Description
The American Journal of Public Health hosted a virtual State of the Public Health Union address on the theme of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all policies, including prevention, reproductive rights, environmental justice, and occupational safety and health.
Guest speakers elaborated on some of their expectations for public health workers and policymakers in the coming years to protect and improve our nation’s health.
Speakers
Adam Kader
Adam Kader served as Arise Chicago's worker center director for 14 years before becoming public policy director in 2021. He is proud of his Palestinian roots and his union member parents who instilled an enduring commitment to social and economic justice that he has carried throughout his work.
Allison Berry
Allison Berry serves as the public health officer for both Clallam and Jefferson counties. Dr. Berry has been Clallam County’s public health officer since 2018, and she was appointed by the Jefferson County Board of Health in 2021. Dr. Berry was trained in biostatistics and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University.
Osprey Orielle Lake
Osprey O. Lake is the founder and executive director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) International, working nationally and internationally with grassroots and frontline women leaders, policymakers, and diverse coalitions to build women's leadership, climate justice, resilient communities, and a just transition to a decentralized, democratized clean energy future.
Michael E. Bird
Michael E. Bird is a Santo-Domingo/KEWA Pueblo Indian from New Mexico. Mr. Bird has more than 30 years of public health experience with Native American populations in the areas of medical social work, substance abuse prevention, health promotion and disease prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention, behavioral health, and healthcare administration.
Thomas A. LaVeist
Thomas A. LaVeist is dean and Weatherhead Presidential Chair at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He focuses mainly on the development of policy and interventions to address race disparities in the health field.