Uncertainty means that there is an opportunity for change. Be prepared, keep learning, be open to new experiences. What we do in public health is

important–science and evidence are the basis of sound decisions that create safer and healthier communities. And in the words of Maya Angelou–

“Every storm runs out of rain.”

For me, exercise is an important way to keep up with many demands both in the office and at home. Now as an empty nester I am able to do more “spur of the moment” travel and that has been a fun way to recharge. Sometimes just having a change in environment can help spur ideas.

Over the past 16 years I have been an instructor on a national Evidence Based Public Health training team. We train state level public health practitioners on how to use an evidence based public health approach to positively impact the health of their population. We have had the opportunity to work with state and local practitioners and this year had the additional opportunity to train in Puerto Rico and Innsbruck, Austria. Working with colleagues around the world and right in our backyard makes me proud to be in public health and to share the science of applied epidemiology with other practitioners

Right now I’m very excited about work that I’m doing around civic health. Trying to engage public health practitioners (especially) at the local level into civic engagement activities and how they can improve the health of communities. I am really excited that we have made this a major initiative at IPHA as well.

Being able to touch base with my kids and hear about what they have done, what they are excited about, etc.

My Epi GOAT is Dr. Ross Brownson. Ross is a Professor of Epidemiology at the Washington University at St Louis School of Public Health (a brand new school that just opened this fall). He has been a mentor of mine for the past 25 years. In addition to being a highly accomplished scholar and public health leader, he is one of the most generous mentors and decent human beings that I have ever known.

Pumpkin donuts. I don’t mean to be flip but right now I’m trying to focus on small bits of happiness and fall, cooler weather, colorful trees, and pumpkin donuts are what I’m thankful for today.

As an epi student way back, our training was so siloed. Today while it may still seem siloed there is much more interdisciplinary collaboration and training, and this leads to better science and practice. Public health professionals of the future need solid communication/advocacy skills and have to lean into equity. It is not enough to have the right answers/solutions if we can’t persuade others to embrace them. It is also not enough to have the right answers/solutions if only some people have access. Sometimes improvement comes from taking things away/simplifying instead of building something new.

Right now I’m reading “The Phantom Plague” by Vidya Krishnan. It chronicles the origin story of tuberculosis and it’s spread and persistence around the world. In addition to it being a great epi read, it brings me back to my early training as a microbiologist and the history of communicable disease and the science that brought us to today. The work of Semmelweis, Pasteur, Koch, etc. It reminds me that change often happens incrementally (which can be frustrating) but over time change does happen.