WSPHA Member Profiles

What does public health mean to you?

I think Public Health is the confluence of healthy environments, availability of health choices, and healthy people supported by health-promoting policies. For me, this means addressing health disparities and focusing on preventive health in part by developing strong relationships with partners who provide health information to the public.

What excites you about public health and the work you do?

In this position, I spend a lot of time meeting with people who provide public health service, education or research for their communities in the Pacific Northwest. It is inspiring to hear about successes in projects that have been funded in part by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, carried out by our network member libraries, hospitals, schools, and community partners. One project in Fairbanks, carried out by a regional hospital, trained selected Faith Community Nurses and members of their health ministry teams to utilize free National Library of Medicine resources to help community members with limited internet or computer literacy find quality online consumer health information. Sharing in these successes and hearing stories of the immediate impact of outreach is incredibly exciting.

What has been your most rewarding public health achievement of your career?

During the past year, I was part of a team based at the University of Washington Health Sciences Library that developed a mobile application to support the information needs of first responder community during disaster events (Response and Recovery App in Washington, rrain.org, PI Tania Bardyn). While conducting training and outreach for the app and resources around WA state, I heard a lot of positive feedback about the resources in the app and value of having consolidated resources for WA state disaster issues. Particularly for smaller EOCs and for new professionals, introductions to and instruction in chemical and radiation resources like WISER, REMM and CHEMM sparked interest and stories of usefulness time and again. Because this project was through an award with the National Library of Medicine’s Disaster Health Information Outreach Center, we got to collaborate directly with people who had a broad national perspective. Locally, HEALWA (Health Evidence Resource for Washington State), the State Department of Health and other area hospitals and libraries, helped us identify the right people to be in our focus group and to receive training. It was a truly cooperative (and fun) project.

What have been your greatest challenges working in public health?

It’s probably everyone’s challenge: the funding. I’ve connected with researchers who are so incredibly passionate about their work, yet whose departments or institutions lack the resources to support their research.

If you could wave your “public health magic wand”, what would you wish for?

First, that published health research information is open and freely available. Second, that proper toilets and handwashing facilities are available to everyone in the world.

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?

I enjoy playing outside. I run, play defense in co-rec soccer, snow ski, and hike and am preparing to climb Mt. Rainier next summer. This year I plan to try Tango, too.

 What does public health mean to you?

Public health, to me, refers to the supporting and protecting of the population as a whole through appropriate interventions. Vaccines, educational programs, policy changes, disease control, and family health are but a few of the things that public health encompasses. This is especially important to those in lower socioeconomic areas, children, and the elderly. I believe we have moral obligation to protecting these vulnerable populations and should always be the first to be considered when considering short-term and long-term public health plans.

What excites you about public health and the work you do?

I am excited about public health because of the large lasting implications a policy change, educational program, or regulatory controls can have on a population. While these larger systemic changes can yield great results, I also believe in working on the front lines. My time in the emergency department as a scribe has taught me that the work of those in the trenches is crucial. Implementation and buy-in by those with direct patient contact will make or break an initiative.

If you could wave your “public health magic wand”, what would you wish for?

I would wish for the easy accessibility of family health and preventative services for all people and with that, health education. From my experience in the emergency department and as a public school teacher, I have noticed a common theme of unfamiliarity with one’s health and knowledge of available services. This has resulted in the lack of healthy lifestyles and a general belief that health services are only used when one is acutely sick. This lack of knowledge can have long-term consequences as we can see in the rise of obesity and non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and diabetes and other issues such as early teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Education, awareness, and prevention are key to public health and although much progress has been made, there is still much more room for improvement.

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?

I enjoy meeting and getting to know new people and catching up with old friends. Whether it is through sports and the outdoors or over a meal at the new restaurant, I like to hear and learn about another person’s story. I also enjoy power lifting and reading in my spare time.

What does public health mean to you?

It means helping all people live a healthier life. It means using strategies and activities that make healthy choices so easy that people don’t even know the difference. It means creating a world where every single person has an opportunity to make a healthier choice. It means being equitable and fair so that we all benefit from each others’ health.

What excites you about public health and the work you do?

My work is behind the scenes helping the public health worker with "boots on the ground" work. Being able to support program level staff and subject matter experts to do a better job, reach the right audience and ultimately see behavior change is really rewarding.

What has been your most rewarding public health achievement of your career?

It’s not mine but rather that of the country – the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act. I was at a national conference in DC the day that the Supreme Court ruling was announced. It was absolutely incredible to see the emotion and pure joy in the room. There has been so much focus on the insurance side of the Act and in reality, there is so much more to it. The population health work is just beginning and when we, as a country, begin to see its depth, there will be more appreciation.

