Past OCOH Events

September 1, 2023: Advancing Food Equity in North Texas: Community-Academic Partnership as a Multi-Sector Innovation Incubator

Affiliations: UT Southwestern Medical Center CTSA Program, UT Southwestern Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, CARE, Crossroads, HealthStreet

Town Hall Hosts, Presenters & Panelists

Benaye Wadkins Chambers MBA

Dr. Tammy Leonard PhDDr

Kelseanna Hollis-Hansen PhD, MPH

Dr. Jaclyn Albin MD, CCMS, DipABLM

Milette Siler MBA-HC, RD, LD, CCMS

August 31, 2023: Your Voice Matters: How Communities Shape Research Through Participation

Affiliations: University of Florida, HealthStreet

Town Hall Hosts, Presenters & Panelists

Dr. Catherine Striley PhD, MSW, MPE

Community Partners and HealthStreet Members

June 29, 2023: 7 Vaccines Adults Need: What You Need to Know to Stay Healthy

Affiliations: University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science, HealthStreet

Town Hall Hosts, Presenters & Panelists

Dr. Brooke Hudspeth CDES, PharmD

Dr. Coy A. Flowers FACOG, MD

June 21, 2023: Addressing Environmental Health in the Community

Affiliations: FSU College of Medicine, FSU College of Social Sciences & Public Policy, FDOH, HealthStreet, UF Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Town Hall Hosts, Presenters & Panelists

Chris DuClos MS, GISP, CPM

Dr. Tisha Holmes

Dr. Gregg Stanwood

Dr. Chris Uejio

April 25, 2023: Building Community Partnership to Support Harm Reduction and Infectious Disease Prevention

Affiliations: University of Minnesota Extension, University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy

Town Hall Hosts, Presenters & Panelists

Laura Palombi

Silvia Alvarez de Davila

Grant Anderson

Abby Gold

Mary Jo Katras

Community Partners

February 3, 2023: Perspectives on Youth Mental Health and Substance Use During the Pandemic and Beyond

Affiliations: University of Missouri school of medicine, MHA, COMC, HealthStreet

Town Hall Hosts, Presenters & Panelists

Dr. Kevin Everett, PhD, MU

Shawn Billings, MS, MHA

Kristi Atkins NP, COMC

Desiree Malam LPC, COMC

Jacquetha Decker COMC

Clayton Gregory

January 30, 2023: Medical Marijuana and Public Health

Affiliations: UF Department of Epidemiology Harvard medical school, Cincinnati college of medicine, FAMU medical marijuana and research initiative, HealthStreet

Town Hall Hosts, Presenters & Panelists

Irvin PeDro Cohen, ED, MBA

Dr. Robert L. Cook, MD, MPHDr

Bertha Madras PhDDr

LaTrice Montgomery PhD

Michelle Wilson MBA

December 14, 2022: Bronx COVID-19 Perspectives- What We have Seen? What Does It Mean?

Town Hall Hosts, Presenters & Panelists

Monique Guishard, PhD, Assoc. Professor of Psychology, Bronx Community College

Tiffany Dubon-Yard, Asst. Director, Student Life, Bronx Community College

Justin T. Brown, PhD, Bronx Community Research Review Board & Asst. Prof., LaGuardia Com. College

PANDEMIC Team, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Heather Archer-Dyer, MPH, Assistant Professor, Family & Social Medicine

Jackie Borrero, Community Health Worker

Dione Roman, Community Health Worker

Cara Stephenson-Hunter, PhD, Assistant Professor, Family & Social Medicine

Hal Strelnick, MD, Professor, Family & Social Medicine & Bronx Principal Investigator

COVID Cinical Experts, Montefiore Medical Center

Brenda “IJ” Anosike, MD, MPH, Asst. Professor, Infectious Diseases & Pediatrics

Seth Congdon, MD, Asst. Professor, Infectious Diseases & Internal Medicine (Long COVID)

Lucretia Jones, PhD, MPH, NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (Epidemiology)

