner for the Connecticut Department of Public Health, held a deskside briefing on the preparations for the upcoming respiratory virus season; Ericka McGowan, senior director of emerging infectious disease at ASTHO...

Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the ASTHO president-elect, tells us how the Public Health Infrastructure Grant has allowed her team to invest in her workforce’s well-being.

Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health and ASTHO president-elect, breaks down some of the recommendations from the most recent ACIP meeting; Kelsey Tillema, ASTHO senior analyst, discusses the recent PH-HERO...

Maggie Davis, ASTHO director of State Health Policy, explains why some states had difficulty getting access to new immunization products; the newly announced implementation centers wouldn’t be possible without key partners; Dr. Manisha Juthani,...

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...

Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, outlines the continued challenges to public health legal authority; Maggie Davis, ASTHO director of State Health Policy, discusses a big win for Indiana as funding for public...

Hear from the experts who participated in an ASTHO online briefing on the coming RSV season; Sophia Durant, ASTHO’s Analyst of Family and Child Health, says access to emergency contraception is a health equity issue; and an ASTHO virtual session...

Dr. Manisha Juthani, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, discusses the state’s plan to help schools deal with COVID-19 this fall and how it is different than past years; the CDC has a website for back-to-school public health...

Dr. Manisha Juthani, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, fresh off her time at the ASTHO COVID-19 Summit in Washington D.C., explains the challenge COVID-19 will present for public health officials in the coming months.

Dr. Manisha Juthani, Connecticut’s Public Health Commissioner, explains why providers may not be prescribing COVID-19 therapeutics; ASTHO publishes a new report to help public health leaders maximize the benefits of COVID-19 therapies; Latoya...