I managed the Breast and Cervical cancer screening program in North Dakota for several years. Personally, it was so heart-warming to hear from women who had their first positive experience with a government program. They would tell stories about getting their first mammogram at age 56 because they’ve never had insurance that included that benefit; or have had abnormal Pap tests in the past and had no insurance so did not go for screening; or they got to see the birth of a grandchild because this program helped them pay for treatment that their insurance would not touch. That’s rewarding and an achievement!

What have been your greatest challenges working in public health?

The greatest challenge is seeing state and local governments not funding public health work appropriately. It’s probably because we do work that is not always visible – it’s behind the scenes. This has caused over-reliance on federal funding which leads to funding that ends and programs that end.

If you could wave your “public health magic wand”, what would you wish for?

I would wish for the ongoing tussle between public health and health care to go away. We need to work together, respect each others’ functions and trust one another so that we can move forward. Of course, there’s that "bottom line" issue that always stands in the way.

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?

I’m pretty domestic. I like being in the kitchen – cooking good old-fashioned stuff. And I really love baking. I’ve been known to bake birthday goodies for my staff and peers at DOH. I also like scrapbooking – I have many years worth of photos that need a home in a scrapbook. Container gardening with a few vegetables each year keeps me in touch with Mother Earth. And finally, I really love spending time – just "hanging" with my grown children. 

What does public health mean to you?

Public health means promoting and protecting the health of our communities and populations. Public health fosters the conditions that make it possible for all individuals, families, communities and populations to function at the highest level possible. In order to have healthy communities and populations, we must have a healthy environment, equitable access to quality health care, economic opportunities, and a strong education system. Assessment, assurance, and policy development based on assessment data and science are critical elements of public health. While most public health interventions are population-level activities, some population health services are necessary at the individual, family and group level to promote public health.

What excites you about public health and the work you do?

As a university faculty member, I have the opportunity to work with interdisciplinary community partners as I mentor students in the practice of community and public health. UW Tacoma is an urban serving university that rewards faculty for providing students with real-life learning experiences. Currently, I am a core partner with Pierce County’s Community Health Improvement Plan and able to engage in public health practice as well as provide experiences for students to learn about collaboration and population health. Similarly, I have been able to partner with the Perinatal Collaborative of Pierce County and link students with the important work being done locally to improve the health of vulnerable women and children.

I have also been thrilled to teach environmental health and health policy to undergraduate and graduate students over my 30 years as an educator. When students begin to see a "bigger picture" and understand the role of social determinants of health or how the physical environment can influence health, they get excited about advocating for change. Helping students learn to be confident in their ability to be policy advocates is very gratifying.

What has been your most rewarding public health achievement of your career?

Working in partnership with local and statewide agencies to promote health has been a highlight of my career. In Pierce County, our Puget Sound Asthma Coalition has grown from a just a few individuals and organizations to a more organized partnership that includes major healthcare systems and has several research projects ongoing. I have been able to conduct and disseminate community-based research about the benefits of home visits by asthma outreach workers. Collectively, members of our asthma partnership are also advocates for healthy housing, asthma outreach worker reimbursement, the use of evidence-based guidelines in clinical care, better coordination with school nurses and childcare, and improved indoor and outdoor air quality. Because of that work, I was appointed to serve on Pierce County’s Clean Air Task Force and help craft a plan to reduce wood smoke in Pierce County. As one of the few health professionals and only registered nurse on that Task Force, I was pleased to serve.

In addition, I have greatly enjoyed my role as an educator in public health workforce development by providing opportunities for students to learn about public health principles and public health careers. It is a great privilege to work with first generation college students and an increasingly diverse population of registered nurses who are completing their BSN or graduate degrees and to help them achieve their personal goals. It has been tremendously rewarding to follow graduates who have a vision of health equity and have gone on to become elected officials, pursue academic positions in nursing or public health, or be change agents in their communities. I am inspired by their work. For example, one of my graduates created a free chronic disease clinic to serve low income people. Others are leading healthcare organizations.

What have been your greatest challenges working in public health?

Changes in nursing education and practice that have resulted in fewer nurses being prepared in community and public health have been challenging. With decreased funding in public health there has been a loss of the public health nursing workforce. Yet evidence-based programs such as the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP) have the potential to improve short term as well as long term outcomes such as the reduction of child abuse and neglect. The NFP can potentially minimize the effects of adverse childhood experiences that can lead to poor health outcomes in adulthood. In order for students to pursue careers in public health, they need exposure to public health nurse role models.

