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June 2, 2026

Insights to Practice

A Conference to Inspire Public Health Communications

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Insights to Practice, PHCC’s annual virtual conference, returns for a half-day of free sessions focused on Inspiring Perspectives in Public Health. Hear from leading public health practitioners and professionals from across the country on the latest research and perspectives critical to advancing public health communications. Presenters and moderated panels will guide public health communicators through new insights and best practices you can apply to your public health communication strategies and day-to-day actions. 

Capacity is limited, so register early. Connect and learn with your public health peers to spark community and collaboration in the months and years ahead. 

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Opening Remarks

Amanda Kwong

Director, PHCC

Brandon Horvath

Assistant Program Manager, Philadelphia Department of Health

Keynote

Craig Spencer

Emergency Medicine Physician and Associate Professor of the Practice of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health

Resilience: A Practical Guide for Public Health Communicators

Stefanie Friedhoff, Harvard Global Health Institute, November 8, 2019,

Stefanie Friedhoff

Co-Founder and Co-Director, Information Futures Lab

Pierce Nelson

Chief Communications Officers, CDC Foundation

Public health communicators continue to work under immense pressure. Between polarized public discourse, online harassment, institutional uncertainty, and emotional fatigue, this work can take a toll. This presentation will elevate a newly created and recently released guide from the Information Futures Lab and the Public Health Communications Collaborative that offers practical, trauma-informed strategies to strengthen resilience at both the individual and organizational level. It draws from lessons learned in public health, journalism, and emergency response to help communicators sustain themselves and their teams while continuing to serve the public.

Soaring Demand, Declining Resources: Overcoming Funding Challenges to Meet Community Public Health Needs

Natalie S. Burke

President and CEO, CommonHealth ACTION

Rachel Baird

Program Officer, Episcopal Health Foundation

Victoria Umstattd Cope

Senior Strategist – Initiatives, Missouri Foundation for Health

Monica Valdes Lupi

Managing Director, Health, The Kresge Foundation

Over the past eighteen months, public health organizations across the United States have strained against substantial cuts to financial and human resources. The cuts have come amid rising challenges and demand for services associated with the realities of rising rates of measles, a persistent and widespread mental health crisis, and a deteriorating climate. With demand for services soaring and resources to meet the moment scarce, this session will share tips and best practices for how public health professionals can best communicate and advocate for the resources they need to advance public health in their communities.

Speaking Truth: Building Connections When Talking About Structural Racism and Health

Allyn Brooks-LaSure

Chief Communications Officer and Vice President, Communications, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Ekta Saksena

Senior Communication Specialist, FHI 360

Structural racism is not merely a backdrop — it is an active force that perpetuates inequity, limits opportunity, and undermines health. To confront these realities, in 2022, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released the original research-based messaging guide designed to support organizations working to dismantle systemic barriers to health and wellbeing. Now, through its updated 2025 guide and this presentation, you’ll learn evidence-based strategies to navigate the current complex landscape and spark the conversations that move people from awareness to engagement. It is not a solution in itself, but a tool to support courageous leadership and principled communication that brings people into the movement for change. Learn how to speak truthfully, consistently, and with conviction — knowing that language has the power to unify communities, illuminate shared values, and catalyze policy change. 

Exploring the Role of AI In Public Health Communications 

Brinleigh Murphy-Reuter

Founder and CEO, Science to People

Erika Gaitan

Director of Impact and Innovation, Health Resources in Action

Christa Hyson

Director, Emergency Preparedness, Hamilton County Public Health in Cincinnati, Ohio

Andrea Takash

Director of Strategic Communications and Policy Research, Trust for America’s Health

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way every field works, thinks, and communicates. Public health is poised to leverage AI for better communication and more effective strategies, while also communicating the potential health impacts of AI use. This session will cover AI today: the landscape, relevant tools, and how public health communicators can use it to increase trust with communities and build critical efficiencies. It will also be a first look at PHCC’s new AI tool, CommsCompanion, specifically for public health communicators coming out this summer. 

Insights to Practice 2025

Get ready for this year’s conference by revisiting the sessions and speakers who helped us kick off this annual point of connection and collaboration.