ASTHO and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at Morehouse School of Medicine, with funding support from CDC, created the Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health (DELPH) program. This program increases and strengthens participants’ visibility and exposure in public health systems, access to key networks, and leadership development opportunities.
OUR PROGRAM SEEKS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL BY:
• Empowering participants to be more visible in governmental public health.
• Expanding access to key networking opportunities for participants.
• Enhancing participant personal leadership identity.
• Creating strategic leadership development plans.
• Developing peer support network connections.
DELPH was designed to enhance the capacity and strengthen the networks of mid- to senior-level governmental public health professionals from identity groups that are under-represented in public health leadership. Program participants are selected from experienced public health professionals who self-identify from an underrepresented group, including people of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+.
It is my pleasure to serve as director of the DELPH program and propel the purpose of increasing participants’ visibility and exposure to public health systems, strengthening access to key networks, and promoting leadership development opportunities.
The start of the DELPH program in 2019 was the combination of an ASTHO staff recommendation to seek more intentional partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and an announcement for the American Society of Association Executives’ Diversity Executive Leadership program (DELP). These two items sparked an idea for ASTHO CEO, Mike Fraser who pulled a team together to review existing leadership programs for public health professionals and consider what would be most helpful to support career advancement for under-represented leaders in governmental public health. With funding from CDC, ASTHO established a partnership with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at Morehouse School of Medicine to develop a new program that would support the development and promotion of public health leaders who better reflect the diversity of their jurisdictions.
The DELPH program intentionally selects scholars from a variety of public health disciplines and jurisdictions to support learning, skill development, and leadership acumen. Through a rigorous application process scholars were invited to join the second DELPH Cohort; comprised of 28 individuals from 19 states and territories who self- identify from an underrepresented groups in public health leadership—people of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+. The diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences scholars bring directly strengthen the program and
supports inclusive leadership. Our Scholars are eager to foster relationships, advocate for public health policies to improve health outcomes, eliminate long-standing health inequities, and lead in new dimensions.
DELPH is grounded in the pillars of:
• Authenticity: genuine learning spaces grant Scholars the ability be their whole selves and explore their individual leadership strengths and areas of growth.
• Intersectionality: unique professional experiences fuel conversations of convergence around public health topics, emerging evidence, and best practices.
• Diversity: representation from various communities stimulates connectedness, creativity, and collaboration.
• Networking: exposure to leaders and subject matter experts and peer-to-peer sharing creates valuable opportunities for connection.
The strength of the DELPH program is realized when public health leaders are empowered and valued for their unique experiences and identities. I am excited to take part in the development of this cohort and ultimately eager to see them emerge as confident transformative leaders, advancing to executive leadership roles within governmental public health.
LATOYA SAHADEO DELPH Program Director
Experts have written tomes that outline the “essential characteristics” of a successful public health leader. Top traits often include theoretical knowledge, an ability to manage a large workforce, good interpersonal, problem solving, and communication skills, and effective systems thinking. If all these boxes are checked, the theory goes, then a stellar leader s/he shall be.
Respectfully, I disagree.
Fitting the mold does not always produce a good leader. Instead, it may make a good follower of norms and encourage people to do what they have always done.
One of the most important traits that often is not recognized when pontificating on the merits of good public health leadership, is the ability to study the present and a willingness to admit when it is not working—the lesson of failure. Understanding that continuing to do the same thing while expecting the results to change, is unsustainable.
Successfully managing outdated tactics is not leadership, but rather complicity. A good public health leader is one who steps away from the well-oiled machine, away from traditional expectations, and admits that a new way of functioning is paramount to changing outcomes. Addressing the most difficult public health challenges, requires the tenacity to bring others into a new and bold vision, and to collectively move forward with the shared expectation of success, defined by those most impacted, as the desired outcome.
Often, the shift in perspective needed to travel the “road not taken” comes not simply from a brazenness to choose the other, but rather a willingness to lead from a different perspective. Alternate views often come from a multiplicity of thoughts that can only be achieved when the decision table includes all voices with each one given the chance to speak. Diversity counts.
Health equity has long been approached from a traditional deficit model. It has focused on the need to highlight the root causes of inequity instead of focusing on the factors that lead to health equity. It is much easier to pinpoint what
is not working—what is wrong in or with a community—then to highlight the community’s strengths. We will never know this if the community is not represented. Achieving public health should be the goal instead of just lessening public disease. We need a new way of training the next generation of public health leaders that embraces different affinities, seeks out underrepresented and historically marginalized decision makers, with a willingness to change direction.
Take, for example, infant mortality. For generations, public health has framed its work around the number of infants who dies before his/her first birthday. We study the risk factors, and the maladies that contribute to the loss of each infant, and as public health does, we focus entirely on mitigating those risks. Rarely do we focus on the number of infants born that celebrate their first birthday, nor do we study what protective factors were in place that helped keep each of them healthy and alive through the first year. We follow the beaten path of negative determinants of health, while rarely acknowledging the positive indicators of health.
Imagine a population where 990 infants out of 1,000 celebrate a first birthday. What if we interviewed those 990 sets of parents in the same under-resourced communities with the goal of building a knowledge bank of survival factors. Take it further and imagine a public health funding mechanism that would support the research that studies the success stories and works with communities as the experts to fund the discovery of best practices.
Admitting that what we have been doing is not going to get us where we want to be is a call to change our public health perspective. The most advantageous way to do this is to embrace a diversity of thought. Programs like DELPH are key to helping to make space in the room for those other voices, with other ideas, and new ways of doing things, which ultimately can lead to different results. Two divergent paths—choosing to take the one less travelled may be what makes all the difference.
"Rarely do we focus on the number of infants born that celebrate their first birthday, nor do we study what protective factors were in place that helped keep each of them healthy and alive through the first year."
Kimberlee Wyche Etheridge
“When I came into the DELPH program I identified as a reluctant leader. I never saw myself in a leadership role, and thanks to some kind and compassionate supportive colleagues I was forced to acknowleged that I had skills to develop, and it would be a waste to not use these skills”
“If you want to go quickly, go alone. You want to further, go together”
“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
“Step into your boldness with humility”
“Key takeaways: Know your Why, Build your Allies, Don’t allow your fear or apathy of others paralyze you, It’s okay to be explicit in your efforts for health equity, racial justice, etc., and a quote from Dr. Satcher: To make change, you must care enough, know enough, have enough courage to move forward and persevere until the job is done.”
- Jill Miller - Nivedita Ravi-Caldwell - Sandy Noel - Shelley Lee – James Bell IIIand
EDUCATION:
• Doctorate in public health/epidemiology, Walden University (2021)
• Master of Science in biological sciences, Southern University and A&M College (2014)
• Bachelor of Science in biological sciences, Southeastern Louisiana University (2007)
• Certificate in infectious diseases and infection control, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
• Adjunct instructor, Southeastern Louisiana University
• Adjunct professor, University of the People
ACHIEVEMENTS:
• 2022 Outstanding Public Service During COVID-19 Pandemic Award
ORGANIZATIONS:
• Vice president, Louisiana Environmental Health Association
• 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge member
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. member
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Black Faces in High Places: 10 Strategic Actions for Black Professionals to Reach the Top and Stay There by Randal Pinkett and Jeffrey Robinson.
Why do you recommend it?
This book outlines challenges that come with a leadership role and how to overcome them. It also contains insights from influential African American figures.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"Leadership is all about making the goals clear and then rolling your sleeves up and doing whatever it takes to help people win". —Ken Blanchard
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
For public health in 2032, I envision there will be adequate representation in all facets, which would reduce disparities in health outcomes and the harm they cause, along with their economic toll. This in turn would produce conditions for sustainable, inclusive, and sustained economic growth, shared prosperity, and decent work for all.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
Be empathetic! Having a transparent and fair leader inspires positive change. Empathic leadership results in higher engagement and job satisfaction. Showing a colleague that you care about their mental health, emotional health, and physical health more than their work output is an important part of being a leader. No project or sum of money is worth sacrificing health for. People come first.
What is your brand? How do you present yourself as a leader? What is your one liner?
I am a leader who can create a safe space, regardless of what is happening externally, where people feel accepted and empowered to perform at their best. I'm a leader who brings people and ideas together.
My one liner is, “A chameleon that adapts to any environment.”
WHAT IS ONE WORD THAT YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE DELPH? FAMILY.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists."
—Japanese ProverbWhat is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
One thing that I do to inspire those around me is being open about my hopes and dreams, successes and failures, and experiences and challenges. I strive to be authentic in how I interact with those around me through genuine honesty and curiosity. I do not believe I have to put on a strong front to prove my leadership. For me, leadership is more than a title. It is actions you take to show those around you that they matter, that they are valued and appreciated, and that they are more than just their work. I put people first and the work second. A tough but inspiring truth was told to me by one of the few good leaders I have had. They said, “you are replaceable.” When I initially heard that, it burned! I thought no one could do the work I do, or even do it as well as I do. But they followed with, “your family, friends, and loved ones—they are irreplaceable. At the end of the day, people are humans with families and loved ones. Work will be there the next day, but your family, friends and loved ones may not.” That opened my eyes to developing a more compassionate and understanding leadership style. What I have learned is that openness to genuinely knowing your staff outside of their work builds trust and inspires them to want to go above and beyond, which in turn inspires me to continue to do the same!
There are so many things I aim to accomplish in my public health career, but if I had to pick one thing, it would be to build continuous positive relationships between our community organizations, community leaders, community members, and public health agencies, all while inspiring future public health professionals to learn and understand the importance of authentic, true, courageous, and strong community voices. I want to rebuild the bridge that was already falling apart and eventually broke during the COVID-19 pandemic. I want to slow things down and selflessly listen to what our communities are telling us; take the time to go to them and not wait for them to come to us. I want to encourage our future public health professionals that our community knows what is best for their community.
• Master of Public Health, University of Washington (2023)
• Bachelor of Science in public health, University of Washington (2009)
Share your insight about leadership
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Inclusion Revolution: The Essential Guide to Dismantling Racial Inequity in the Workplace by Daisy Auger-Dominguez.
Why do you recommend it?
I chose Inclusion Revolution because it gave great examples of how any person can take on the challenge of dismantling racial inequity within their own workplace. Daisy Auger-Dominguez writes with passion and wit to keep the reader engaged while also providing several resources and examples that can be used to support inclusion work anywhere. I especially like how she empowers readers, who are all at various levels of staff in organizations, to practice and expect inclusivity and anti-racist workplaces. Overall, I found this book to be a great read and wonderful resource!
EDUCATION:
•
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“Don't let perfect be the enemy of progress.” —Unknown
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
In 2032, I hope to see an invigorated public health workforce that is fully staffed and equipped with the resources to advance the mission of optimal health for all people. This workforce will have access to and full utilization of a modernized data infrastructure that includes data across public health associated sectors, such as medical, behavioral health, environmental, and social services, to name a few. Health in all policies will be adopted by all state, local, and territorial health departments that will take the lead in organizing the work of various agencies that directly or indirectly impact the health of residents. Public health professionals will be involved with all policy initiatives of Congress in a capacity most appropriate for the topic area of proposed laws. Public health institutions will strengthen their relationships with the public they serve through targeted campaigns that promote transparency and engagement. In turn, the public will look to public health institutions as trusted sources of timely and accurate health information.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
As a recovering perfectionist, I remind myself daily that perfection is not real and was never the goal. However, it is my true nature to strive for excellence in everything that I do, and I believe this inspires my team and others whom I lead to give their best, both professionally and personally. I tell myself and others that the goal is to be the best versions of ourselves, and that the real competition is not with someone else, but with the you of yesterday. With this mindset, we are all sure to fulfill our life’s purpose, which I believe is to realize and maximize our gifts that will contribute to the advancement of life.
If you had a magic wand, and could change one thing in public health, what would that be and why?
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“Most of us feel that we need to earn rest, instead of live from rest.”
—Pastor Michael ToddWhat is your vision for Public Health in 2032?
I envision a public health system that embodies power and learning with community. It is a system that builds trust and adds value in the communities we serve. It is a system designed to honor and foster collective healing and health across communities in partnership with all sectors, who equally see and understand their ability to influence healthy communities. Under this system, we seamlessly blend quantitative and qualitative data for compelling storytelling, and have advanced our communication skills to match the needs of our communities and the channels they use.
Our workforce is not only superbly skilled, but is also given space and grace for evolving and shifting mindsets as it learns and grows. Our workforce is supported, developed, mentored, promoted, and enjoys meaning both in and outside of work. We have invested in modernizing our systems and processes to support the workforce and communities with action.