Jaime Mogollon, MD, Asst. Professor, Infectious Diseases & Internal Medicine

November 9, 2022: U.S. Leadership in the Fight Against Malaria: A Case for Community Participation

Moderator:

Margaret McDonnell, Executive Director, United to Beat Malaria

Speakers:

Wendy Dimas, Senior Officer, Grassroots Advocacy, United to Beat Malaria

Bridget Dotson, Associate, New Member Outreach, United Nations Foundation
Renée Perez, A Grassroots Malaria Champion from Florida

October 26, 2022: The Financial Burden of Health Care

Speakers:

Frederick Ashby
Catherine Striley
Jeff Santerre
Gary LeGrow
Fred Southwick

October 11, 2022: Our Children’s Mental Health: COVID’s Deeper Impact

Speakers:

● UC Davis health

August 11, 2022: Prioritizing Rural Mental Health: Resources, Treatment, and Wellness Strategies

Speakers:

Adrian Cooksey, DrPh, MPH, Administrator, Florida Department of Health Gadsden
Amandla Shabaka-Haynes, MD, Program Manager, Center for Behavioral Health Integration, Department of Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine
Adam Baptiste, MD, Physician, Researcher, Center for Behavioral Health Integrations, Department of Behavioral Sciences & Social Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine
Rev. Vincent Alexius, SVD, Pastor, St. Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church
Amber Farrington, PhD, Licensed Psychologist, Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Consulting Center, Florida State University, Director, School Mental Health, Co-Director, Attention Disorder Clinic

July 28, 2022: Living with COVID-19: Reconnecting with our Community Experiencing Homelessness

Speakers:

Big Bend Continuum of Care
The Kearney Center
Connections Church
Florida State University Program
Leon County Sherriff’s Office
Going Places
Individuals who have lived experience of homelessness

July 15, 2022: Long COVID: It’s Not All in Your Head

Speakers:

Michael Jaffee, MD, FAAN, FANA, Vice Chair of UF Neurology & Director of the UF BRAIN Center
Christopher Robinson, DO, MS, Assistant Professor Of Neurology And Neurosurgery, Division Of Neurocritical Care; Neuroscience Course Director UF College Of Medicine; Program Director, Neurocritical Care Fellowship
Irene Estores, MD, Associate Professor, Residency Program Director, UF Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Gudrun Lange, PhD, Clinical Neuropsychologist (Private Practice) & Independent Research Consultant in NYC

June 30, 2022: Is the Pandemic Over? Put on the Full Armor of Knowledge in the Fight Against COVID-19

Speakers:

Lovoria B. Williams, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor, University of Kentucky, College of Nursing, National Baptist Convention USA, Inc, H.O.P.E. Ministry
LaTawnya D. Pleasant, MD, Pediatrician, University of Kentucky Healthcare
Jai Gilliam, MD, Internal Medicine & Pediatrician, Baptist Health
Kacy Allen-Bryant, MSN, MPH, RN, Past Chair, Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health

April 28, 2022: ¿Ya se acabó la pandemia? Que necesita saber de esta nueva fase

Speakers:

Janeth Ceballos Osorio, MD, FAAP, Associate Professior, University of Kentucky
Ruben Perez, MS, Program Coordinator for Bienestar
Herlina Martinez, Promotora de Salud, UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science

January 24, 2022: Telehealth Outcomes: Social Vulnerability and Chronic Conditions

Speakers:

Elizabeth Shenkman, PhD, Chair of the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, Co-Director of the University of Florida Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), Associate Director for Community Outreach and Engagement for the UF Health Cancer Center
François Modave, PhD, Professor, Department of Biostatics and Data Science, University of Texas
Tianyao Huo, MS, PhD student in the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida
Joshua Dorbu, MPH, Research Coordinator at OneFlorida Clinical Research
William “Troy” Donahoo, MD, FTOS, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Florida

December 16, 2021: A New Phase of COVID-19: Booster Shots, Vaccines for Children, and COVID-19 Variants

