Susan Kansagra MD MBA

Susan Kansagra MD MBA Profile Photo

Chief Medical Officer, ASTHO

alumni-NC

1034: Public Health at a Crossroads: Trust, Storytelling, and the Future of the Field
Dec. 1, 2025

1034: Public Health at a Crossroads: Trust, Storytelling, and the Future of the Field

ASTHO's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Susan Kansagra, joins us for a candid conversation about the state of public health today. She reflects on her unexpected path into the field, the urgent need to rebuild public trust, and why communicating the everyday value of public health is more critical than …
1031: Public Health Wins: Reductions in RSV Hospitalizations and Overdose Rates Nationwide
Nov. 24, 2025

1031: Public Health Wins: Reductions in RSV Hospitalizations and Overdose Rates Nationwide

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 vaccin…
1027: RSV Season Update: Data Gaps, Trends, and Immunization Efforts
Nov. 12, 2025

1027: RSV Season Update: Data Gaps, Trends, and Immunization Efforts

Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, shares an update on rising RSV activity and how states are tracking trends during the federal shutdown. She highlights new tools that protect infants, including maternal vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, and explains how public health and birthi…
1016: Harris Reflects on Presidential Term, TFAH Obesity Report
Oct. 22, 2025

1016: Harris Reflects on Presidential Term, TFAH Obesity Report

ASTHO immediate past president Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer with the Alabama Department of Public Health, reflects on his time as president as he closes out his term; Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, served as a panelist during a press briefing for Trust for America’s H…
1009: ACIP Updates, Suicide Prevention Studies
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…
992: Respiratory Vaccines Update, Succession Planning How-To
Sept. 17, 2025

992: Respiratory Vaccines Update, Succession Planning How-To

Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, discusses updates to federal health initiatives that continue to impact public health agencies, including the latest report from the Make America Healthy Again Commission and recent activity regarding vaccines; Tiffany Day, public health specialis…
985: Rural Health Transportation Program, Workplace Communication Skills
Sept. 8, 2025

985: Rural Health Transportation Program, Workplace Communication Skills

Dr. Dan Edney, ASTHO member and state health officer of the Mississippi State Department of Health, and Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer at ASTHO, discuss the Rural Health Transformation Program and the recent ASTHO panels that covered what states can expect and how some agencies are prepa…
964: MAHA Report, Subrecipient Monitoring
Aug. 7, 2025

964: MAHA Report, Subrecipient Monitoring

Dr. Susan Kansagra, chief medical officer for ASTHO, discusses the recent Make America Healthy Again report, and the work done by state and territorial health departments that intersects with the report’s themes; Ryan Daly, deputy director of finance and operations for the Nebraska Department of He…
961: Bicillin Shortage, ASTHO OD2A Support
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...
920: Mobile Lab Experience, Kansagra + TFAH Brief Media
June 4, 2025

920: Mobile Lab Experience, Kansagra + TFAH Brief Media

Elizabeth Gunsalus, K-12 education and outreach project manager at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, explains how the department’s Mobile Lab Experience has been beneficial; Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, spoke at a recent Trust for America’s Health media briefing...
916: MAHA Report, School-Based Health Programs
May 29, 2025

916: MAHA Report, School-Based Health Programs

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, offers details on the Make America Healthy Again report; Lexa Giragosian, ASTHO senior analyst for maternal and infant health, tells us about an ASTHO brief that zeroes in on adolescent health...
909: Measles & Avian Flu Outlook, Older Americans Month
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...
891: ACIP Recs, Academic Health Department Partnerships
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...
874: Federal Funding Update; Transition Feeding Resources
March 31, 2025

874: Federal Funding Update; Transition Feeding Resources

Dr. Susan Kansagra, ASTHO chief medical officer, offers an update on funding after a flurry of activity; Martha Hagen, consultant nutritionist with the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists, explains the cultural focus of new transition...
856: Kansagra New ASTHO CMO, “Career Honeycomb”
March 5, 2025

856: Kansagra New ASTHO CMO, “Career Honeycomb”

Dr. Susan Kansagra, former ASTHO member and most recently the assistant secretary and state health officer for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, has been named ASTHO’s new chief medical officer; Jennifer Schmidt, PHIG fund manager...
731: Healthcare Ready, NC Retail Program Standards Network
Aug. 19, 2024

731: Healthcare Ready, NC Retail Program Standards Network

Tom Cotter, executive director of Healthcare Ready, explains how Healthcare Ready could assist public health leaders in a disaster; Wendy Bell, environmental health supervisor for Mecklenburg County Public Health, discusses the North Carolina Retail...
622: High Food Costs Hurt WIC, Proposed Budget Breakdown
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...
619: Review Food Safety Policies, New Misinformation Toolkit
March 12, 2024

619: Review Food Safety Policies, New Misinformation Toolkit

Dr. Susan Kansagra, assistant secretary for public health in North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services and an ASTHO member, tells us how the tenacity of one inspector caused an investigation that uncovered lead-contaminated applesauce packets in North Carolina; Dr. Tara Kirk...
562: Harm Reduction Gets Legislative Attention, Tainted Applesauce Investigation Expands
Dec. 12, 2023

562: Harm Reduction Gets Legislative Attention, Tainted Applesauce Investigation Expands

Dr. Steven Stack, ASTHO president and commissioner of public health for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, discusses substance misuse and overdose prevention strategies; Dr. Susan Kansagra, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services assistant...
556: New Suicide Prevention Policy Statement, Testing Could Curb Newborn Syphilis Cases
Dec. 4, 2023

556: New Suicide Prevention Policy Statement, Testing Could Curb Newborn Syphilis Cases

Dr. Mark Levine, commissioner, Vermont Department of Health, says ASTHO’s new policy statement on suicide prevention offers many recommendations including a call to improve access to health care services for those at highest risk; Dr. Robert...
537: Presidential Reflections, Medicaid Successes
Nov. 2, 2023

537: Presidential Reflections, Medicaid Successes

Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska Chief Medical Officer and ASTHO Immediate Past President, reflects on her time at the head of the organization; Dr. Susan Kansagra (SHO-NC), North Carolina Assistant Public Health Secretary, says her agency...
254: Addressing Monkeypox Inequities
Sept. 1, 2022

254: Addressing Monkeypox Inequities

Dr. Susan Kansagra, North Carolina State Health Officer and Assistant Secretary for Public Health, discusses disparities in the Monkeypox response; Meredith Alexander, Senior Analyst for Performance Excellence, explains how the Senior Leader Reserve...