As important, we view equity or other crosscutting functions as fundamental to our work, not as add-ons we must make time for. Every decision—from data collection to strategy selection to funding allocation and beyond—is done with communities and approached with an equity lens.
From my experience in a governmental public health setting, processes and procedures, meant to standardize and support workflow, can inadvertently create inefficiencies and divert staff time and energy toward administrative functions. If I had a magic wand, I’d fast-track processes and procedures through a quality improvement cycle and improve, eliminate, or establish new processes and procedures that act as facilitators of success. I would do this to minimize or reduce administrative burden on staff, allowing them more time to be in community, working with partners and taking action to promote community health.
My highest level of education is unlearning harmful mindsets and leaning into curiosity and lifelong growth. My greatest achievement is striving daily to show up as a parent who passes on healing instead of wounds. The organization I’m most proud to be a part of is my family unit.
More traditionally, I’m a first-generation college graduate, earning my bachelor’s degree in business administration. While using my degree to execute contracts for mental health and substance use treatment services for the Wyoming Department of Health, I quickly learned my real passion was prevention, and shifted to programmatic work. I’ve since celebrated 15 years of service to the state, mostly working in public health programs ranging from substance use and suicide prevention to public health infrastructure, equity, and workforce development. I currently serve as the state’s maternal and child health unit manager and Title V director.
While I have yet to earn an advanced degree, I invest an average 100 hours per year in my professional development. In 2014, I graduated from the Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership’s Advanced Leadership Training Program. I’m a proud recipient of the 2021 Wyoming Association of Community Development Extension Professionals Friend of Community Development Award for my efforts to engage Wyoming residents in the state’s health assessment and improvement planning process. I also serve as an appointed member of the Wyoming Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities.
BY REEMA MISTRY, MHS Director, Data Modernization and Informatics
BY JAMIE PINA, PHD, MSPH Vice President, Public Health Data Modernization & Informatics
BY J.T. LANE, MPH Senior Vice President, Population Health & Innovation
Collecting, documenting, and sharing representative data is core to effective public health action, as it informs policymaking and guides interventions and resource distribution. However, as the COVID-19 response demonstrated, national data collection was not representative and highlighted gaps—especially in race and ethnicity data. Yet, achieving equitable representation in public health data collection is possible and will require consistent effort and advocacy to address underlying and systemic challenges facing public health practitioners.
The COVID-19 pandemic created tremendous strain on the information systems used by public health and health care practitioners alike in the United States. In its wake, several opportunities for improvements to the national data infrastructure have surfaced. There are currently several federal initiatives aiming to achieve these improvements. “Public Health Data modernization” is the term used to describe this national effort that will be executed by government public health agencies over the next several years.
Data modernization can improve the public health response to emerging health threats in the United States by allowing more comprehensive and accurate data collection across diverse populations.
Social determinants of health (SDOH)—such as sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), and race, ethnicity and language (REaL)—have profound effects on an individual’s health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the LGBTQIA+ communities and racial/ethnic minorities experienced a disproportionate burden of cases and deaths. Although documenting SOGI and REaL data in electronic health records (EHRs) is consistent with federal efforts, our public health data systems either do not capture the data consistently or are unable to share it across jurisdictions with ease.
It is important for clinicians to have access to complete and accurate information so that they can provide relevant therapeutic and preventive services, and for researchers, policymakers, and public health professionals to better identify disparities and barriers to care. Health Level Seven International (HL7), an international standards body for data interoperability, does not have SOGI standards, resulting in inconsistent and incomplete data documentation. As a result, there is no clear picture of how the COVID-19 pandemic truly impacted the LGBTQIA+ community.
It is important to continue to assess health impacts by SDOH and its intersectionality because seldom is health influenced by a singular social factor. Building data infrastructure that includes all social identities, allowing for standardized documentation and interoperable data while protecting patient privacy is crucial and requires tremendous effort and coordination across federal and state public health agencies.
A diverse public health workforce—with leaders that advocate for underrepresented groups, communities of color, low-income populations, and rural communities— will help achieve these improvements.
Recent studies indicate overall unmet informatics workforce needs at both state and local health departments. Public health informatics specialists reportedly have less experience in public health, lower salaries, and fewer leadership roles. Based on a 2017 survey of 187 state and local public health employees, the public health informatics workforce was made up of 67.2% White, 23% Hispanic or Latino, 18% Black or African Americans, 15% Asians. American Indian or Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander represented 0% of the workforce. Having a workforce that is highly skilled, diverse and representative of the population we serve improves access to care, helps build culturally relevant care, contributes to more equitable public health activities and is essential in achieving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). ONC’s Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development Program (PHIT Workforce Program) exemplifies how we can build a stronger workforce by bolstering historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Asian
American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions.
COVID-19 vaccine data collection highlights the challenges and hope in achieving representative data collection. When COVID-19 vaccination began, the race and ethnicity of vaccinated individuals was just over 51% in January 2021. As of November 2022, race and ethnicity of vaccinated individuals stood at 75%. An improvement, but more work remains.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of using public health datasets to plan for vaccination rollout and managing overburdened hospital systems. While CDC’s COVID-19 Data Tracker and the National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) includes data for all U.S. Island jurisdictions, most of the approximately other 32 public health datasets exclude data for the U.S. Islands such as Puerto Rico (PR), U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), American Samoa, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) despite having some of the most challenging population health outcomes. The reasons for excluding island jurisdictions from public health datasets vary, but the lack of inclusion is a significant health equity issue with repercussions for island health outcomes and requires creative data modernization solutions.
While improving data collection practices, diversifying the public health informatics workforce, and increasing representation in vaccination records are essential to achieving better outcomes during future health crises, further work is needed to reduce the intrinsic biases present in modern-day public health practice. A critical role that can be fulfilled by participants in ASTHO’s DELPH program is preparing and equipping a new generation of public health leaders to better advocate for a diverse public health workforce and improve equity across all domains public health data collection and use.
With representative data providing complete visibility of how public health threats are impacting all types of communities across the nation and at the neighborhood level, public health practitioners can turn data into the very tools they need to ensure everyone has access to better health in all neighborhoods in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., five U.S. territories, and three freely associated states.
EDUCATION:
• Master of Health Administration, Tulane University
• Bachelor of Arts in psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member
• National Association of Health Services Executives member
• South Carolina Public Health Association member
• James Clyburn Health Equity Award (2022)
• Charleston Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc’s May Week Community Service Award (2021)
• First Baptist Church Trailblazer Award (2021)
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague? The Memo by Minda Harts.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
As I leader, I work to model the behavior I want to see in my team. A critical component of our work in public health is building and cultivating relationships with community partners. Even though I am not required to participate in community events and activities, I often do so that I can remain connected not only to individuals and organizations, but to our purpose. My continued involvement from the grassroots level allows me to have greater insight into the communities’ needs, to guide my team, and to be the voice for their needs when allocating resources.
What is your brand? How do you present yourself as a leader? What is your one liner?
My brand can best be described as building partnerships to bridge gaps that reflect the interests of communities and their stakeholders.
As a builder of people and relationships, I present myself as one who leads with the intentionality of seeing value in others, thereby creating opportunities for them to participate in the mission that accomplishes the objective at hand. Through the utilization of diversity in perspectives, ideas, and systems, silos are replaced with synergistic teams.
My one liner is, “Treat others with kindness, fairness, and integrity, just as you would like to be treated."
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” —Douglas
MacArthurWhat is your vision for public health in 2032?
My vision for public health in 2032 is to have effectively conquered and reduced inequities within the health system. A large portion of health disparities is due to these inequities. If, as a healthcare system, we could effectively meet populations where they are and reduce the stigma placed on certain diseases and minority populations, we would be able to better diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases high-risk communities.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
My passion project involves identifying and understanding the impact that social stigma has on mental health and chronic diseases within African American and other minority communities. Health-related social stigma can be any characteristic of a disease to which society may attach a negative connotation. These negative connotations can serve as a hinderance to the treatment and prevention of disease due to individuals being afraid or embarrassed to admit they have the disease because of how others may perceive them. I believe that identifying social stigmas and understanding how they affect disease outcomes within a population can help public health officials effectively target interventions within these populations.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
My brand as a leader is to encourage and inspire my team. It is important for my team to feel like they have the right tools and my support in all endeavors within and outside our organization. I feel that if someone on my team becomes complacent then I haven't done my job correctly. While I want everyone on my team to be comfortable and have a sense of belonging, I also want them to continue to learn and grow within this field, hopefully becoming leaders themselves one day. "A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where that don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be." —Rosalynn
Carter• Doctorate in public health epidemiology, Warden University
• Online instructor at University of the People
• Registered sanitarian in Louisiana
Share your insight about leadership
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength by Dr. Jennifer B. Kahnweiler.
Why do you recommend it?
Being in a leadership position can sometimes be difficult for me because I am naturally an introvert. However, reading this book showed me that even introverts can be effective leaders. The book also provides strategies to enhance leadership skills while acknowledging and utilizing introvert characteristics.
• Master of Public Policy, University of California, Riverside School of Public Policy (inaugural cohort)
• Bachelor of Art in anthropology, Columbia University
• de Beaumont Foundation 40 Under 40 in Public Health (2021)
• Yale Ciencia Academy fellow (2018)
• University of California Global Food Initiative fellow (2017)
• Partners for Better Health Randall Lewis Health and Policy fellow (2017)
• University of California Global Health Institute One Health Center of Expertise graduate research grantee (2016)
• New American Leaders Ready to Lead participant (2016)
• Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum Health Rising Leadership Institute fellow (2015)
• Asian American Journalists Association Media Institute participant (2014)
• Coro New York Leadership Center Immigrant Civic Leadership Program fellow (2014)
• Metropolitan Association of College and University Biologists first place poster presentation award (2007)
• Planners4Health California steering committee member
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Party of One: The Loners’ Manifesto by Anneli Rufus.
Why do you recommend it?
I read this book a long time ago, and I think about it every now and then. It reminds me that, as a leader, sometimes I need to go against the status quo. This might also involve taking an unyielding stand, whether alone or with a group of like-minded individuals, that may run counter to common conventions. Exploring my own solitude and the innermost recesses of my being, I can delve into myself to shed light on what my core values, beliefs, and intentions are.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” —Eleanor
RooseveltIn 2032, the vision I have for public health is the furthering of health equity and health justice work. COVID-19 highlighted the myriad cracks in the foundations of our society, especially through the lens of social justice. The pandemic also magnified the need for increased social connectedness and cohesion.
It is unfortunate that COVID-19 prevention and mitigation exacerbated the already precarious mental health state of many individuals. Public health should uplift the mind-body connection, and improving both the physical and mental health of everyone should be dual pillars in the health ecosystem. As I write this, I am saddened that gun violence is still rampant in the United States, particularly by how it has impacted communities of color. This past January 2023, Asian gunmen caused strife in the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities when they opened fire on innocent people. Gun violence and the lack of mental health infrastructure are additional structural inequities plaguing, and I hope more action can be taken to address these them.
As a leader, I can inspire others by listening and asking them about their interests and aspirations. These simple acts are opportunities to make meaningful connections and to show someone how valued and appreciated they are. When life gets busy, who does not want someone to check in on them and ask they how they are doing? I know these quick check-ins allow me to get out of my head and listen to my emotions and my body.
Since I am new to a management role, I am expected to rise to the occasion. It has been a little bit difficult because I am encountering a steep learning curve in learning to manage both people and projects. However, that has not deterred me, because I know that I can handle the task as I hone my leadership skills and knowledge. Equity work has taught me to stay calm while wading in the waters of uncertainty. I am slowly embracing those times when I do not know what to do next or how to go about my activities, so I adjust accordingly. I have also learned to be empathetic and compassionate to my colleagues, since there are some days when we think we know what we are doing, and there are some days when we have no idea what is next, when we should put more trust in one another and be in open communication with each other.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“The way forward isn’t a road we take. The way forward is a road we make.”
—Amanda GormanWhat is your vision for public health in 2032?
My vision for public health in 2032 is to lead with people first. Due to separate and dedicated funding streams, public health programs are often siloed into focusing on a specific area of health or disease. However, people are not broken down into specific diseases or health issues, and a person’s overall health is more often impacted by social determinants of health. Thinking of people holistically is critical; multiple public health programs must work together to address a person’s and a community’s broader needs. In addition, leading with people first means taking the time to really listen to them and prioritize their voices rather than our own, which may require us to meet them where they are. By leading with people first, we will be able to break down silos, ensure we are centering the voices of impacted communities, and achieve better overall health for those we serve.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
As a physician working in the sexually transmitted diseases control program for a public health department, I provide public health and medical expertise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV prevention. Both STIs and HIV disproportionately impact gay men and people of color. As a gay cisgender man of color, I believe my lived experience allows me to be an expert in how to better address these infections that impact my community. One of my passion projects I worked on that best utilized my expertise was being a core team leader in ramping up California’s response to the global monkeypox (mpox) outbreak in the summer of 2022. I felt proud and privileged to not only share my medical expertise but also represent the views of my community for statewide decisions during this emergency response.
