PHEC 443: Grief As A Public Health Issue, With Laura Vargas, MSW

What if the people already doing public health just don't know it yet? In this energizing conversation, Dr. Huntley sits down with Keisha Long and Jessica Seel of the South Carolina Public Health Association to explore why public health is far broader and more personal than most people think. From environmental health to behavioral health coalitions, their journeys reveal a powerful truth: if you brushed your teeth or flushed a toilet today, you've already experienced public health in action. At a time of politicization and workforce challenges, this episode is a timely reminder that plain language, cross-sector collaboration, and bold leadership, highlighted in the vision for the upcoming conference featuring leaders like Dr. Nandi Marshall, are exactly what the field needs. If you've ever questioned where you fit in public health, this conversation will remind you: you belong. Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

"I don't feel seen when I'm here." When a Native Hawaiian elder says this during a diabetes appointment, it exposes what data alone can never capture. In this episode, Kandis Draw, Nina Lopez, and Dr. Augustina Mensa-Kwao challenge the textbook version of public health. From end-of-life planning in Chicago to community-led research in Hawai'i and youth mental health in Baltimore, they show what happens when we stop leading with programs and start leading with listening. This conversation is about trust before interventions, dignity alongside outcomes, and recognizing that communities have always practiced public health even when systems failed to acknowledge it. If you're ready to rethink what public health really looks like, this episode is for you.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

What if we've been getting peanut allergies wrong all along? For years, parents were told to avoid peanuts. Schools banned them. Fear shaped policy. What if one of the most common childhood allergies could actually be prevented, with the right timing? In this powerful episode, Markita Lewis, registered dietitian and leader at the National Peanut Board, reveals the surprising science behind early peanut introduction and why most families still haven't heard the message. Despite strong evidence that introducing peanuts around four to six months can dramatically reduce allergy risk, the gap between research and real-world practice remains wide. We also unpack a controversial question: Do peanut bans in schools actually make kids safer, or do they create a false sense of security? This episode challenges long-held assumptions, connects agriculture to public health innovation, and may completely change how you think about prevention. If you work in public health, pediatrics, policy or you simply care about evidence-based prevention, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

What if the very systems designed to protect maternal health are actually silencing the voices that matter most? Neshé Conley discovered this truth through her own traumatic birthing experiences and transformed her pain into a groundbreaking approach to public health data collection that's changing how we understand and address Black maternal health.   Resources ▶️ Website https://PublicHealthEntrepreneurs.com ▶️ Stay connected. Subscribe to our email list

What if grief isn't just personal, but a public health crisis hiding in plain sight? In this episode, Laura Vargas makes a powerful case for treating grief as a core public health priority. Drawing from her work supporting thousands of people navigating loss, especially substance-related deaths, she reveals how unaddressed grief fuels chronic disease complications, substance use, isolation, and burnout among both communities and care providers. Rather than pathologizing loss, Laura highlights the transformative power of culturally grounded peer support and community-designed spaces that help people feel seen, heard, and supported. This conversation challenges how we think about prevention, healing, and resilience and asks what becomes possible when we move grief out of silence and into community.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

In this powerful episode, cancer epidemiologist Dr. Robin Taylor Wilson unpacks the troubling rise of early-onset cancers and why ignoring symptoms can come at a devastating cost. The conversation goes far beyond individual risk, touching on the public's right to access science, what years of PFAS research are revealing about everyday chemical exposures, and why cutting cancer surveillance funding now would be a dangerous mistake. From student activism and misinformation to surprising data on trust in scientists, this episode is a timely reminder of what's at stake when science, policy, and public health collide.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Podcast Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting  

Why is it still so hard to answer the simple question: "What is public health?" In this timely episode, Dr. Huntley is joined by two voices from different generations of the field to unpack why public health remains misunderstood and why that confusion has real consequences as budgets shrink and systems are dismantled. Emily Edgar, an MPH student in epidemiology, and Dr. Nicole D. Vick, a seasoned public health strategist and workforce advocate, offer grounded, human-centered explanations of public health rooted in collaboration, community, and equity. From One Health examples connecting human, animal, and environmental wellbeing to honest conversations about burnout, bias, and historical harm, this episode moves beyond textbook definitions into language people can actually understand. This conversation is a masterclass in explaining public health through stories that resonate why it matters, who it serves, and what's at stake if we can't clearly articulate our value. If you've ever stumbled trying to explain your work to family, funders, or policymakers, this episode is for you. Resources   ▶️ Join the PHEC Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes   ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting  

When everything fell apart in just 30 days, Josie Williams didn't just survive, she began questioning the systems that were supposed to help. In this powerful episode, Josie shares how her lived experience with homelessness exposed the structural barriers baked into public health and social service systems, and how that experience now shapes her work helping organizations move from good intentions to real, equitable action. From rebuilding trust to rethinking community engagement and grant timelines, this conversation challenges what health equity actually requires. If you care about systems change rooted in lived experience, this is a must-listen.   Resources   ▶️ Join the PHEC Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting

In this episode, Dr. Huntley talks with Montrece McNeill Ransom, JD, MPH, about what it really means to lead in public health during a time of disruption and why this moment may be full of unexpected opportunities. From her path from law school to the CDC to her current work shaping the future public health workforce, Montrece shares powerful insights on belonging, leadership, and why law is one of public health's most underused tools. This conversation will challenge how you think about public health's past, present, and future and just might leave you feeling more hopeful (and fired up) about what comes next.   Resources ▶️ Join the PHEC Community ▶️ Visit the PHEC Podcast Show Notes ▶️ DrCHHuntley, Public Health & Epidemiology Consulting  

2025 was one of the hardest years of my life, professionally and personally. But one decision turned everything around. In this bonus episode, I'm sharing my Word of the Year for 2026 and why it became the strategy that saved my business when everything felt like it was falling apart. If you want to know what actually works when systems fail and how to position yourself for growth in uncertain times, this episode is for you.