I am honored to have worked alongside government agencies, private businesses and individuals committed to improving individual health, regardless of who they are and where they live. The examples below reflect a cross section of initiatives I have supported to help respond to both day-to-day health needs, long term health improvement opportunities and crises.
Helped CDC reach out to African American women to increase awareness of the five main types of gynecologic cancer: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, and vulvar. It encourages women to pay attention to their bodies, so they can recognize any warning signs and seek medical care.
CDC has called on hundreds of individuals representing thousands of researchers, professional associations, businesses, private citizens, tribal leaders, universities, and federal, state, and local health departments to help create the first united vision for research priorities, “The Health Protection Research Agenda.” I helped CDC reach out and engage diverse audiences to provide input into the “Agenda.” I also created messages that would help audiences understand the guide and how it could be used as a tool to help advance their objectives.
Supported CDC is developing strategies to help adolescents form healthy relationships in order to prevent dating abuse and violence.
Helped CDC develop training materials for the first of its kind standards related to mass fatality response operations and the required coordination of mortuary response teams, search and rescue teams, and supporting entities. They specifically targeted implementation of radiation safety protocols for workers, conducting screening and decontamination of decedents, and preparing decedents for handling, transport, and burial.
Helped CDC create the first of its kind guidelines for communication of teen-focused health programs. Seven approaches were used to ensure that principles and messages were built on an evidence-based foundation. For the first time, health communicators could rely on overarching psychosocial factors in teens, rather than on trends, allowing the principles to be relied on over time.
To help individuals who were victims of domestic violence, developed and implemented a plan to reach out to every licensed medical professional to enlist their participation and train each of their employees on how to engage individuals, and then help them based on their response.
The University of Washington School of Dentistry and Seattle Children’s joined forces to create a new early childhood oral health institution focused on combating the growing crisis of childhood dental disease. Provided research, naming, branding, comprehensive marketing, customer service and public relations support as well as establishing performance metrics for the new organization.
Lead is one of the oldest chemical toxins. Lead-based home remedies and lead-glazed pottery is prevalent among Washington’s Latino families. Develop a plan to eradicate lead poisoning Central Washington, the region most densely populated by Latinos.
Tooth decay is nearly 100 percent preventable, yet it remains the single-most common childhood disease nationwide. Helped the state create and implement a multifaceted outreach program involving hundreds of organizations. The program targeted the poorest of the poor in the state. 96,000 oral health kits were delivered to parents with dental visits increasing 7% by this segment of the population in just a few months.
Developed outreach to seniors and their families as part of the Virginia Department for the Aging and Rehabilitative Services “GrandDriver” Campaign.
Helped provide communication support among stakeholders related to the use of biosolids.
Children are at significant health risks from vehicle emissions. Created and implemented a program to reduce idle time at schools by parents, bus drivers and delivery people. Idle times were reduced by 60%.
Up to 75,000 children in Washington State did not have health insurance despite many families being eligible for coverage. In addition to creating the program brand, an 18-city bus tour was developed to increase awareness and applications.
Provided ongoing support to help the state reach out to highway drivers with information to reduce accidents and deaths.
Provided ongoing support to help increase and improve access to healthcare for those individuals enrolled in Washington Apple Health.
Provided support to increase health parity across the state for those with mental health issues. Also, created and implemented a program resulting in 12,000 young people enrolling in health insurance, representing 60% of those eligible.
Local agencies across the Puget Sound teamed up to educate and encourage residents to prepare for catastrophic events with a regional campaign, “What to do to Make it Through.” Created strategy and led team to develop outreach and partnerships with government agencies, media, and retailers to increase the number of families who built preparedness kits and followed the top three actions that will help them survive catastrophes.
Facilitated a series of stakeholder meetings regarding the potential creation of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for household hazardous wastes (HHW) in Oregon. Stakeholders included manufactures, trade associations, realtors, government agencies and elected officials, environmental organizations, and lawyers for each of those.
Helped strategy development, partnership development and program implementation for initiatives, including helping homeowners find healthier alternatives to wood burning fireplaces, increasing preferences for electric vehicles, increasing preference and demand for clean taxi services, encouraging use of electric lawn equipment over gas.