• Bachelor of Arts in neuroscience, Pomona College (2007)
• Doctor of Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (2013)
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
“Leading Strong Podcast” by 34 Strong.
Why do you recommend it?
I gravitated toward this podcast because of the hosts’ strengths-based approach and focus on employee engagement, where the emphasis is on how I as a manager could best serve, develop, and invest in my team. Each episode covers a critical management intelligence skill and provides practical advice that I could apply at work, which has helped me to become a better and more selfaware leader.
Photovoice is a participatory method, defined by its creators Wang and Burris 1997 as a “process by which people can identify, represent and enhance their community through a specific photographic technique” (Wang and Burris 1997, p. 369). It uses images as a tool to deconstruct problems by posing meaningful questions in a community to find actionable solutions. The visual images and accompanying stories are the tools used to reach policy- and decision-makers. The aim of this research method is to improve conditions by making changes at the community level. This is an opportunity for us to put on our health equity lens and challenge ourselves to visualize our health equity strategic priority.
Scholars took pictures in their neighborhood and community to answer the question, "What does health equity look like?"
This is what they shared.
The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) Upstate Region provide integrated mobile services for a substance use treatment facility. This health department on wheels uses medical students and DHEC staff to provide an array of services to those individuals most in need who have difficulty accessing healthcare.
Rooted in Cheyenne is a long-term tree planting program in our city to help support a more diverse and resilient urban canopy and cultivate greener, healthier, more livable neighborhoods. This image shows a volunteer crew who planted trees in South Cheyenne, where tree canopy is sparse. Residents can apply for tree planting at a cost of $50/tree, with some residents qualifying for free trees if they meet income guidelines or live in a Free Tree Neighborhood.
Health Equity in Food Security: Pacific Island communities access food and nourishment from the Pacific ocean
This is a picture of Micronesian Voyage Canoes awaiting to set sail, while they are different in size they are headed on the same journey. The water keeps them at the same level afloat. Some may have bigger sails and some may carry more weight than others, but all are on the same voyage together. In the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands our health system is the water, and we must keep pushing all of our people towards a healthier tomorrow.
Photographed by Debra Feinma. Location: Port Townsend, WA
Taken: May 18, 2022
The Welcome Pole is a gift from the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe to the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend, WA to celebrate their shared love and respect for the Satish Sea and the vessels that ply its waters.
Brown v Board of Education Mural, Health disparities are differences in the incidence of mortality and diseases between races, gender, education, disability, or income. The Brown v Board of Education Historical Site Mural at 1515 SE Monroe St, Topeka, Kansas 66612 represents diversity, equality, justice, and inclusion. These characteristics are what constitutes health equity
This mural by artist Gamma of four generations of Native people braiding hair sits prominently along Main St. in Longmont, Colorado. Given both the historical violence toward indigenous communities in our state, including the Sand Creek Massacre, and the continued erasure of many communities of color in a city that is 82.9% White, the size and prominence of this mural reminds me daily of the importance of the local health equity work I am able to engage in as a local public health leader.
Building an Equitable and Resilient Food System; Members of the Scotlandville community in Baton Rouge, Louisiana cleaned the Scotlandville Garden Park and planted a variety of vegetables and flowers. The participating families were gifted raised beds to start gardens at their homes. The overall purpose of revitalizing this community garden is to improve access to healthy foods and educate the community on nutrition in an urban area that is labeled a food desert.
From Abraham Anderson (Louisiana):
The Gaston County Department of Health & Human Services
Adult and Aging division put out a request for food donations for their older adults food pantry. My team and I took this on as a challenge/project, and decided to partner with the local baseball team to host a massive food drive at one of their home games. Our community members contributed several bins full of food donations and we were able to not only successfully fill their current need, but also build a relationship with one of our community partners and establish an annual food drive partnership with them to sustain this equitable solution.
Dismantling Local Public Health System Silos: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Fredrick Echols and the City of St. Louis Department of Health garnered the support of every agency (public and private sector) within the local public health ecosystem to ensure the delivery of FDA approved vaccines and support services and prioritized city's marginalized populations.
In observance of Black History Month 2023, Epis for Equity planned a virtual panel discussion, Achieving Equity: A Data Driven Approach. The panel was comprised of professionals representing various health sectors including research, healthcare, and public health. Each of the panelists highlighted specific health equity work of their respective organizations. It is our hope that this discussion will inform the current and future PDPH work surrounding health equity and inspire the workforce.
In Guam, healthcare professionals conduct medical outreach by forming new community partnerships to reach residents who have trouble accessing vaccinations, testing and other government services. As a joint effort, this outreach was designed to help individuals who have difficulties getting healthcare services because lack of transportation or internet service. Public health nurses and staff continue to assist the homeless population and low-income residents receiving testing, vaccination and other medical services. Other government agencies have provided referrals to help underserved population connect and apply for much needed services. Overall, the intent is to leverage all resources by working with different key partners to provide healthcare services and target at risk populations. In addition, having more experienced healthcare workers will be instrumental to building capacity for many programs.
During the 2023 legislative session, a Wyoming Indian Child Welfare Act was passed. This codifies the Federal ICWA in state law, providing protections for American Indian children and families, honors Tribal Sovereignty and jurisdiction over child custody proceedings, and preserves children's connection to their culture and traditions.
What is health equity? Through DELPH, we've discussed the voting as a component of the Political Determinants of Health. We've learned the importance of advancing leadership skills through building cross-disciplinary networks. The social determinants of health showed us that public health can't afford to stay in our siloed scientific circles, and that we can't shy away from engaging in policy conversations and effective health communications. Thus, the idea of voting and the political determinants of health came to mind for my photo submission. Here I am, with Promise King, out for a walk outside of city hall in Portland Oregon. Promise is founder and president of the national League of Minority Voters, which has chapters in Oregon, Washington and California, and is working on building chapters in other states across the nation. I brought along my copy of the Political Determinants of Health to share with him - and of course, he was no stranger to the book, and in fact, shared his analogies of health equity that he gives in his talks with chapter members! It reminded me that it is truly the people who make health equity change happen, and that thoughtful systems change that gets meaningful results is never an accident!
I was driving past this park I used to go to all the time when my kids were much younger, and it's open and accessible to and for all children with physical disabilities and has some musical play options (an oversized xylophone, for example) for all to enjoy.
From Michelle Matthew (Delaware):
Colorado Equity Mobile Vaccine efforts: COVID-19 vaccine clinic and school supply/backpack donations in a predominantly latinx community in Northern Colorado and MPox at a local LGBTQ+ nightclub.
To capture health equity in action, I went back to my old neighborhood in East Durham. There's a shopping center in the heart of the East known as The Village. Up until 2021 the area was only occupied with fast food, liquor stores, pawn shops, check cashing places, a plasma center, and a sometimes unoccupied grocery store. They've recently opened an Oak City health center that provides primary care for adults with Medicaid...steps away from its doors is a major bus stop. The local health department is miles away, but it's the only location serving a county with a population of over 326,000 people. In Durham, 88.2% of the population has health coverage, with 13.5% being Medicaid recipients.
The different sizes, shapes, colors and functionality of the boats represent the different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientation, disabilities, and socioeconomic statuses. Each boat has access to what it needs water, dock size, wind, etc.
"The entire program has been immensely powerful and transformative for myself. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of the program. All of the panels, the topic discussions, and opportunities to engage with one another are all so well designed. This program was value added for myself as a whole person."
COURSES AND TRAININGS:
• Bachelor of Science in biology/pre-med, Clark Atlanta University (2003)
• Doctor of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine (2008)
• Population Health Training in Place Program, CDC (2016-2017)
• Strategies for a Community Response (Food Management) course, FEMA (2018)
• Managing Food Emergencies: Strategies for a Community Response course (2017)
• Cultural Sensitivity Training, Denver Prevention Training Center (2017)
• Emergency Management course, FEMA (2012)
• U.S. Naval Aeromedical Training (2011)
• Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high- yield Explosives clinicians’ course and certification (2011)
• Emergency Wound Care Treatment course (2011)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
• American Sexual Health Association member (2016-present)
• National Coalition of STD Directors member (2016-present)
• National Minority AIDS Council member (2016-present)
• American Public Health Association member (2014-present)
• Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists member (2013-present)
• Illinois Public Health Association member (2013-present)
• National Tuberculosis Controllers Association member (2013-present)
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS:
• Gateway Regional YMCA Martin Luther King Jr. Human Dignity Award (2022)
• St. Louis Business Journal Champion for Diversity Equity and Inclusion Award (2021)
• Central Park District Community Impact Award (2021)
• Washington University in St. Louis Community of Service Award (2018)
• Navy Sea Service Deployment Medal (2011)
• Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron of the Year (2011)
• NATO Achievement Medal (2011)
• Global War on Terrorism Medal (2008)
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“The time is always ripe to do what is right.” –Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
Once, there was a young African American male in Atlanta, Georgia who lived in a single parent household in the inner city. His mother was a champion, fighting day after day to make sure this young man’s and his brother’s needs were met. Nonetheless, the family often struggled to survive, sometimes not knowing if they would be able to make ends meet. When they attempted to get support and resources from organizations within the local public health system that received funding to provide services for those in need, they encountered more barriers, which included staff who provided culturally insensitive and inappropriate support, continued marginalization and embarrassment, and blame. This occurred time after time. As I reflect on my family’s experiences, my heart breaks, because many families across this nation continue to have these experiences and to be failed by the systems and structures that are supposed to uplift them.
Because of my experiences and current relationship with public health systems across the globe, it would be inappropriate to limit my vision for public health to a pre-determined year. My vision for public health is a system that:
• Understands the complete history of this nation and health service delivery for its most vulnerable populations.
• Demonstrates, through action and implementation of evidence-informed best practices, the unapologetic prioritization of the health and well-being of all humanity.
• Effectively and efficiently utilizes transdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration to pursue health and racial justice.
What is your brand? How do you present yourself as a leader? What is your one liner?
I am a public health professional who values all humanity, unwaveringly pursues justice for all, and understands that my role in life is to create a better foundation and path forward for vulnerable populations across the world, especially Black males. As an African American leader, I humbly carry the light of the legacy of my ancestors while working tirelessly to dismantle the systems and structures that perpetuate injustice and inequity.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“When I dare to be powerful—to use my strength in the service of my vision— then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” —Audre Lorde
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
One thing that I do as a leader to inspire others is to always show up as my authentic self. I make a point to be honest, have integrity, and show vulnerability. I want to model to others that it is okay—and, in fact, preferred— to show up as your true self in professional settings. I have found that a lot of people hide parts of who they are or create facades in a professional setting, and that is not the kind of leader or person I strive to be. I now am able to see my vulnerability as a strength. Bringing all aspects of myself to my leadership is how I inspire others to trust me and show up as their true selves.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
My public health expertise includes the topics of gender, sexuality, investigating whiteness, the impacts of systems of oppression, and anti-racist approaches. Over the past eleven years in public health, I have continued to grow and challenge myself to work toward building a more just and equitable society. I always strive to understand what current leaders in the areas of queerness, race and racism, anti-racist approaches, white fragility, intersectionality, and equity have to say. This work is more to me than just a career. It is an identity I carry with me in every facet of my life. In addition to all the ways that I integrate my training and passion into my professional public health role, I work hard to ensure that I am living every day within the values I hold. I have a strong commitment to social justice, anti-racism, and service to my community.
If you had a magic wand, and could change one thing in public health, what would that be and why?
If I had a magic wand, I would shift the makeup of public health leadership. Public health as a field is still so dominated by cisgender heterosexual White men, which leads to a homogenous approach and thinking to the work of our field. I would immediately diversify who is at the top of all of our local, state, and national institutions as well as shift how the systems themselves operate to ensure we are operating in the most inclusive approaches in serving priority populations. I believe that, with these shifts, we can truly start addressing health and racial equity in our country.
• Bachelor of Science in sociology/anthropology, Randolph College
• Master of Social Work, George Mason University
• Licensed clinical social worker
• Colorado Public Health Association member
• American Public Health Association member
• Boulder County Public Health Excellence in Equity Award
Share your insight about leadership
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
The “Dare to Lead” podcast episode, “Brené with Jodi-Ann Burey and Ruchika Tulshyan on Imposter Syndrome.”
