Public Health Insight

When the world was in a health crisis, Dr. Seth Berkley didn’t just watch—he was at the centre of the storm. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we rewind to his early days and trace his path through global health’s toughest challenges.

References for Our Discussion

◼️Fair Doses: An Insider's Story of the Pandemic and the Global Fight for Vaccine Equity

◼️How children will be impacted by U.S. cuts to g...

How do we move from talking about health equity to making it a reality in public health practice? In this episode, we dive into the findings of the report ‘From Words to Action: Equipping the Public Health Workforce to Advance Health Equity.’

In this episode of Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Jamila Porter and Kay Schaffer share their insight on what it really takes to embed equity into the daily work of public health profes...

There’s a lot that we can learn from a nationally representative sample of public health workers from local and state health departments. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we dive into the nation’s largest public health workforce survey, the PH WINS, to uncover what’s really happening on the frontlines. Guests, Kay Schaffer and Jamila Porter, from the De Beaumont Foundation as they break down the data, reveal su...

What does it take to turn health equity from a talking point into real, lasting change? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Jamila Porter and Kay Schaffer of the de Beaumont Foundation—two leaders whose personal journeys and professional missions collide at the intersection of justice, data, and community. The central question of this series explores the hard questions about whether public health is truly equi...

In the chaos of a global pandemic, clarity and trust became as vital as any vaccine. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Tista Ghosh reveals the untold stories behind rural and urban divides, the confusion of shifting public health guidance, and the fragile foundation of trust that shapes our collective response. This conversation cuts through the noise to spotlight the real challenges and urgent lessons that ...

We treated the world as if everyone was living the same pandemic. But what if that was our biggest mistake? Dr. Tista Ghosh takes us inside her new book, Before The Next Crisis, sharing untold stories from the frontlines—stories that challenge what we thought we knew about COVID-19. This episode dives deep into the chaos, confusion, and courage that defined the crisis, and asks: how do we rebuild trust in science, and what should w...

From family stories of freedom fighters to the chaos of COVID-19, Dr. Tista Ghosh’s journey is anything but ordinary. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, she opens up about growing up between cultures, navigating political minefields as Colorado’s Chief Medical Officer, and what she learned listening to frontline workers, which she captures in her new book, Before The Next Crisis.

References for Our Discu...

Child trafficking isn’t just a distant headline—it’s a reality in many communities. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we break down misconceptions, highlight the importance of prevention education, and discuss the policy changes making a difference. Erin Williamson shares hard-won lessons from the field and paints a hopeful vision for the future.

Trigger Warning: 

This episode includes discussion of child tra...

What if we did a rethink of child trafficking—beyond criminology—and started seeing it as a public health issue, shaped by poverty, trauma, and the systems around us? 

In this episode, we’re joined by Erin Williamson, Chief Programs and Strategy Officer at Love146, who brings two decades of experience working to keep kids safe from exploitation, as we dig into the real reasons kids become vulnerable and why true prevention means mor...

How do you help vulnerable kids not just survive, but thrive? Erin Williamson’s journey in social work and anti-trafficking reveals what it takes to build programs that truly change lives. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Erin shares the pivotal moments, tough decisions, and practical strategies that she’s used in her career to leave a lasting impact.

References for Our Discussion

◼️Love146 - Ending Chi...

Vaccines have saved millions of lives, but questions and doubts persist. We dig into the roots of vaccine hesitancy, the history of immunization, and the challenges of making informed choices in a world full of information (and misinformation). In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we talk with Dr. Christopher Stobart about why vaccine skepticism isn’t new, how risk and trust shape our decisions, and what it really ...

What’s lurking inside in the environment, inside of us, and what’s waiting to emerge? Virologist Dr. Christopher Stobart joins the Public Health Insight Podcast to explore the vast universe of viruses—how they infect, adapt, and sometimes leap from animals to humans. We break down the science behind how they spread, the resurgence of diseases like measles, and what could be the next big threat.

References for Our Discussio...

Step into the invisible world of viruses, academia, and health research with Dr. Christopher Stobart, Associate Professor and virologist at Butler University. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Stobart shares his journey from aspiring heart surgeon to leading virologist, revealing how curiosity and unexpected opportunities shaped his path.

References for Our Discussion

◼️ How the anti-vaccine movement weap...

What if we could vaccinate minds against misinformation before people encounter it? Dr. Stephen Barnard reveals the breakthrough science of "prebunking" - psychological inoculation that builds our resistance to manipulation tactics. Explore why traditional fact-checking fails and how rebuilding trust through relationships might be our most powerful defense against the post-truth era.

References for Our Discussion

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What's the difference between an honest mistake and a deliberate lie? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Stephen Barnard breaks down the spectrum of problematic information and the psychological vulnerabilities that make us susceptible to false information—from echo chambers and political identity to our eroding trust in institutions. 

This conversation episode examines how misinformation spreads accident...

While Twitter was still seen as a platform for users to provide seemingly trivial updates, sociology graduate student Stephen Barnard began a decade-long deep dive into how the platform was reshaping journalism and democracy itself. This episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast explores Dr. Barnard's unexpected path into pioneering digital media research and his reflections on citizen journalism during the Ferguson protest...

In the thrilling conclusion to our mini‑series with Dr. Don Weiss, we crack open three of New York City’s most chilling public health case files. From the anthrax bioterrorism attacks that rattled a nation to a toddler’s X‑ray that revealed a murderous heavy‑metal plot, to a bacterial “serial killer” hiding in plain sight. All these stories from Dr. Weiss' new book illuminates the fascinating world of epidemiology.

Re...

What does it take to track down an outbreak in one of the world’s busiest cities? Dr. Don Weiss reveals his step-by-step playbook for disease surveillance and investigation in New York City—a global crossroads where public health threats can escalate fast.

From rapid detection to pinpointing sources, discover how Dr. Weiss and his team used science, strategy, and detective work to protect millions in a city where every second counts...

A curious 8-year-old with a love for chemistry grows up to investigate some of America's most dangerous disease outbreaks—then risks his entire career to speak truth to power.

Dr. Don Weiss spent more than two decades as an epidemiologist, investigating everything from post-9/11 anthrax letters to lead poisoning outbreaks. But one of his biggest challenges would come later in his career, when he decided to become a whistleblowe...