Speakers:

Linda Cottler, PhD, MPH, FACE, Dean’s Professor and Associate Dean for Research, University of Florida
Sonja Rasmussen, MD, MS, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Florida
Kartik Cherabuddi, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Florida
Pedro Cohen, ED, MBA, Executive Director of The Local Initiatives Support Corporation

December 1, 2021: An Ounce of Prevention for Mental Health Across the Lifespan

Speakers:

Stephanie De La Cruz
Audrey Lem
Bonique Bethel
Geffre Jean Francois
Dr. P. Qasimah Boston

October 27, 2021: Addressing Our Mental Health

Speakers:

Heather Flynn, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Florida State University
Roosevelt Rogers III, Pastor Old Jerusalem MB Church
Nicole Everret, Community Health Navigator, Florida Department of Health
Eugenia I. Millender, PhD, Co-founder & Associate Director, Center for Population Sciences and Health Equity
Regina Clark, Creative Consultant
Miashia Mitchell, Community Action Team (CAT), Greater Frenchtown Revitalization Council

August 12, 2021: Long COVID Help Us Tell the Story of COVID-19

Speakers:

Michael Gutter, PhD, Associate Dean for Extension State Program Leader for 4-H Youth Development, Families and Communities for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
Irene Estores, MD, Medical Director of the Integrative Medicine Program at the University of Florida
Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD, Professor and Chair Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Melanie Hagen, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine; Medical Director

May 27, 2021: Essentials In COVID-19 For Your Community

Speakers:

Linda Cottler, PhD, MPH, FACE, Dean’s Professor and Associate Dean for Research, University of Florida
Michael Gutter, PhD, Associate Dean for Extension State Program Leader for 4-H Youth Development, Families and Communities for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida
Duane Mitchell, MD PhD, Co-Director of the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy and Director of the UF Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, University of Florida
Kartik Cherabuddi, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Florida
Michael Lauzardo, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Medicine, Deputy Director Of Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida

May 4, 2021: Childhood Asthma: Treatment, Emergency Care, and New Research & Technology

Speakers:

Kathryn V. Blake, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, Director of the Nemours Center for Pharmacogenomics and Translational Research, Principal Research Scientist
David Fedele, PhD, ABPP, Associate Professor & Child/Pediatric Area Head
Jennifer N Fishe, MD, Assistant Professor; Associate Medical Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine; Director, Center For Data Solutions
Sreekala Prabhakaran, MD

April 28, 2021: Eliminating Hazards in the Home: Falls and Older Adults

Speakers:

Susan L. Stark, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Associate Professor, Program in Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine at Washington University St. Louis
Marian Keglovits, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L, Instructor in Occupational Therapy and Neurology at Washington University St. Louis
Helen W. Lach, PhD, RN, CNL, FGSA, FAAN, Associate Dean for Research, Interim PhD Program Director, Saint Louis University
Anneliese Stoever, MSW, Director of the St Louis Area Agency on Aging.
Vivian Bonds, Community Member

Event Information

April 23, 2021: Essentials in COVID-19 Testing, Treatments, and Prevention for Your Patients and Community

Speakers:

Duane Mitchell, MD, PhD, Co-Director of the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy and Director of the UF Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, University of Florida
Kartik Cherabuddi, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Florida
Elizabeth Piantidosi, Research Regulatory Analyst III, University of Florida Office of Clinical Research
Linda Cottler, PhD, MPH, FACE, Dean’s Professor and Associate Dean for Research, University of Florida
Michael Gutter, PhD, Associate Dean for Extension State Program Leader for 4-H Youth Development, Families and Communities for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida

April 22, 2021: Organ Donation and Our Community

Speakers:

Danielle Balbis, Executive Director of LifeQuest
Kathy Giery, APR, Director of Organ Procurement Organization
Sumi Kiran, MSW, Family Advocate
Craig Martin, RRT, OPO Coordinator
Tomas Rabosto, Registrar Student