Why do you recommend it?
So many leaders, myself included, suffer from imposter syndrome. I appreciated this podcast so much because it helped me realize that the concept of imposter syndrome is a setup, especially for women and those socialized as women and girls, to continue to be held back while others find success.
• Master of Public Health, Benedictine University (2015)
• Certificate in health management and policy
• Certificate in health education and management
• Master of Science in polymer chemistry, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Technology (2007)
• Foundations of Leadership course, Wisconsin State Department of Health Services (2022)
• International Society of Disease Surveillance Outstanding Student or Post Degree Abstract Award (2017)
• CDC and Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists public health informatics fellow (2016)
• Institute of Science and Technology for Advance Studies and Research Student of the Year Award (2007)
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Influence Without Authority by Allan R. Cohen and David L. Bradford.
Why do you recommend it?
The book is a great read for individuals who desire leadership roles or the ability to influence decisions without direct authority. It provides knowledge and exercises that help readers navigate through organizational structures, policies, and politics. As a public health leader, I have to collaborate with, communicate with, and influence internal and external stakeholders on matters relating to policy, funding, and public health in general. This book has provided me with practical real-world strategies for influencing those that I do not control.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact last in your absence.” –Sheryl Sandberg
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
People living optimum lives by building community, using innovative and high impact public health actions.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
As a leader, I am persistent. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances are or how slow or fast my pace is, as long as I am moving toward the direction of my goals. Because the only thing that is consistent and inevitable is change.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
Public health is a broad and challenging field. I have a diversity of public health expertise and passions. My public health expertise ranges across emergency management, public health information systems, data management, workforce development, health equity, quality improvement, and project management. However, my passion project is to introduce public health concepts and practices to the younger generation during their early stages of learning. My passion for this comes from when my 9-year-old son asked me what I do for work, and it was very hard to put it in a few words. I would like to develop and implement a program in schools that assists the young generation to understand the role of public health in our daily lives. Ultimately, when our youth get educated and practice preventive health measures in every aspect of their daily life, we will be building healthier people, healthy minds, and a better future for our youth and community.
What is one thing you aim to accomplish in your public health career?
As a constant learner and explorer, my aim is to work in a variety of different public health settings during my career in public health.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"And if at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again." —Aaliyah
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
In the next 10 years, I would love to see public health continue on a trajectory toward health equity and transparency. The COVID-19 pandemic magnified the unequivocal truth that communities of color are disproportionately impacted by health emergencies and that health disparities abound in this country. However, progress is being made to reach these communities, and I hope that by 2032 we start to see a real impact in decreasing gaps in health outcomes in our historically underserved and underrepresented communities. I hope to see continued efforts to move forward in this space through continued funding, policy changes and opportunities for real and honest discourse on what meaningful change looks like.
If you had a magic wand, and could change one thing in public health, what would that be and why?
One of the big things I would love to see changed in public health is how funding is allocated. Public health has been woefully underfunded for decades. When public funds are distributed, they are often tied to a specific event or disease, and this creates funding silos that limit our ability to respond quickly when a new response is needed. We have seen this several times in the last year as we continued to respond to COVID-19, which was well funded but limited when we were also tasked with responding to mpox, Ebola, flu, respiratory syncytial virus, and the decline in routine vaccination rates, all with no funding sources. Public health is such an important and vital part of community health, but without proper funding our hands are tied in how we can meet the needs of the communities we serve.
What is your brand? How do you present yourself as a leader? What is your one liner?
My brand is authenticity. What you see is what you get with me—I am real and honest and give with my whole heart. I am a fierce advocate for my people and those I serve, and I always willing to listen and change course when I acquire new information. I strongly believe that we should all do better once we know better and that everyone should be who you say you are and do what you say you’re going to do.
• Registered nurse
• Board-certified pediatric clinical nurse specialist
• Doctor of Nursing Practice, University of Colorado (2019)
• Post-graduate certificate in nursing leadership and health care systems, University of Colorado (2017)
• Master of Science in nursing, University of Colorado (2013)
• Bachelor of Science in nursing, University of Colorado (2009)
• Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Metropolitan State University of Denver (1996)
Share your insight about leadership
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Lead From the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change by Stacey Abrams.
Why do you recommend it?
Stacey Abrams is such an inspirational leader and changemaker. But she is also very real and humble in her pursuit of success and change. Her journey to and through all of the many professional iterations of her career is truly inspiring and encouraging. To those of us who have not always had a voice or a seat at the table, Stacey makes it clear that with courage and compassion we are capable and deserving to take charge, achieve more, and lead.
Campaigns for racial justice have grown throughout our country and parallel conversations with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have increased, especially in the context of public service. We experience this effect through the lens of facilitating more equitable and responsive service delivery. Our programming, policies, and data must be both culturally informed and relevant. But DEI must also be valued internally in the ways we contribute to employee recruitment, retention, and development. Today’s workplace is complex, and DEI is vital for improving outcomes for all the populations we serve.
Most modern organizations have come to terms with the critical need for DEI initiatives. The evidence highlighting how these efforts can improve an organization’s productivity, creativity, retention and financial success have been clear for some time. But, honestly, is that enough? And why haven’t we made the earth-shattering changes that we all know are possible. Perhaps it could be traced back to the changes we hope to seek are being assigned outside of our organization, when it should in fact be us who are leading and implementing change. Breaking down siloes for diversity requires new ways of working with fewer barriers among and across teams and their unique people. To remove these perceived barriers, there are a few key steps that must take place.
I have been in too many meetings where employees are considered as “resources” or “FTEs” and it’s so unfortunate. As advantageous as it may be for some, the lure of DEI as a return on investment cannot be the sole purpose for pursuing such initiatives. We lose the essence of humanity and unique individuality that makes diversity so special when we limit people to a box on an organizational chart. If governments want to attract and retain the best possible talent, the true business case to make is talent itself.
Building a diverse and inclusive culture cannot only a human resources function or a top-down effort. All people across departments should see themselves reflected in this work and be able to identify a path to make it their own. And as leaders, we should work relentlessly toward understanding the needs of others while building a safe environment for the type of collaboration that is needed to solve complex problems better. This means constantly learning, and embracing new concepts, ideas, and ways of doing things. Each of us has the power to create a stronger, fairer workplace, where everyone can contribute their strengths, talents, and ideas while being treated with dignity and respect.
For at least three years now, organizations have shouted their pledges and promises to foster more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments from any rooftop they could find. Although determining which groups are really walking the walk is a challenge, a strong indication of one’s commitment is to look at budget line items. A lack of or limited budget is an immediate red flag, that sends the message that DEI is not a priority. Just like anything else, if something is important to you, you will spend the money required for it.
One of the best ways to demonstrate your commitment to DEI is through sustainable, tangible financial investment. This allows our DEI initiatives to be continuous and to evolve over time based on the immediate need. We are not in a position to can check the box or allow one implicit bias course to cover all the broad gaps we are experiencing. There is also the benefit of a broad supply of qualified DEI practitioners and consultants available, who are experienced with guiding organizations through complex DEI issues. Should we continue to face complicated and longstanding DEI issues, it isn’t up to our staff to try to resolve. We must assign money every month, quarter, to addressing these problems.
Regardless of agency or size, DEI efforts within organizations often lack strategic follow-through and accountability. These endeavors are often reactive and episodic, or only prioritized after a public relations crisis. We can’t only respond when we are required to respond. The communities we serve—and our employees—have expect that we will carry out our responsibilities and fulfill the promises we make. We have not consistently been diligent in creating mechanisms for feedback, and if we have, we fail to implement.
To truly embed DEI into our culture, we need meaningful metrics as well as a willingness and courage to use the data to hold ourselves accountable. How will we ever know if we are going in the right direction or making desired changes if we never talk about the data? And that isn’t to say results must be perfect because we all know changes takes time. But it communicates clear goals and allows for strong focus and discussion for alignment. This kind of disclosure is necessary to drive change and inspire others by demonstrating that progress is possible.
The future of state government must fully embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion both as an aspiration and as a responsibility. We must create a sense of belonging and environment for organizational justice, even if this means resisting the status quo that we have nurtured and become far too comfortable letting stand. We should be celebrating rather than marginalizing employees because of their individuality. We should be challenging business practices that undermine our organizational values and fail to treat employees equitably.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.” —Steve Jobs
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
My vision for public health in 2032 is where you cannot predict a health outcome by race.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
To inspire others, I give positive praise. Positive criticisms or constructive feedback are learning opportunities, so I am careful and deliberate in the manner in which I communicate with my staff. I also praise my staff by giving them rewards. Rewards are tangible items that make staff feel valued. I am fortunate to work for an employer that promotes recognizing staff to empower me to show my appreciation for their efforts.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
My expertise is health equity through diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies. I am the founder and past co-chair of the Shawnee County Health Department’s Racial Equity Impact Analysis Group. The group began as an to analyzing the health department’s policies and procedures for the purpose of eliminating racism and bias. The group has grown into projects such as establishing COVID-19 vaccine equity and declaring racism a public health crisis.
With my current employer, AARP, I work in the Kansas state office. Our main target population at this time is African Americans and Black people over the age of 50 in Wichita, Kansas. Our main focus is to provide programming in Wichita for greater inclusion of African Americans and Black people in AARP membership, benefits, and volunteer opportunities.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” —John C. Maxwell
What is your vision for Public Health in 2032?
In ten years, I hope that the inequalities that were exacerbated the COVID-19 pandemic are still actively being addressed. In order for that to be a reality, the will need to actively invest in people, matter their status, voting history, race, or ethnicity. Public health will also need to be more integrated across divisions and with other areas that influence the social determinants of health.
If you had a magic wand, and could change one thing in public health, what would that be and why?
I would change the way funding is awarded so that it allows for more collaboration. The synergy that comes from collaboration across departments, specialties, and divisions would greatly enhance the effect of public health on health outcomes. Limiting funding to focus on one area does not allow for a holistic approach addressing the needs of a community.
What is your brand? How do you present yourself as a leader? What is your one liner?
As a leader I work to be a facilitator and to model gratitude.
• Bachelor of Arts in liberal arts, Sarah Lawrence College
• Master of Public Health in population health, Thomas Jefferson University
Share your insight about leadership
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
No Hard Feelings: Emotions at Work (And How They Help Us Succeed) by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy
Why do you recommend it?
I really appreciate the acknowledgement of emotions in the workplace and importance of empathy in leadership. The authors challenge the reader to bring humanity and authenticity to leadership.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.” —John C. Maxwell
EDUCATION:
Why
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
I hope ten years from now our nation is more prevention-minded and relies more on public health for preventing disease rather than being reactive. My vision is a public health system that is adequately funded, community minded, and is understood by the populations it serves.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
As a leader I believe in being approachable and actively engaged in the work we do. I have cleaned bathrooms, painted walls, and worked outdoor clinics in hundred-degree heat. It is important to be willing to be part of the process and be accessible.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project? My public health expertise is in community partnership building. I love being able to find a solution in the middle of a mess and to work alongside partners to come up with the solution. I am passionate about telling the story of public health to all who will listen. I want to share the good work that is being done by my teams. My teams are incredible, and by sharing their stories I am hopeful we will see public health grow and prosper in the years to come.
What is one thing you aim to accomplish in your public health career?
I would like to see more students become interested in public health. As I have public health students and practitioners, I've found most of us fell into public health by accident. It wasn't a 'known' profession early in our academic lives. My goal is to speak to students and help them be aware of the great things which can be accomplished in public health and to share with them what a rewarding field public health is.
What is your brand? How do you present yourself as a leader? What is your one liner?
My mantra is "progress, not perfection." I ask my teams to wake up each day and try to be better today than they were yesterday. I don't expect perfection, just progress. And if we have an off day, shake it off and start over tomorrow.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant." —Max DePree
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
I’m really hoping that by 2032 public health has improved working conditions for public health professionals. As a young career professional, having witnessed many of my colleagues and friends leave the profession for greener (monetarily) pastures, it’s disheartening to see people who are so passionate about the work make the choice leave because of poor leadership, bad politicking, and low compensation.
It is becoming increasingly important for senior leadership in public health to be more in tune with the needs of their staff. Generational differences in what work is—and what the value of work is—have created a steep divide. Speaking with colleagues of older generations, it seems that the values of senior leadership and those of emerging leaders do not align in many ways. For many young leaders, it creates a hostile work environment.
All we can guarantee in this life is that one day we leave it, and as an emerging leader, I am hoping to leave the workplace a better place for the generations after me.
