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WEBINARS

In tandem with publishing national reports, CommuniVax produces webinars to share the latest information and best practice guidance stemming from our work.
Past Events
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The High Human Stakes of Ongoing Support for the Community Health Workforce
November 17, 2022
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Community-based workforces and organizations who share in the worldviews, practical struggles, and cultural pride of the racial and ethnic communities they serve have been key to advancing health equity in the United States. They have also been indispensable in closing the gaps in health and human services for the populations whom the pandemic has hurt in uneven numbers and intensity. They have, for instance, worked diligently to overcome material and attitudinal barriers to COVID-19 vaccination coverage within local Black and Hispanic/Latino communities.

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We heard from local community leaders and their CommuniHealth research partners about:

  • How this human-centered, community health infrastructure continues to exercise unmatched skills during the pandemic response, 

  • What further advances in health and wellbeing can be had if these local champions receive sustained support going forward, and

  • Why walking away from a still fragile community health sector and declaring “mission accomplished” could cause health disparities to resurge and hard-won trust to fade.

 

Also, panelists addressed the types of resources needed to achieve community health sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. 

 

Speakers included:

  • Terrie Branch, Wellness Warrior, Perfect Styles Salon, Newport News, Virginia

  • Noe Crespo, PhD, Associate Professor of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, San Diego State University School of Public Health

  • Michelee Lamb, Wellness Warrior, Hairport Barber and Beauty Studio of Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Maria Lemus, Executive Director, Visión y Compromiso

  • Rachel R. Pinuelas-Morineau, Community Engagement Director at SBCS, and Co-Chair of San Diego County Promotores Coalition

  • Dorothy Reynolds, Wellness Warrior, Impressive Styles B&B and Elite Cutz Barbershop, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

  • Stephen B. Thomas, PhD, Professor, Health Policy and Management and Director, Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland School of Public Health; Developer, Health Advocates In-Reach and Research (HAIR).

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Sustainability for the Community Health System: Takeaways for 2022
February 10, 2022
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Community-and faith-based workforces and organizations have long proven critical to overcoming racial and ethnic disparities in health – and most recently, in support of COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts across the U.S. These workforces and organizations are the foundation of effective, human-centered community health systems – systems with financial, operational, and programmatic infrastructures led by community members – and are key to advancing health equity and strengthening trust in science-based institutions throughout the nation. Hosted by the CommuniVax Coalition and the Vaccine Equity Cooperative, this webinar demonstrated how building socially valued and sustainably resourced community health systems help advance national health equity.

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During this 60-minute webinar, experts highlighted: 

  • Best practices and lessons learned from the COVID-19 responses in three communities in California, Maryland, and Illinois

  • The important role hyper local community workforces and organizations play in building a community-health system that will help achieve health equity

  • The types of resources needed to achieve community health sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

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Moderator: 

  • Sasha White, PhD, CommuniVax Expert Working Group Member and VEC Advisory Committee Member 

 

Speakers: 

  • Stephen Thomas, PhD, CommuniVax Local Team Co-PI and Professor of Health Policy and Management & Director of the Maryland Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland School of Public Health 

  • Ysabel Duron, CommuniVax Expert Working Group Member and President & Executive Director, The Latino Cancer Institute 

  • Devonta Boston, Founder and CEO of TGI Movement, Chicagoland Vaccine Partnership

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Carrying Equity in COVID-19 Vaccination Forward: Guidance Informed by Communities of Color
July 15, 2021

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This webinar outlines a new strategy for the COVID-19 vaccination campaign informed by rapid research conducted with Black and Hispanic/Latino communities across the United States. Public health and government leaders will hear specific guidance on how to adapt COVID-19 vaccination efforts to achieve greater vaccine coverage in underserved populations, and through this, to develop sustainable, locally appropriate mechanisms to advance equity in health.

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Moderators: 

  • Emily K. Brunson, PhD, MPH, Principal Investigator, CommuniVax
    Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Anthropology, Texas State University

  • Monica Schoch-Spana, PhD, Principal Investigator, CommuniVax
    Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

 

Speakers: 

  • Elizabeth Cartwright, RN, PhD, Professor of Anthropology, Idaho State University and Co-Founder ofCrescendos Alliance

  • Arrietta Chakos, MPA, Principal, Urban Resilience Strategies

  • Noe Crespo, PhD, Associate Professor of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, San Diego State University

  • Richard Krieg, PhD, Visiting Professor of Political Science, Texas State University, Editor, Journal of Critical Infrastructure Policy

  • Tene Hamilton Franklin, MS, Vice President of Health Equity & Stakeholder Engagement at Health Leads

  • Stephanie M. McClure, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Alabama

  • Walter A. Orenstein, MD, Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, Global Health, and Epidemiology, Emory University