If you could wave your “public health magic wand”, what would you wish for?

Like most public health professionals, I wish for increased funding for public health. I would love to see new models of community/population nursing practice that go beyond what we have today. For example, nurses with advanced education in community/public health might be responsible for the health of communities and populations by serving geopolitical areas and partnering with faith communities, community centers, housing developments, employers, healthcare systems, and schools to promote and protect health. Expanding health policies that address chronic disease prevention and embraces upstream approaches to health promotion are critical to achieving health equity. In order to do that, it is important to expose the future work force to public health principles.

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?

My favorite activities are those I can engage in outdoors. I like to bike, hike/walk, garden, cross country ski, and snow shoe. I also enjoy reading (especially historical novels), cooking healthy meals for family and friends, and traveling. I have been known to take my family to public health-related historical sites including Lillian Wald’s Henry Street Settlement in New York City and the Nightingale Museum in London.

What does public health mean to you?

Public health is about relationships, not only our relationships with partners, but being the connector between others. This role has been crucial as many local health jurisdictions around Washington are playing significant and leadership roles with Community of Health development. I’m very proud how WSALPHO members have responded to the challenge of healthcare reform in our state and are working with their communities to achieve the triple aim.

What excites you about public health and the work you do?

I love taking risks. A former supervisor once told me that if I wasn’t getting into trouble, I wasn’t doing my job. That to me is public health, pushing the envelope of identifying problems causing poor health and advocating for solutions. Sometimes these problems and solutions can make people feel uncomfortable or go against historical practices, but if it’s not delivering the desired outcome why keep doing it? It excites me to work in innovative and nimble environments where we deliver the product or outcome that makes a real difference. At the Grant County Health District I have worked in such an environment. GCHD has effective and edgy leaders at all levels of the agency and Board. I am blessed to have worked with such admirable professionals.

What has been your most rewarding public health achievement of your career?

My most rewarding achievement has been that I have public health as my career. As a pre-optometry student at CWU that was quickly losing interest in four additional years of school post baccalaureate, my friends in the cafeteria suggested I go into waste management as my apartment was always a mess. I began taking every class with the word “environment” in it until I stumbled upon Environmental Health taught by Gordon Kelly. That class, followed by an internship with John Wolpers at Kittitas County, and a temporary position at Public Health – Seattle & King County with Gary Irvine, Larry Kirchner, Tony Gomez and so many others led to this career. Twenty plus years later I count myself lucky that I got it right on the first try. I love public health, it’s never boring, it’s always rewarding, and I get to see the results of our hard work in my own community every day.

What have been your greatest challenges working in public health?

I have just wrapped up my tenure as President and Board Chair of WSALPHO I would say it has been one of my greatest challenges and one of my greatest joys. Being part of WSALPHO leadership through the bylaw rewrite and implementation, health care reform and the Innovation Plan, and ongoing funding and policy conundrums has kept me busy in this “second job.” However, I have found great satisfaction working with amazing colleagues at the state and local levels. Our Board of Directors is a dedicated and participatory group who provides great leadership to our public health system. We are also exceptionally fortunate to have Brad Banks as our Managing Director. His ability to adroitly maneuver us through the politically charged environments that public health seems to find itself, is crucial to our ongoing success.

If you could wave your “public health magic wand”, what would you wish for?

While eliminating poverty and disease would be wonderful, I’ll wave my wand for something more pragmatic. Local public health officials in Washington spend much of their time away from promoting health and preventing disease. Rather they are near full time fund raisers searching for money to operate their agencies and maintain the public’s health. They go from grant cycle to grant cycle, have uncertainty with each Legislative session, and are subject to the availability of local funds. I am grateful for the work of the Foundational Public Health Services Technical and Policy workgroups. They have illustrated the gaps and needs to fully fund the most necessary functions of our state wide system. With my magic wand I wish for sustainable dollars to fund that gap, about $100 million per year.

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?

Spending time with family is my favorite activity. My amazing wife of 11 years, Emily, and I have three children, Harrison (6), Marjorie (4), and Ruby 11 months). This past year we decided to experiment with our own version of micro-living so we moved into a 623 square foot home in Moses Lake. To move from a house four times as big, and then add a newborn to the dynamic has been challenging, but it has brought us closer as a family and positively rearranged our domestic priorities. We have new appreciation of stuff; how much do we really need and what can we live without. However, two things I cannot live without is my love of anything Star Wars and fantasy baseball. As we prepare for our move to the Everett area, we are excited for what adventures await us.