In my experience, the “helping professions” are worked by large amounts of marginalized people. Public health not addressing the needs of its most important resource—the people—causes inequities to become greater, helping to eliminate otherwise talented people from reaching their full potential. These potential future leaders are unable to devote their time, their connections, and the breadth of their lived experience to helping the community, and the profession and health of the community is worse off for it.
• Bachelor of Science in chemistry, Hampton University (2011)
• Master of Science in Public health, Meharry Medical College (2013)
• ASTHO Eliminating Structural Racism Policy Academy Nashville Team member (2022)
• National Network of Public Health Institutes Strategic Scholar Program member (2020)
• Region IV Public Health Leadership Institute fellow (2020)
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Why do you recommend it?
I was introduced to this book only because I was asked to facilitate the discussion around it for one of the programs at my department. As I am growing more thoughtful about my life, I am working hard to learn how all parts of me interrelate so that I can build a life of more focus and cohesion. Through reading this book (and working through the accompanying workbook), I learned that my boundary setting skills were weak at best and absolutely nonexistent at worst. This really led me to assess my relationships with everyone, including those in the workplace. Having the guidance of this book helped me set boundaries that have helped my relationships in the office and have also improved my relationships with family and friends. I know nothing I experience exists in a vacuum; that is, as much as I would love to be a person that could easily "leave work at work," the hardness of too many of those days follows me home and impacts other relationships.
In order to eliminate disparities in health and achieve health equity, we need leaders who care enough, know enough, have the courage to do enough, and who will persevere until the job is done. –
David Satcher, MD, PhD, 16th U.S. Surgeon General and Founder and Senior Advisor, Satcher Health Leadership Institute
Developing a diverse group of exceptional leaders, while working towards advancing and supporting health equity, has been at the core of the legacy established by Dr. David Satcher—physician, researcher, thought leader, and pioneer in public health—when he founded the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI). Since its inception in 2006, SHLI has remained firmly committed to eliminating health disparities, advancing health equity, and elevating the most vulnerable populations and communities.
SHLI is one of several nationally recognized collaborative centers and institutes housed at Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), a minority-serving medical and health sciences training institution located in the Atlanta University Center, which is the largest contiguous consortium of African American institutions of higher learning in the world. As the top ranked medical school in the nation in fulfilling its social mission, MSM’s is committed to leading the creation and advancement of health equity. MSM has been in the forefront of health disparities and determinants of health research—conducted in the community, with the community. With the institution, SHLI aligns with the larger mission to form a powerful partnership that builds on complementary strengths, ideally suited to achieve maximum impact.
MSM prioritizes achieving health equity by recruiting faculty, staff, and students that better reflects the nation’s diversity. In line with our institution’s vision of …leading in the creation and advancement of health equity, these goals propel us towards diversifying the workforce, creating inclusive and equitable learning environments, and achieving health equity. The goals established towards this end are indistinguishable from each other and are approached collectively and with shared responsibility through the institution.
Executing a vision requires the collective effort of those who will make the difference: the community partner, the academic scholar, the government leader, the corporate sponsor, and the person next door. It is not a journey to be taken alone. SHLI has extensive experience in providing technical assistance to leaders in areas such as harnessing research to inform policy, working to building cross-sector alliances, and communicating with target audiences about health inequities and strategies to eliminate them. We possess a deep commitment and proven track record of advancing health equity, especially regarding racial, ethnic, place-based, socioeconomic-based, and structural inequities. SHLI encompasses a multidisciplinary research team of leaders who form a powerful brain trust on health equity, public health and health policy thought leadership, policy development, and advocacy. SHLI staffers hold decades of collective experience in working collaboratively with national partners, including major health equity initiatives. Most notably, SHLI has experience working with urban, rural, and frontier communities experiencing health inequities as well as an extensive network of national, state, and local leaders in health equity and health policy.
SHLI is driven by a renewed mission to create systemic change at the intersection of policy, research, community empowerment, and equity. While health equity is the unwavering focus of SHLI, there are three priorities that serve as guiding posts: (1) health system transformation, (2) mental and behavioral health, and (3) the determinants of health. The vision imperatives that operationalize these priorities are policy, community engagement, research and evaluation, and leadership. To contribute to the achievement of health equity for all population groups, and in conjunction with key strategic partners, SHLI enhances leadership among diverse learners; develops replicable standard and strategies in health leadership, conducts forward-thinking research on the drivers of health inequities, fosters a diverse and inclusive health leadership network, and advances evidence-based policies.
At the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, innovation, research, and transformational action is at the heart of everything we do. Through training and education, technological innovation, and strategic collaborative engagement, we are making a difference! We are committed to our promise to continue work toward pushing the health equity needle forward, all to contribute to the achievement of health equity for all population groups.
"The DELPH program has provided me with skills especially learning through the workshops and presentations to develop opportunities not just for myself but for others as well. In addition, making connections and networking has provided me resources that will enhance my career in the future."
Scholars of Cohort #2
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"Let no man imagine that he has no influence. Whoever he may be, and wherever he may be placed, the man who thinks becomes a light and a power." —Henry George
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
The demand for preventive medicine providers, because of their specialized training, will increase as more public health agencies seek to augment their team to better prepare and respond to public health emergencies. Public health agencies will have upgraded electronic health records, which will be interoperable, facilitating a seamless flow of patient information across healthcare providers in different jurisdictions and automating the collection of new data sets. The demand for providers will continue to exceed the supply of new physicians each year, resulting in public health agencies adjusting to a new paradigm where advanced practice clinicians will be recruited to provide more primary care services than physicians. Public health agencies would have reduced health disparities, resulting in an increase in health equity and trust from previously marginalized populations. Public health agencies will also have the critical responsibility of balancing the timing and level of technological advancements incorporated into the delivery of service. Implementing technological advances at a faster rate than public health populations are able to acquire and understand how to use new technology could be counterproductive and undo gains in health equity and create new disparate populations. The gains in health equity, technological advancement, and investment in workforce development would result in a more customer-focused service delivery model.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
Provide honest and direct feedback with encouragement. At times, I ask individuals which version of feedback they prefer: very direct, like a dark cup of coffee, or the lengthier softened version of honest feedback, like a cup of coffee with cream and sugar.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“Forward progression is the only process worth sacrificing for”
—Krystle V. WhiteWhat is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
As a leader who seeks to inspire others, I strive to consistently display a level of humility. As stated during one of our monthly DELPH sessions, utilizing humility as a leader provides a tool for instilling trust amongst those whom you lead. This trust allows others to see that, no matter what circumstances may be stacked against you, your willingness to be vulnerable, forthright, and communicative breeds the collaboration needed to build rapport and encourage innovation. It allows others to relish in the importance of remaining committed and assiduous during times of adversity and to view every experience as a lesson learned and a stepping stone toward true growth. This type of leadership style fosters a level of motivation that will drive others to harness their own power and expertise to aid in productivity through collaboration. When leaders tend to display a “know it all” demeanor, they’re failing to find ways to learn from those around them while also diminishing the opportunity for innovation in the process.
If I had the ability to change one thing about our public health system, it would be eliminating political authority and basis of power and influence to remedy systemic change. Instead, I would prefer to align policy and systemic change based solely on identified equity related issues that plague our communities. Within his riveting book The Political Determinants of Health, Daniel Dawes did an outstanding job outlining key remedies throughout our public health history that could’ve addressed several health-related issues but were deliberately ignored because they didn’t align with the political agenda of those who were in power. Key public health milestones were missed because of the political power at play vs. the issues at hand, something that unfortunately led to more health disparities amongst historically marginalized groups. In my opinion, the health issues affecting our communities, not the pressure from political forces, should be the basis for policy change. In addition, political lobbying shouldn’t be the basis for obtaining subsequent funding opportunities for enacting policy change; instead, should rely solely on the facts and data presented.
• Bachelor of Science in public health with a concentration in health education and health promotion
• Master of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management
• Certified in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
• Gaston County Civic Engagement Leadership graduate
• Safe Kids North Carolina Excellence in Injury Prevention by Individual award (Operation Medicine Drop)
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
The Political Determinants of Health by Daniel E. Dawes.
Why do you recommend it?
For health equity leaders such as myself, this particular text helped to align the truth in how political factors directly impede and further exacerbate determinants that impact our overall health. This book helped to further equip me with the tools needed to combat health inequities directly with unconventional solutions that yield actionable results.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“Strive not to be a success but rather to be of value.” - Albert Einstein
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
One thing that I hope others take away from my leadership is belonging. I hope to inspire others by creating an environment of inclusivity and ensuring that everyone feels like they belong. I have witnessed firsthand how crucial a sense of belonging is to make someone feel like they are a part of a team and I hope to be the kind of leader who focuses on supporting my entire team.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
As an epidemiologist with a foot in the laboratory, my public health expertise is being able to conduct epidemiological investigations through the eyes of a laboratorian. I am lucky enough to have a background in laboratory science and have been able to apply my knowledge to my epidemiological career. However, I have realized that not all have the same background, and it is my passion project to implement practices that will aid in bridging the gap between the two groups, especially since both works so closely together. I hope to build lasting relationships between the two departments so that public health within the district is strengthened.
If you had a magic wand, and could change one thing in public health, what would that be and why?
The coronavirus pandemic transpired many lessons on how to oversee data more easily. I hope to see the active implementation of lessons that could only be learned through directly experiencing and living through a global pandemic.
In ten years, my vision for public health is that we will have learned from the past so that we are prepared for any future outbreaks that may come our way. I hope that the infrastructure for public health will have reached the point where data is automatically sent to all relevant parties and that there are no gaps in this transmission.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else up.” —Booker
T. WashingtonWhat is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
Show up authentically. I want others to feel welcome and accepted in any space. I think the best way to encourage authenticity and belonging is to lead by example. It’s not always easy to do, but it’s worth it. I practice authenticity by being true to my word, not taking anything personally, and accepting I cannot please everyone. I say no when I need to and respect my boundaries. I always do my best. These strategies have their challenges and require practice. I am continuously learning and accepting that I will make mistakes, but that’s part of my personal growth.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
Preventive health is my expertise. I’m passionate about preventive health because there's so much that can be done in upstream prevention to improve the health of others and reduce health disparities. My passion projects are advancing health policies to improve the lives of children and families.
Legislative policies can have significant impacts to improve health, reduce structural barriers, and address health inequities. My introduction to advocacy came as a project manager for the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. I was new to the role and worked with pediatric providers to prepare testimony around youth and mental health crises they experienced while working in emergency rooms across the state. These stories were shared with legislators. Some of the stories were heartbreaking, forcing legislators to ask, “How could we have prevented this from happening to children?” That day resonated with me and has stayed with me. It was obvious it resonated with our state leaders, too. I’m grateful for the opportunity to support preventive health-related policies today.
• Senior policy analyst, Washington State Department of Health Prevention and Community Health Division
• Washington Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics Board of Directors member
• Greater Gig Harbor Foundation member (20162018)
• Chi-Chack Language School Board member (2017-2018)
• Bachelor of Science in entomology, University of California Riverside
• Master of Public Health, Walden University
• Project Management certification, University of Washington
Share your insight about leadership
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't by Jim Collins.
Why do you recommend it?
Good to Great provides an analytical approach to evaluating how some well-known companies went from good to great and how, oftentimes, it's due to strong leadership. Many of the provided examples are relatable in any organization and industry.
BY KEITH COLEMAN Director of Crisis and Public Health Communications, ASTHO
Imagine a world where crises are managed without a glitch because public health leaders communicated perfectly, or where a community responded exactly as public health leaders asked because they received timely and effective messages and clear guidance. Impossible, you say? Well, you are correct. There's no such thing as a perfect response to a crisis. The only 'good' crisis is the one that is prevented before it happens.
A crisis can be disruptive and overwhelming. Take the pandemic, for example. The missteps in communications created confusion, uncertainty, and mistrust in public health can take several steps to prepare for the next crisis or public health emergency by making strategic improvements in their crisis communications strategy.
One echoing question that remains unanswered is whether the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications (CERC) principles worked during the pandemic. While the debate continues, one thing is for certain: we must find a better way to communicate during a public health crisis. There are many ways to improve communication, but the first step is assessing your current crisis communications plans. One particular need is better communicating with diverse and underrepresented communities.
According to CDC's COVID-19 Response Health Equity Strategy, persistent health disparities combined with historic housing patterns, work circumstances, and other factors have put members of some racial and ethnic minority populations at
higher risk for COVID-19 infection, severe illness, and death. Unsurprisingly, a disproportionate number of COVID-19 infections and deaths occurred within these communities. To rethink crisis communications plans, leaders must find better ways to communicate effectively with more people.
