PHEC 459: How to Tell Better Stories, With Sally Perkins, PhD

What if the most powerful tool in your public health toolkit isn't a dataset or a policy brief? What if it's a story? In this episode, Dr. Huntley sits down with Sally Perkins, PhD, a storytelling expert who has spent years teaching healthcare and public health professionals how to communicate in ways that actually move people to act. From persuading vaccine-hesitant patients to presenting population-level data to legislators, Dr. Perkins brings practical, field-tested frameworks to a challenge that nearly every public health professional faces: bridging the gap between what we know and what our audiences understand.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting  

It is one of the most important questions in the field right now, and one of the hardest to answer. Public health professionals know the work inside and out, but translating it for friends, neighbors, and policymakers? That is where many of us get stuck. In this episode, Dr. Huntley is joined by two leaders from Sisters in Public Health, a national organization advancing women in the public health field. Together, they explore one of the most pressing challenges of this moment: how do we explain public health in plain language, and why does it matter so much right now? The conversation is grounded, practical, and genuinely energizing. Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

What does it take to lead one of the largest local health departments in the country when funding is disappearing, misinformation is spreading, and measles outbreaks are making headlines? In this episode, Dr. Huntley sits down with Dr. Claude A. Jacob, Public Health Director of the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, for a candid, energizing conversation about resilience, cross-sector collaboration, and what it truly means to protect 2.1 million residents in the middle of a storm. Dr. Jacob and Dr. Huntley both share a deep commitment to communicating the value of public health in ways that resonate with everyday people. From understanding how zip codes shape life expectancy to explaining why kids need to be vaccinated, both agree that telling the public health story more effectively is one of the field's most urgent priorities right now.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting    

What happens when you stop chasing the terminology and commit fully to the work itself? In this episode of the PHEC Podcast, Dr. Huntley welcomes back Vanessa Guzman, biomedical engineer, CEO and president of SmartRise Health, and co-founder of Ella Es Health, for a candid catch-up conversation nearly two and a half years in the making. This is not a surface-level update. It is a rich, honest conversation about what it takes to build health-centered organizations that can withstand political shifts, funding uncertainty, and a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting  

What does it take to break your silence in the middle of a public health crisis? For Dr. Elizabeth Soda, the answer came on an ordinary August afternoon when a gunman opened fire on CDC headquarters. She had left the campus just 30 minutes before the shooting began. That moment, she says, changed everything. In this episode, Dr. Huntley sits down with Elizabeth Soda, MD, an infectious disease physician and former CDC epidemiologist who resigned from the agency in September 2025 after more than a decade of landmark public health work. Elizabeth speaks openly about what life inside CDC felt like and how dramatically that changed, the personal and professional reckoning that led to her resignation, and how she is channeling grief, anger, and passion into advocacy on a global stage.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

Episode 454 is unlike anything we've done before and you won't want to miss it. For the first time in PHEC Podcast history, Dr. Huntley took the mic on the road, setting up a live recording booth at a South Carolina public health conference and asking one powerful question: What is public health? What happened next was unexpected. People lined up to answer. From students and researchers to government leaders and community advocates, professionals from across South Carolina stepped up to share their stories, perspectives, and real-world examples of what public health truly means. The result is an inspiring, high-energy episode filled with authentic voices from the field. This episode is more than a conversation, it's a reminder of why public health matters and why learning to explain it in plain language is one of the most powerful tools we have. If you've ever struggled to answer the question, "So… what exactly do you do?"—this episode is for you.     Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes    ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting  

In this episode of Public Health Epidemiology Conversations, Dr. Huntley sits down with Susan Polan, PhD, Associate Executive Director for Public Affairs and Advocacy at the American Public Health Association, for an inside look at what it means to fight for public health in today's political climate. From managing six simultaneous lawsuits, a historic moment for APHA, to navigating federal policy battles and protecting critical public health funding, Dr. Polan shares the realities of advocacy at the national level. She also discusses the growing need for public health professionals to step beyond research and into policy conversations that shape real-world outcomes. The conversation highlights APHA's Policy Action Institute, a training experience designed to help public health professionals translate science into messages that resonate with lawmakers and communities alike. Most importantly, Dr. Polan offers a powerful reminder: your voice matters more than you think. Every call, email, and conversation with policymakers counts and public health professionals have the expertise needed to influence the decisions that impact communities every day. If you've ever wondered how policy change really happens, and where you fit into the process, this episode offers both clarity and a call to action.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

In this powerful episode of Public Health Epidemiology Conversations, Dr. Huntley speaks with Chicago's first Black woman health commissioner, Dr. Olusimbo "Simbo" Ige, about tackling one of the nation's most alarming health disparities. When Black residents in Chicago were dying 15 years earlier than their neighbors, Dr. Ige stepped into leadership determined to change the trajectory. Drawing on decades of experience across Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa, and New York City, she shares how global public health lessons are shaping bold, community-centered strategies in Chicago today. From a 38% reduction in opioid deaths to early signs that the city's life expectancy gap is finally narrowing, Dr. Ige offers a candid look at what it takes to drive meaningful change in complex systems. She also speaks openly about the deeper barrier to progress. Not a lack of data, but a divide in values around who deserves public investment. Along the way, she and Dr. Huntley explore the importance of plain language, trusted community messengers, and storytelling as essential tools for effective public health leadership. This conversation is both inspiring and grounding for anyone committed to improving health equity.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

What happens when a lifelong storyteller turns her focus to artificial intelligence and public health communication? In this episode of Public Health Epidemiology Conversations, Dr. Huntley sits down with Dr. Kumba Sennaar, a health researcher, AI ethicist, and communication strategist whose work has been recognized by institutions like the National Academy of Medicine and the World Economic Forum. From early interests in health advocacy to leading HIV/AIDS policy work with the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Kumba shares how her journey through science, policy, and communication shaped her unique perspective on today's biggest challenges. The conversation explores why public health often struggles to tell its own story, how audience-centered communication can transform impact, and what it will take for the field to engage thoughtfully with artificial intelligence. If you've been unsure whether AI is a threat, a tool, or something in between, this episode offers a grounded and practical framework for thinking about privacy, trust, and the future of data in public health. Kumba also leaves listeners with a timely reminder for anyone feeling discouraged in the field: reconnect with your "why."   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting  

Episode 450 is a milestone, and Dr. Huntley marks it with an honest, reflective solo conversation about the power of community. After one of the most challenging years of her life, she shares the 10 principles that now guide her work, her consulting firm, and the growing PHEC Podcast Community, showing why community isn't just a buzzword, but a strategy for resilience, leadership, and lasting impact. She also reflects on a powerful moment moderating a panel at the South Carolina Public Health Association's annual meeting, where leaders from the Catawba Nation and Gullah Geechee Nation joined community voices in an authentic dialogue about public health.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting