Description
The 2025 State of the Public Health Union (SOTPHU) is an annual virtual event organized by the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH), providing a critical platform for diverse voices to assess and reflect on the current state of public health both nationally and globally. This event serves as a unique opportunity to highlight public health achievements, address ongoing challenges, and discuss strategies to strengthen public health systems in the face of evolving political and social dynamics in 2025.
Modeled after the U.S. State of the Union address, SOTPHU underscores AJPH’s commitment to advancing democracy in public health by fostering inclusive discussions that amplify the voices of communities most impacted by public health policies.
Cost
- Free for APHA members
- $10 for non-members
Register
Speakers
Mily Trevino-Sauceda
Mily Treviño-Sauceda, Executive Director and Co-founder of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, has dedicated over 40 years to farmworker and women health and labor issues. She co-founded pioneering organizations like “Mujeres Mexicanas” (1988) and Líderes Campesinas (1992), advocating for campesinas locally, nationally, and internationally, and fostering collective empowerment among farmworker women.
Dr. Rachel Levine
Admiral Rachel Levine, M.D. served as the 17th Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and led the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. She previously served as Secretary of Health and Physician General in Pennsylvania and professor at the Penn State College of Medicine.
Alister F. Martin
Dr. Alister Martin is an ER physician, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and Kennedy School, and former White House Fellow. He founded Vot-ER, mobilizing 50,000 healthcare providers for voter registration. As CEO of A Healthier Democracy, he organizes healthcare workers to build programs serving vulnerable patients.
Alfredo Morabia
Alfredo Morabia is a Swiss-American physician, epidemiologist, and medical historian. He is a professor at Queens College, CUNY, and Columbia University and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Public Health. His research includes epidemiology history and the long-term health of 9/11 first responders.
Bisola Ojikutu
Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, MD, MPH, is a nationally recognized physician leader, health equity researcher, and expert in infectious diseases. As Boston’s Public Health Commissioner since 2021, she oversees a $180M budget, advises the Mayor, and advances health equity. She also teaches at Harvard and provides care for patients with HIV.