Leveraging existing community partnerships and using trusted messengers to help reach groups that have been marginalized can help. By strengthening community partnerships, health departments can get messages out more quickly and effectively by using stakeholders (e.g., local health practitioners, advocates, school principals, faith leaders, or neighborhood council representatives) who have a direct or indirect impact on their community.
Additionally, public health leaders must ensure that messages are culturally and linguistically appropriate, so everyone receives clear, trustworthy, and timely health information. Communications teams must now revise their crisis communication plans so they can address any shortcomings and build on any successful strategies for the future.
During a crisis, it is important to examine all aspects of the situation, including knowing what is being said online, how people are reacting to public health decisions, and what messages resonate with core audiences. In some cases, leaders rely on intuition—or simply knowing when something is right or wrong. And while intuition is a helpful tool, it isn't always right. To execute a successful response, public health leaders must use data and analytics to make informed communication decisions.
Data and analytics can be a valuable source of information in silencing online noise and navigating the political terrain. They provide a framework for targeting key stakeholder groups, building audience awareness, and driving people in the right direction. The use of data and analytics in crisis communications can yield significant success compared to the use of intuition. For example, use social media monitoring tools to understand what people are saying online about your crisis response efforts, to analyze how frequently a certain health topic is used, and to observe trends. Data also validates a course of action before committing to it. By doing so, public health leaders can be confident in their actions and the decisions they make and strengthen overall crisis communications response efforts.
Undoubtedly, social media is an integral component of any crisis communications response. With the rapid advances in social media and instant communications, it is important for state and territorial health departments to build social media teams that guide the strategic direction of digital content production across varied platforms.
Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok offer public health leaders
many opportunities, including:
• Better engagement with constituents. Sharing interesting and clear information regularly will help reach more people. Creating posts that are designed to drive engagement will also widen department reach, raise awareness about the role of public health, and rebuild trust and respect.
• Direct communication with your audience. By delivering content directly to constituents, leaders can make meaningful connections and direct people to take the desired action/s. Plus, social media can target specific audiences based on location, likes, dislikes, and much more. Social media also creates the opportunity to share other health-related information by signing constituents up for newsletters and listservs. This direct communication offers an opportunity to provide better customer service and show a more humane side of government, public health, science, medicine, data, and public policy.
• Learning on the fly. Public health leaders and health communicators should consider conducting audits of their current social media tools, resources, and staffing, which platforms performed well during the COVID-19 pandemic is key to effective communication. Simply ask: what benefits did we gain from using this social media platform? If there are no benefits, consider sunsetting the platform or repurposing it for other uses.
4. Engage with and focus on young adults early and often.
As leaders seek to revolutionize public health in the post-pandemic era, it is essential for them to connect with young adults (i.e., Generation Z, or anyone born from 1997 to 2012). Gen Z is key to rebuilding trust in public health mainly because this generation is driven by mission and impact. They're committed to social issues and societal changes, which benefits public health immensely. If engaged properly, young adults can be a catalyst for influencing social policies and reshaping public health in powerful ways.
The ways in which public health leaders communicate and engage the public today were unthinkable just a few years ago. By better connecting with constituents, public health leaders can regain the public's trust, reduce health disparities, and stop the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
For those that want to go deeper into crisis communication, ASTHO has developed a free resource hub with crisis communication information, trainings, videos, and tools to support public health leaders and public health communicators.
• Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary health studies with a concentration in anthropology, Michigan State University
Share your insight about leadership
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others by Stephen M.R. Covey.
Why do you recommend it?
What I've learned about myself throughout my public health career is that I lead through collaboration, innovation, and by investing time in seeking understanding. My style of leadership includes motivating others to serve wholeheartedly for the greater good, encouraging others to know their full potential and operate accordingly, and to be inspired by—as well as inspiring to—those around me. This book articulates this transformative leadership style so well, outlining an evidence-based thought process and framework for effectively leading in an uplifting and positive way. It validates my preferred and natural style, and I hope it does the same for others.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."
—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
I have the good fortune to serve in a public health leadership role currently for several reasons, for which I am grateful, but my "why" is at the top of that list: I am motivated to do the work in public health because at the end of the day, there's a need, and I am impassioned and capable of doing it. People in my community, state, and beyond are suffering in unjust and unacceptable ways. Many lack food, cannot access healthcare, and are treated inequitably because of the color of their skin or because they speak a language other than English as their first. This is not ok. There is so much work to be done, and I have the privilege of being in a position where I have the ability and potential to make an impact. Not for a single day do I take that for granted. I inspire my team through my actions, my words, my intention with the work that I do, and the partnerships I develop and nurture. I inspire others by embracing my work and effectively making needed change. Even—and especially—when the going gets tough, you know what they say: "the tough get going!"
What is one thing you aim to accomplish in your public health career?
I aim to eventually earn a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. I have had the honor to serve with the Delaware Division of Public Health for over a decade, most of which were years my husband and I started our family, and I chose to put the MPH on hold. That said, I have worked in various public health roles, both within and outside of Delaware Division of Public Health, in programs related to lead poisoning prevention, immunizations, sexual and reproductive health, food deserts, infectious disease control and prevention (including H1N1 pandemic community response and COVID-19 pandemic response in post-acute care facilities), family planning, emergency preparedness, early childhood intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities, and adolescent health. I have gained invaluable experience. Combining my experience, drive, and will with an MPH, I want my impact on the people I serve and the teams I have served on to be significant and sustained.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." —Maya Angelou
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
My vision is one with a long-term infrastructure set in place all through the different sectors in the healthcare system to provide enhanced care and coordination to support communities and individuals. This includes sustainable collaboration between the federal, state, and local health departments and community partners. By removing existing and potential silos, the public health infrastructure will be better equipped to work in unison to respond to the needs of the community. With a streamlined infrastructure, efficiency can be improved in all areas of public health.
For example, I envision public health where epidemiology and communications are working hand in hand to deliver the most updated public health data in a way that makes the most sense to the public. This means mobilizing community groups to deliver the information in tailored ways best suited for their communities to receive the message.
So, imagine this: an important public health message is coming down from the federal level. How do we ensure that the same message is reaching all communities, especially the underserved communities who may not have the best access to such information? Such public health infrastructure would allow the communication to reach the state entity down to the local health department and into the communities with the outreach of local community partners in a timely and networked process.
If you had a magic wand, and could change one thing in public health, what would that be and why?
If I had a magic wand, everyone in the world would receive access to healthcare (e.g., preventive care, treatment, and health education) regardless of where they reside or how much money they have to pay for such care. Accessible healthcare also involves alleviating the stress involving the affordability of essential care that everyone should receive.
• Master of Public Health in community health education, California State University, Long Beach
• Graduate certificate in applied disability studies
• Bachelor of Science in neuroscience
Share your insight about leadership
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
The video "Leadership and Effective Collaboration” by Jose Diez.
Why do you recommend it?
This video snips together different clips from animated films showcasing how effective collaboration can benefit the group and individuals in the group. The video is also very endearing and quite an entertaining way of explaining leadership and working as a team.
EDUCATION:
• Bachelor of Science in psychology, Howard University (2012)
• Bachelor of Science in public health education, North Carolina Central University (2016)
• Society for Future Health Educators member
• Eta Sigma Gamma honor society member
• PARTNERS Research Training Fellow
• Adjunct instructor, Southeastern Louisiana
• Certified health education specialist (2016-2021)
• Wake County professional certification (2022)
• Wake County Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for Supervisors certification (2022)
• National Coalition of STD Directors associate member
• Duke University CREATE Team Steering Committee member
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed.
Why do you recommend it?
This collection of quotes is great for anyone focusing on practicing mindfulness, enjoying thought-provoking quotes, or needing an emotional pick up. Starting a new leadership role during the pandemic was definitely a learning experience for me. I did a lot of growing during that time, and this book provided great inspiration and advice.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed." —Michelle Obama
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
• Local health departments would have the funding and staffing needed to provide expanded services to the community.
• Programs that were proven to be beneficial to the community would not end because of the lack of funding.
• Lay health advisors would be more utilized and compensated better for their hard work.
• There would be an increase in programs and services aimed at improving child and maternal healthcare for disproportionately affected communities.
• There would be increased mental health and substance abuse services, along with mental health training for first responders and police.
• Localities would implement more programs focusing on violence as a public health issue.
• There would be more opportunities for collaboration with correctional departments to provide training and education for incarcerated individuals seeking careers in public health to help communities they may have strong relationships with. These individuals would have the opportunity to give back and reach people that others may not.
What is one thing you aim to accomplish in your public health career?
I started my career in public health after learning how HIV impacted my family. One day I had a friend who told me she was proud of me, and that she would always read my posts about the work I was doing, as someone very dear to her died from AIDS. Over time, I’ve had patients reach back out to me thanking me for something I might have helped them with or how I made them feel during our interaction. I say this to say that the only thing I aim to do is help others. Whether it’s a patient, family members, friends, a student who reaches out for advice, or a co-worker/employee, being able to help others drives what I do daily. I hope that in my career I am in a position make bigger changes and reach larger groups of people, but if I stopped working in public health tomorrow I would happy knowing that I’ve done some good already.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” —John Quincy Adams
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
My vision is that barriers to health equity is established so that anyone obtaining services has a fair and just opportunity to attain their optimal health regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, or other factors that affect access to care. In addition, building capacity and the workforce to reduce healthcare disparities would also be meaningful and influential to see.
What is your public health expertise? What is your passion project?
My public health expertise is responding to infectious diseases, which include emergencies such as pandemics, bioterrorist events, and disease outbreaks that occur in the community. My role is to assist public health with interventions such as coordinating management and response activities to provide emergency support. My passion project is to improve vaccine preventable disease rates in underserved communities and in low-income areas. I am enthusiastic in providing professional consultations in healthcare settings and doing outreach in rural communities on preventable diseases. I’m a firm believer in prevention of disease by providing support and program activities to help increase vaccination rates in children, adolescents, and adults.
Funding has always been an issue in public health, and many program areas suffer due to lack of funds. One thing I would change is expanding the funds entirely with the assurance of financial support each year. It seems when there is a crisis, we get increased funding. But we know that when funding goes away, so does the infrastructure to quickly deal with a public health threat. I would like to see a change in funding for public health as we focus to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities and population.
•Leadership and Management in Public Health certificate, North Dakota Public Health Training
• Public Health Surveillance certificate, North Dakota Public Health Training
• CDC Vaccines Pink Book certificate of completion
• Rapid HIV Testing and Counseling certification
• Guam Department of Public Health Emergency Response Team member
• Guam Employee Outstanding Recognition Program Award
• Guam Board of Nursing member
• Data for Decision Making Introduction to Epidemiology and Field Epidemiology certificate
• Data for Decision Making Introduction to Health Information Systems certificate
• Data for Decision Making Investigation and Management of Disease Outbreaks certificate
• American Public Health Association member
• Guam LGBTQ Advocacy Group member
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
The Most Powerful You : 7 Bravery-Boosting Paths to Career Bliss by Kathy Caprino.
Why do you recommend it?
Kathy Caprino is internationally recognized as a successful career executive coach, writer, and speaker dedicated to enhancing the global advancement of women. Everyone is always trying to live a beautiful, abundant, and remarkable life with a career that is both meaningful and uplifting. I recommend this book because it is written well and immediately you will see the author capture the audience brilliantly. Kathy Caprino gives powerful insights and thought-provoking suggestions. After a few readings, it made me feel confident in my career and inspires me professionally.
BY ADRIANE K. GRIFFEN, DRPH, MPH, MCHES, CNED
People with disabilities are a part of every community. WHO estimates that 1.3 billion, or about one in every six people have a disability. In the United States, CDC estimates that figure to be one in four. People who have a disability have experienced historical marginalization and discrimination in areas such as healthcare, education, public health, emergency preparedness and response, and employment. As such, people who have a disability are a key group to include in conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
The COVID-19 pandemic further emphasized the need for including people with disabilities in public health planning. Negative biases and attitudes led to exclusion of people with disabilities from vaccine prioritization, issues with accessibility at vaccination sites and websites, and inequitable allocation of resources through crisis standards of care. Better engagement
and inclusion of disability voices in pandemic response could have identified these issues and pointed to more equitable solutions.
It has never been more important for public health leaders to better understand the disability community and quickly build skills to better serve them. So, it is critical to both include more people living with disabilities in the public health workforce and help the current workforce focus through a DEI lens.
