The COVID-19 pandemic took a significant toll on an already strained public health system in the United States, pushing many front-line workers to leave the field or retire. AmeriCorps—a federal agency that provides opportunities for national service—is looking to rebuild our public health workforce with Public Health AmeriCorps. Amid National Public Health Week, we talk with Public Health AmeriCorps Director AJ Pearlman on Empathy Affect to learn about the state of public health amid the pandemic, opportunities with Public Health AmeriCorps, and the rewarding nature of national service. 

AJ Pearlman joins AmeriCorps from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where she served as the chief of staff for COVID-19 response, leading efforts across the department to address and respond to the pandemic.

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Our communities’ resilience has been tested amid exacerbated natural disasters and extreme weather from climate change. As we face a reality shaped by climate change, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is playing its own role in helping the country develop and rebuild in more resilient ways. In this episode of Fors Marsh Media’s Empathy Affect, we untangle some of the challenges around climate resilience, community development, and affordable housing, as well available resources to build a resilient community with our guest Marion Mollegen McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at HUD.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is known for being one of the government's top funders of federal research grants to institutions of higher learning to advance progress in the fields of fundamental science and engineering. Now, the agency is looking to bring greater accessibility to its grants and help diversify the research pipeline. NSF Office of Integrative Activities Head Dr. Alicia Knoedler joins us to talk about how she’s bringing her history in research development to her current work at NSF elevating underrepresented research institutions across the country. 

A new year marks a moment to set new goals, and for many, that means embracing recovery from substance use and mental health conditions. At the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Office of Recovery provides resources and strategies to elevate the importance of recovery. Many of the office's leaders are in recovery themselves, allowing personal experiences and growth to inform their work. In this episode, we learn how national policies and efforts around recovery are moving forward and get to know SAMHSA's Dona Dmitrovic, a woman in long-term recovery who has dedicated her career to helping others heal.

Today, we continue our last episode's discussion around federal efforts to understand and combat food insecurity. We discuss policies and programs that provide nutrition assistance with Dr. Sara Bleich, U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity. We'll talk about updates in nutrition assistance programs aimed at providing more equitable aid and the important role education and community engagement play in feeding America.

Food insecurity is a deeply cross-cutting challenge to take on, so we’re bringing you a two-part episode examining the science of nutrition insecurity and policies looking to address it. In part 1, we talk with Dr. Alison Brown, a program director at NHLBI, about health risks of food insecurity like chronic disease, and how researchers are helping us understand the correlation between access to healthy foods and long-term health. 

Alison Brown, MS, PhD, RDN is a public health nutrition researcher committed to addressing diet-related health disparities through research, community empowerment, and systems change. Dr. Brown’s past research explored immigrant health and diet and cardiovascular disease outcomes. Currently, she serves as a Program Director at the National Heart Lung Blood Institute where her work centers on the social determinants of health and nutrition health disparities. 

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Our first episode of Empathy Affect takes a big-picture look at the future of public health from the federal level with Admiral Rachel Levine, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Health. Community, climate action, and health equity all play crucial roles, and we'll learn how HHS is integrating them into its policies and action.

Join us as we explore the human side of government. On Empathy Affect, we'll get to know the real people in government who serve us—their missions, the people they serve, and the true impact of their work. Each episode will uncover insights into how our government impacts the human experience and how empathy drives action. 

We believe in the Empathy Affect.