  • Andrew Plunk, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Outreach and Partnership, Eastern Virginia Medical School

  • Daniela Rodriguez, DrPH, Associate Scientist of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

  • Stephen B. Thomas, PhD, Professor of Health Policy and Management and Director of the Maryland Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland

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Community Experiences with CommuniVax: Carrying Equity in COVID-19 Vaccination Forward in Local Areas
September 15, 2021
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This webinar considers the impact of research and outreach in 4 local areas, which together represent a mix of Black and Hispanic/Latino communities in rural to urban areas. Local leaders and public health officials hear about these communities and what they have done – and are doing – to address the challenges they are facing related to COVID-19 vaccination and equity.

 

Panelists also discuss what is needed in their communities to implement the CommuniVax recommendations relating to rebuilding and strengthening the public health infrastructure and community health.

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Moderator: 

  • Beth Weaver, MS, Senior Mediator, RESOLVE 

 

Speakers: 

  • George Askew, MD, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Health, Human Services & Education, Prince Georges County, Maryland

  • Maggie A. Mann, District Director, Southeastern Idaho Public Health

  • Jennifer Bransford-Koons, Director, Office of Equitable Communities,County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency

  • Llevelyn Rhone, MBA President Hale County Chamber of Commerce, Hale County, Alabama

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Working with Faith-based and Community-based Organizations for a More Equitable COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign
May 20, 2021
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This webinar considers how faith- and community-based organizations can help make COVID-19 vaccination more equitable, and through this strengthen the communities in which they are rooted. Panelists showcase unique, effective initiatives and activities that are ongoing in different areas across the United States fo that other communities can learn from their experiences and achieve their own versions of success.

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Moderator: 

  • Ray Bonilla, Jr., Member, CommuniVax Expert Working Group; Executive Director, Resiliency & Recovery Services, Kaiser Permanente 

 

Speakers: 

  • Candice Allen, MSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Rio Grande Hospital & Clinics

  • Tasnuva Khan, Pharm.D., Director of Faith & Vaccines for RESOLVE

  • Jon Jacobo, Health Committee Chair, Latino Task Force

  • Yvette Radford, Vice President, External and Community Affairs, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

  • William Kellibrew, IV, MSW, Director, Youth and Trauma Services, Baltimore City Health Department 

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Community-Centric Public Health Practice: COVID-19 Vaccination and Beyond
April 20, 2021
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This webinar examines the steps health departments can take to achieve health equity. Taking a social determinants of health lens, the conversation addresses equitable and optimal levels of health outcomes for all, starting with COVID-19 vaccination. Speakers discuss real-world examples, best practices, ways forward for health departments pursuing health equity and how to build recovered, resilient communities.

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Moderators:

  • Richard Krieg, PhD, Visiting Professor of Political Science, Texas State University

  • Tener Goodwin Veenema, PhD, MPH, Contributing Scholar,
    Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

 

Speakers:

  • Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, Director, Rhode Island Department of Health

  • Annet Arakelian, PharmD, FCSHP, CPHQ, PAHM, Executive Director,
    Strategic Programs, Kaiser Permanente

  • John Auerbach, MBA, President & CEO, Trust for America’s Health

  • Rachael Banks, MPA, Director, Public Health, Oregon Health Authority

  • Arrietta Chakos, MPA, Principal, Urban Resilience Strategies

  • Brian Frank, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine,

  • Oregeon Health and Science University

  • Sophia Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP,
    President, American Association of Nurse Practitioners

  • Deanna Wathington, MD, MPH, FAAFP, Executive Board Vice Chair,
    American Public Health Association

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Equity in Vaccination A Plan to Work with Communities of Color Toward COVID-19 Recovery and Beyond
March 18, 2021
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This webinar outlines a new plan released by CommuniVax: Equity in Vaccination: A Plan to Work with Communities of Color Toward COVID-19 Recovery and Beyond. It provides elected and appointed officials the tools to create, implement, and support a vaccination campaign that works with BIPOC communities to remedy COVID-19 impacts, prevent even more health burdens, lay the foundation for unbiased healthcare delivery, and enable broader social change and durable community-level opportunities. 

 

Moderator: 

  • Emily K. Brunson, PhD, MPH, Co-PI, CommuniVax & Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, Texas State University

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Speakers: 

  • Monica Schoch-Spana, PhD, Co-PI, CommuniVax & Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

  • Lois Privor-Dumm, IMBA, Senior Advisor, Policy Advocacy & Communications, Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Center

  • Stephen B. Thomas, PhD, Professor & Director, Maryland Center for Health Equity, University of Maryland School of Public Health

  • Ysabel Duron, BA, President, The Latino Cancer Institute

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