Current public health education does not systematically teach disability inclusion to leaders. Yet, well-rounded public health leaders must be familiar with how to include a disability perspective. Experts detail several core competencies to accomplish this goal, as identified in Including People with Disabilities – Public Health Workforce Competencies. These Competencies align with the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) and Council for Education for Public Health (CEPH) learning domains, service standards in public health departments, and the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals.
In addition to the core competencies, there are five key ways to support including people who have disabilities in public health efforts:
• Exemplify facilitative leadership where humble leaders recognize what they may not know and seek input from people who have a disability. This sets the expectation that the process is inclusive from the beginning.
• Take advantage of timing and resources since no one has time or money to waste, especially in public health. Fit disability inclusion efforts into good windows for partners and provide information on aims for your work in advance. Know partner groups in the disability community and actively network with partner groups in the disability community. This will help identify when the timing is right to work together.
• Foster systematic reflection by creating a quiet space to think in a way that works for you. This could be as simple as going outside for a walk, journaling, or something more rigorous like following an action learning or a PDSA cycle. Systematic reflection on disability inclusion encourages individual and collective thinking to take place within a limited amount of time.
• Use all available resources since public health practitioners are often in the position of figuring out how to get everything done within constrained resources. What supports from within the disability community can you access? What partners are already doing work related to your goals? Thinking of support more globally will help to be aware of all the resources available and support efforts to include people with disabilities.
• Demonstrate a personal commitment to disability inclusion to model the way for other public health practitioners who want to support positive change. Alignment with personal commitment and interest contributes to successful outcomes in serving the whole community.
People with disabilities can offer both lived experience and rich public health expertise to the public health workforce. Historical barriers and negative interactions with the healthcare and public health systems may prevent people with disabilities from searching and applying for public health positions. We must first acknowledge these past harms, then intentionally work to address their impact.
Creating a more disability inclusive work environment can encourage people with disabilities to enter the public health workforce. A key strategy is to offer accommodations in keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Accommodations for disabilities reduce barriers for people with disabilities to perform a job. This can be as simple as allowing someone to work from home or adjusting a product or software package.
Accessible communication also demonstrates inclusion in a workplace. Some examples of accessible communication include using websites that meet accessibility standards, using accessible tools, and providing captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation for meetings. If a workplace demonstrates disability inclusion, it may encourage people with disabilities to apply.
Demonstrating that there are opportunities for achievement and advancement will attract people with disabilities into the workforce. Students with disabilities may not be aware of or encouraged to consider careers in public health. Students who have a disability often experience exclusion due to discriminatory low expectations. Creating a pipeline for people with disabilities to enter public health leadership roles can also promote representation in the workforce. When people with disabilities are in leadership roles with disabilities in leadership roles, organizations and health agencies can better identify barriers for people with disabilities to enter the workforce and create strategies to overcome those barriers. Public health leaders can build a recruitment base by connecting with student disability groups to provide education about public health careers.
Inclusion of people with disabilities is a system-wide improvement that the public health field is poised to make. “Nothing about us without us” is a familiar call to action for the disability rights movement. No one understands the needs of the disability community better than the disability community themselves. When people with disabilities are included in the development of policies and practices as fellow public health professionals, they can bring an insider perspective to better serve communities and promote equity and accessibility for all.
• Morehouse College Class of 2024
• Institute for Nonprofit Practice Core Certificate Program fellow
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Distinguished Service Award (2020 and 2021)
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Emergency Preparedness & Response Social Justice Advocate Award (2019)
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Anti-Oppression Resource and Training Alliance “Continuum on Becoming a Transformative Anti-Oppression Organization.”
Why do you recommend it?
I recommend this guide from the AntiOppression Resource and Training Alliance because it provides key insights into being able to identify current state structures, policies, practices, and cultures within organizations that uphold structural oppression and white supremacy. It also lays a foundation for the desired outcomes and end state for what racial equity and social justice-centered transformation within organizations can and should look like.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
"A single bracelet does not jingle." —Congolese Proverb
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
As a leader, I believe in being an example of collaboration in action. What I mean is that, no matter what, I strive to be the kind of leader who actively seeks out the thoughts, experiences, and expertise of others to ensure that what I say about my social justice is in integrity with my actions, and to be crystal clear about the need for cooperative action in the work of advancing social justice in any field or framing. I strive to be the best at bringing people together for the collective good and inspiring others to leverage whatever capacity they have, as they can bring and offer it, to do the same. Social justice work of any kind requires this, especially if we seek to identify, engage, and address upstream and downstream intersectional inequities in the health of communities around the globe. Through this leadership ideology, I believe that the teams I lead and/or am often a part of are more fervently steeped in the vision of the work we take on and impassioned about carrying it forward.
If you had a magic wand, and could change one thing in public health, what would that be and why?
If I had a magic wand, most certainly I would address the lack of institutional power that public health entities—and the field as a whole—often have in enacting change for the good of communities. Too often, politics and political agendas are at the forefront of critical and lifesaving decision-making when we should be dependent on the expertise of people who are in active pursuit of continued study, education, and understanding of public health subjects and science. We have seen, during the COVID-19 pandemic, how devastating the effects of politics can be on effective messaging and communication, engagement, program efficacy and outcomes, and community collectivity and resilience. An unwillingness to set aside political pride and ego, which occurred not only between different political parties but within them, created significant dis- and mistrust of the science that we had to rely on to support (read: save) humanity. Was (and, really, is) public health study, policy, and practice perfect? No. However, it is a field that purposes to serve and empower healthy outcomes in communities, and when coupled with anti-racist ideals and anti-oppressive thinking and practices, there is truly no greater force for good.
With my wand, public health would have the funding needed to continuously advance the field, the political power and support to redress and enact policy and promote cross-structural change within government, and the trust equity needed within communities to both hold the field accountable and partner with it to achieve equity-centered goals.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
One of my favorite quotes continues to be, “It is direction, not intention, that gets you to your destination.”
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
My vision of public health in 2032 is that we would be able to keep up with the pace of the private sector. When it comes to real time public health, I am not sure it exists. We are often behind with data, resources, technology, infrastructure, financing, and more. Over the next ten years, public health (as a system) should accelerate its efforts and maximize private-public partnerships so it can move more nimbly and help more people. Our bandwidth is currently so thin, and we are losing momentum and our workforce to the private sector.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
As a leader, I try to lead with transparency. Our modern-day saint, Mother Teresa, once said that “honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.” And that is exactly what I am, honest. I have learned firsthand that, while it may seem oxymoronic to be vulnerable as a leader, it makes me more relatable and empathetic. People appreciate transparency because it invites them to be open with me while at the same time cultivating trust, idea generation, and accountability. When communicating with my team, I am transparent about my challenges as well as my wins. When communicating with partners, I am transparent about my perspective and position on various public health issues. My approach is to not only be tactful but also true to who I am and how I would like to show up as a leader. A famous fashion designer said it best: “There is no beauty without truth, and there is no truth without transparency.” And so, yes, I believe beauty and brains will take you far, but as a leader, truth and transparency takes you further.
• Master of Science in Public Health, Meharry Medical College
• Master of Public Administration, Texas Southern University
• Bureau of Maternal and Child Health director, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
• Executive/leadership coach
• Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
2020 MCH Emerging Professional Award
• Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
Board director at large
• CityMatCH Board region IV representative
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Monday Morning Leadership: 8 Mentoring Sessions You Can’t Afford to Miss by David Cottrell and the podcast “Coaching Real Leaders with Muriel Wilkins.”
Why do you recommend it?
Both the book and podcast are practical tools that offer jewels that can be applied to everyday leadership and/ or management. I love reading and listening to content that is easy to chew on and share with others. I shared Monday Morning Leadership with all my managers, and they love it. They reference it often when they hit challenging situations, and they have really found it to be helpful when learning to grow their teams and others. For the podcast, I recommend it because it is real. I can relate to every leader that finds themself on the show, and I walk away from the podcast building my coaching tank and my personal tank with questions to unpack for myself.
and
• Director of Public Health Services at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, Northern Mariana Islands
• HRSA Maternal & Child Health Bureau 2020 Director’s Award
• Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
2019 Emerging MCH Professional Award
• Pacific Islands Health Officer Association associate member
• Master of Science in counseling
• Bachelor of Art in social science
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown.
Why do you recommend it?
Dare to Lead focuses on the fundamentals of relationship and trust building, such as empathy and vulnerability, and has helped to inspire me integrate these factors into interactions with those I work with. I think that these concepts could easily be forgotten as individuals climb further into leadership or executive roles. Competing priorities and larger responsibilities have the potential to overshadow the need to have real, and sometimes tough, conversations with those you work with.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” —Ruth Bader Ginsburg
What is your vision for public health in 2032?
My vision for public health in 2032 is for more pacific islander representation in the field of public health and in key leadership positions that contribute to overall public health infrastructure across communities. Pacific islanders bring diverse historical and cultural experiences into these spaces and have the potential to further the efforts being made in addressing health disparities and issues in health equity across our nation. My vision includes pacific islanders having increased participation and leading decisions about the development of programs that are going to be extended or implemented in pacific island communities or populations.
My vision also includes increased research activities, especially those in public health, about pacific islander communities that are conducted by pacific islanders. It is my hope that we see increasing numbers of pacific islanders involved in and leading the development of published, peer-reviewed journal articles that are used to generate and support the development of culturally relevant and responsive public health programs or interventions.
What is one thing that you do as a leader to inspire others?
One thing that I do as a leader to inspire others is express empathy. When we work to understand and share in an individual’s feelings, we demonstrate that we value them over measures like output, profit, or other quantitative indicators used by organizations. Practicing empathy also inspires others to be empathetic and in turn contributes to the overall culture and satisfaction that individuals experience in their work environments and in the actual work that they are involved in.
Thinking back to early days in my professional life, I would say that the leaders who were the most influential to my leadership style and my career progression were supervisors and managers who were empathetic, great listeners, and who consistently demonstrated that they prioritized my personal well- being. These were leaders who understood that my personal well-being was a huge factor in my performance. Empathy is a critical component for cultivating leaders. When we show individuals that we care about them, they are inspired to do more, to do better, and in turn to inspire others to do the same.
WHAT IS ONE WORD THAT YOU WOULD USE TO DESCRIBE DELPH? INNOVATIVE.
What is a leadership quote that really resonates with you?
“Whatever you choose to do, leave tracks. That means don’t do it just for yourself. You will want to leave the world a little better for your having lived.”
—Ruth Bader GinsburgWhat is your vision for public health in 2032?
Envisioning public health in 2032 to actualize and operationalize health equity. Health equity has been the public health buzzword over the past few years, yet we are still working on a shared understanding of what health equity means. Hopefully by 2032, health equity will truly be centered in public health approaches. Health inequities are rooted in systems that were often intentionally designed to oppress different populations and create power imbalances. Promoting health equity will require a deliberate and sustained effort to address social and structural determinants of health, such as racism, discrimination, and economic oppression. Systemic issues demand systemic solutions.
Operationalizing health equity also needs power players to drive meaningful change. In 2032, public health will ideally shift dynamics of power to elevate communities and individuals with lived experience. Public health must create collaborative spaces for authentic partnerships that respect community expertise.
It is only with intentional systems change and authentic partnership that public health can make progress toward health equity where all individuals have a fair and just opportunity to be healthy and thrive.
As a leader, acknowledging and appreciating the value of others is essential. I hope to inspire others to contribute, collaborate, and engage by highlighting the value that they offer. Every person brings their own identity, experience, skillset, and expertise. Each person's contribution is unique, and collective success is dependent on blending those unique contributions. I aim to be a leader who amplifies the value of others, builds opportunity for people to share their strengths, and supports growth—individually and together.
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Providence College • Master of Public Health, Boston University
What is a leadership development book, podcast, video or other resource you would recommend to a colleague?
Harvard Business Review’s podcast “HBR IdeaCast.”
Why do you recommend it?
The Harvard Business Review HBR IdeaCast podcast invites diverse speakers to discuss broad topics ranging from finding joy to improving productivity. It explores innovative ideas that have changed approaches to management and leadership. The podcast often shares examples from a business or corporate lens, yet the principles impacting organizations and systems are very relevant to public health and
Like any skill, it takes time and practice to achieve expertise. Leadership is no different. Simon Sinek says, “Leadership requires two things: a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate it.” When it comes to public health, leadership is multi-faceted, and the skills of vision and communication are essential. ASTHO’s Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health (DELPH) program seeks to improve on these two fundamental skills as part of our leadership development program.
We invited two DELPH scholars from cohort one—Jill Miller and Alexis Charpentier—to reflect on their completion of the 10-month program and discuss how learning about one’s own leadership style is critical for success. Both scholars have advanced in their jobs since completing the program and are great examples of why you should invest time into studying and improving your own leadership practice.
How would you describe your own leadership style?
ALEXIS CHARPENTIER: I view myself is like a conductor who is leading an orchestra. In ensuring an organization’s vision comes to fruition, everyone has a part to play (members of the orchestra), and a true leader (conductor) can navigate these differences and guide everyone to come together in achieving the organization’s vision (achieving harmony). The leader must overcome obstacles and differences in rallying others to create a shared vision. Creating a shared vision will allow others to unite and rally together. I’ve discovered that to get others to buy into the organization’s vision, you must first build and maintain collaborative relationships. This is done by actively listening.
What would you say has had the most significant impact on your leadership journey thus far?
JILL MILLER: My personal and professional relationships! In my relationships with my supervisors, colleagues, and mentors, I have learned a great deal about leading groups. I have also gained new perspectives to consider and practices to employ. I place a high value on the needs and hopes of members of my community and the communities that I serve. I believe community engagement opportunities are also key to my leadership journey. My relationships have informed my leadership path and vision: to bolster my strengths and shed light on areas for growth.
How have the skills you learned in DELPH applied to your professional and personal life?
MILLER: Prior to my experience in the DELPH program, I knew the power of policy and systems change, but I was unfamiliar with the processes involved. While going through the program, I learned what was required in creating policy, including researching and writing policy briefs and providing recommendations to stakeholders. This is an important skill to have as a public health leader and administrator, but I also feel more informed as a citizen and an advocate for myself and others in my community. I would also add that the program’s requirement for us to read “The Political Determinants of Health” by Dr. Daniel Dawes laid the foundation for me to better understand the role of policy in all our lives. I highly recommend this reading for anyone in public health leadership.
CHARPENTIER: My political skills have vastly improved due to the DELPH program. The policy brief assignment taught me how to successfully write an evidence-based brief tailored for politicians making upstream decisions that affect national public health problems. We learned directly from political advisors and public health leaders who use these skills daily to advance public health initiatives rooted in health equity.
How has the DELPH program helped you in your career?
MILLER: During the program, an opportunity for a leadership position became available in my health department. I initially felt uncertain about my readiness for this level of leadership, but I was empowered and encouraged by my DELPH network and others who have invested in my leadership journey, so I applied. I now have the honor of serving as the interim deputy director within the Family Health Services Division for Alameda County, CA. As a result of completing the DELPH program, I see my future leadership path filled with opportunities for advocacy and the promotion of leadership development in others.
CHARPENTIER: In the short term, DELPH has already helped me advance my career. I was recently hired as the director of prevention with the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. The invaluable skills I learned and networks I built through DELPH equipped me with the tools to be successful in addressing health inequities by dismantling structural barriers and to lead others to follow a shared vision where quality care is accessible to anyone regardless of their ability to pay, where they come from, or how they identify. In the long term, I will continue to utilize these skills to help me improve as a leader, collaborator, and public health warrior whose vision is to live in a world where quality care is given to everyone, especially those from underserved communities.
What are some actionable steps you believe public health institutions should take to ensure diverse leadership within health departments?
MILLER: Four steps come to mind:
• Fund public health leadership development programs for underrepresented communities.
• Require and support the ongoing professional development of public health employees.
• Build and maintain partnerships with educational institutions and community-based organizations to build pipelines to public health service careers.
• Encourage non-MPH professionals to join the field; a multidisciplinary workforce meets more of the needs of the community being served.
CHARPENTIER: All public health institutions should prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) centered around health equity. Furthermore, leadership and board positions should reflect the DEI being prioritized in these institutions. It’s important to ensure diversity among key leadership positions because we need representation from all communities that receive services from their respective institutions.
What is a lesson or takeaway you have learned from your DELPH peers?
MILLER: There were many gems, but one stands out: network, network, network, even when you feel apprehensive, or are uncertain of your next professional move. Networking is about making connections, and it’s also an opportunity to gain clarity around what you want to accomplish and where you want to be in your current or future career.
CHARPENTIER: Summing up one lesson or takeaway I’ve learned from just one of my DELPH peers is difficult. All my fellow DELPH colleagues have encouraged me to always believe in myself and never doubt my passion and vision for helping others. It was nice to be in the same room with other public health warriors who shared the same passions and experienced the same barriers as I did. I loved hearing how they overcame obstacles to implement their public health visions. Thank you to all my DELPH peers for sharing your dreams and allowing me to be a part of your leadership journey to achieve your goals.
"DELPH has strengthened my confidence in speaking in a setting of professionals. DELPH has helped me realize how vital my voice is in any setting."
Scholars of Cohort #2
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Stop by our booth to learn how our cloud-based Verato Universal Identity™ platform provides you accurate data for a single 360-degree view of identity across disparate systems.
The DELPH cohort and our DELPH team want to extend a special thanks to our amazing guest speakers that made this experience possible for Cohort #2.
With their contributions to the program, our scholars learned so much from their leadership, direction, and subject matter expertise.
• Nicole Alexander-Scott; Senior Executive Consultant, ASTHO; and Former Rhode Island Health Director
• James Bell III; State Assistant Administrator, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
• Natalie Burke; President & CEO, CommonHealth ACTION
• Keith Coleman; Director, Crisis Communications, ASTHO
• Mekeila Cook; Senior Director, Health Equity and Diversity Initiatives, ASTHO
• Daniel Dawes; Senior Vice President, Global Health & Executive Director, Institute of Global Health Equity, Meharry Medical College
• Joanne Dias; Senior Faculty, Center for Creative Leadership
• Christian Dorsey; Senior Trainer and Coach, KNP Communications; elected member to Arlington County Executive Board, Arlington, VA
• Abigail Dunne-Moses; Global DEI Initiatives, Center for Creative Leadership
• Jeffery Ekoma; Senior Director, Government Affairs, ASTHO
• Adrienne (Annie) Evans; Director of Preparedness and Disability Integration, ASTHO
• Mike Fraser; Chief Executive Officer of ASTHO
• LaTricia “LT” Frederick; Director of People and Communities, Cisco
• Adriana Griffen; Disability Inclusion Ally
• George Houston; Senior Faculty, Societal Impact, Center for Creative Leadership
• Ruth Johnson; Undersecretary, Louisiana Department of Health
• Christy Jones; Senior Director of Leadership Development, ASTHO
• Shondell Jones; Owner, Kinetic Physical Therapy and Wellness & Monday Solutions Group
• Jose Montero; Director, Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support, CDC
• Montrece Ransom; Director, National Coordinating Center for Public Health Training
• Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge; Senior Vice President of Health Equity and Diversity Initiatives, ASTHO
SHLI Health Equity Tracker
Political Determinants of Health – Jessica’s Story
End the Epidemic: HIV Equity in Georgia and Louisiana – Project Introduction
The Allegory of the Orchard – The Political Determinants of Health by Daniel E. Dawes\
The Allegory of the Orchard – Part II – The Political Determinants of Health by Daniel E. Dawes
The Economic Burden of Mental Health Inequities in the United States Report
Embedding Equity into 988: National Scorecard Quarterly Report
What are Political Determinants of Health & Do They Differ from SDOH?:
Normalizing Atonement: Implications for Public Health Policy, Practice, Education, and Training by Christopher J. King (February 28, 2023)
An American Public Health Physician in Honduras by Kimberlee Wyche Etheridge (February 27, 2023)
Ohio Includes Stakeholders of All Abilities in Public Health Planning by Bobbi Krabill, Ann Ramer (February 24, 2023)
Overcoming Baked-In Inequities and Promoting Health Equity in the Island Areas by Julia Von Alexander, Alex Wheatley, Neyling Fajardo, Kelsey Donnellan (February 22, 2023)
Elevating Community Voices Through Health Equity Leadership by Kimberlee Wyche Etheridge (December 29, 2022)
Cultivating Gen Z as Partners for Healthier Communities by Brandi Hight Bank, Emily Dore, Nick O’Toole (December 5, 2022)
Four Things Public Health Leaders Can Do to Improve Crisis Communications by Keith Coleman (November 18, 2022)
Building a Culture of Belonging Through Leadership (October 7, 2022)
Diversity in Public Health Leadership Has Never Been More Important (March 22, 2022)
USA Today: Equity lens for COVID-19 shots critical amid holidays and omicron concern, experts say by Nada Hassanein (December 3, 2021)
The New York Times: As Biden Pushes for Racial Equity in Vaccination, Data Is Lagging by Sheryl Gay Stolberg (March 3, 2021)
Politico: Urgency to ramp up vaccination clashes with Biden’s equity focus by Joanne Kenen, Brianna Ehley (February 22, 2021)
The Week: Biden promised COVID-19 vaccine equity. There isn't enough data to know if that's happening by Kathryn Krawczyk (February 10, 2021)
Measuring Health Equity for Planning and Performance Improvement by Heidi Westermann, Melissa Lewis (February 22, 2023)
Better Defining Disability Will Make Data More Inclusive and Usable by Margaret Nilz (February 13, 2023)
Bridging the Digital Divide in Healthcare to Improve Access to Care (July 2021)
The Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) aims to be the leading transformational force for health equity in policy, leadership development, and research. Rooted in the legacy of our founder, the 16th U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, SHLI’s mission is to create systemic change at the intersection of policy and equity by focusing on three priority areas: the political determinants of health, health system transformation, and mental and behavioral health. In conjunction with key strategic partners, SHLI enhances leadership among diverse learners, conducts forward-thinking research on the drivers of health inequities, and advances evidence-based policies; all in an effort to contribute to the achievement of health equity for all population groups.
The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting the work of state and territorial public health officials and furthering the development and excellence of public health policy nationwide.
ASTHO's membership is comprised of 59 chief health officials from each of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., five U.S. territories, and three freely associated states. ASTHO also supports peer communities of state and territorial health leaders and senior executives in health departments who work with more than 100,000 public health professionals employed at state and territorial public health agencies.
• Develop strong and effective public health leaders.
• Improve public health through capacity building, technical assistance, and thought leadership.
• Advocate for resources and policies that improve the public’s health and well-being.
In all our endeavors, we aim to promote the advancement of equity and optimal health for all.
We empower individual and collective initiative, innovation, and ingenuity within our organization, and among members and stakeholders, to advance health equity and organizational excellence.
We demonstrate appreciation for the abilities, expertise and diverse perspectives of our colleagues, partners, and members.
We expect one another to be honest, trustworthy, kind, and reliable and we keep our commitments to our colleagues and to our members and partners.
To support, equip, and advocate for state and territorial health officials in their work of advancing the public’s health and well-being.
Through our policies as an organization and behaviors as individuals, we strive to foster a sense of belonging among every individual and practice respect for and understanding of all cultures, identities, perspectives, beliefs, and abilities.
We promote equal partnership, inclusion, and information-sharing among staff, members, funders, and external stakeholders to achieve strategic priorities and goals.
Our practices are forward-thinking, thoughtful, timely and relevant, anticipating the needs of staff, members, and other stakeholders to provide necessary insights and support.
The DELPH team is pleased to have brought this second cohort to fruition. We are so proud of cohort #2 and all of their accomplishments to date, and those still to come.
The DELPH project was truly a team effort and was comprised of staff from ASTHO and MSM-SHLI:
The DELPH Team would like to thank the staff and professionals that made this magazine possible.
THE ASTHO COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
Dylan Reynolds, Senior Editor, ASTHO
Jonathan Wolfe, Senior Director, Communications and Content, ASTHO
Jane Esworthy, Senior Director, Public Relations, ASTHO
Keith Coleman, Director, Crisis Communications, ASTHO
Elise Moore, Communications Specialist, ASTHO
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Editor-in-Chief: Kyle Gasaway
Photography: Timothy Bowser, Timothy Bowser Multimedia, LLC
Magazine Layout: Jasmine Coward, Jas-Creates Graphics and Web
Webpage and Digital Support: Heidi Satter, Director, Web Services, ASTHO
CHRISTY JONES Senior Director, Leadership Development
MEKEILA COOK Senior Director, Health Equity and Diversity Initiatives
AVIA MASON Vice President, Leadership and Learning
KIMBERLEE WYCHE ETHERIDGE Senior Vice President, Health Equity and Diversity Initiatives
AMBER WILLAMS Senior Vice President, Leadership and Organizational Performance
MICHAEL FRASER Chief Executive Officer, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
JILLIAN BRIDGES Program Coordinator
ALLYSON BELTON Director, Education & Training
KYLE GASAWAY Manager, Leadership and Learning Communications
ADRIANNA EVANS Director, Preparedness and Disability Integration
LATOYA SAHADEO Director, The Diverse Executives Leading in Public Health program
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