March 25, 2021: Bridging the Gap in Colorectal Cancer Screenings Among Minority Groups

Speakers:

Melissa Vilaro, PhD, MPH, CPH, Post Doctoral Associate, UF Stem Translational Communication Center
Eric Cooks, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate, UF Stem Translational Communication Center
Christian Jobin, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Program Leader, Cancer Microbiota & Host Response, UF Health Cancer Center, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
Miriam Buhr, MS, Research Coordinator, UF Stem Translational Communication Center
Pedro Ylisastigui, BA, Research Coordinator, UF Stem Translational Communication Center

March 18, 2021: Provider Forum: Getting Access To COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapy For Your Patients

Speakers:

Duane Mitchell, MD, PhD, Co-Director of the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy and Director of the UF Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, University of Florida
Kartik Cherabuddi, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Florida
Michael Lauzardo, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Medicine, Deputy Director Of Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida
Linda Cottler, PhD, MPH, FACE, Dean’s Professor and Associate Dean for Research, University of Florida
Michael Gutter, PhD, Associate Dean for Extension State Program Leader for 4-H Youth Development, Families and Communities for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida

February 5, 2021: Community Forum on COVID-19 Vaccines and New Treatments

Key Topics:

COVID-19 Vaccines
New COVID-19 Treatments
- What are they
- Who needs them

Speakers:

Dr. Duane Mitchell, MD, PhD, Co-Director of the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy and Director of the UF Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, University of Florida
Dr. Nicole Iovine, MD, PhD, Epidemiology Officer in Chief UF Health Shands, University of Florida
Dr. Kartik Cherabuddi, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Florida
Dr. Marie-Carmelle Elie, MD, FACEP, FCCM, Critical Care Research and Clinical Trials Liaison, Division Of Critical Care Medicine; Clinical Associate Professor; Chief Medical Officer, Haven Hospice And Medical Group
Dr. Linda Cottler, PhD, MPH, FACE, Dean’s Professor and Associate Dean for Research, University of Florida
Dr. Michael Gutter, PhD, Associate Dean for Extension State Program Leader for 4-H Youth Development, Families and Communities for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida

January 29, 2021: Opportunities for New COVID-19 Treatments For Your Patients

Speakers:

Dr. Duane Mitchell, MD, PhD, Co-Director of the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy and Director of the UF Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, University of Florida
Dr. Nicole Iovine, MD, PhD, Epidemiology Officer in Chief UF Health Shands, University of Florida
Dr. Kartik Cherabuddi, MD, FACP, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Florida
Dr. Michael Lauzardo, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Medicine and Deputy Director of Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida
Dr. Marie-Carmelle Elie, MD, FACEP, FCCM, Critical Care Research and Clinical Trials Liaison, Division Of Critical Care Medicine; Clinical Associate Professor; Chief Medical Officer, Haven Hospice And Medical Group
Dr. Linda Cottler, PhD, MPH, FACE, Dean’s Professor and Associate Dean For Research
Dr. Michael Gutter, PhD, Associate Dean for Extension State Program Leader for 4-H Youth Development, Families and Communities for the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida

January 28, 2021: Conversations about COVID-19 Vaccines: Voices from Rural and Urban Communities

Key Topics:

Rural and Urban Impact
Current program initiatives for distributing vaccines
Questions and concerns from the audience

Speakers:

Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Florida
Dr. Lori Carter-Edwards, Public Health Leadership Program, Adjunct Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Health Behavior, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
Dr. Michael Gutter, Associate Dean for Extension and State Program Leader for 4-H Youth Development, Families and Communities, University of Florida
Dr. Tracy Battaglia, Associate Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health
Cyd Lacanienta, Associate Director, Stakeholder Engagement Community Collaboration Core, Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research

November 18, 2020: COVID-19 as a Health Disparity Magnifier

Speakers:

Dr. Joedrecka Brown-Speights, Professor and Chair, FSU College of Medicine Department of Family Medicine and Rural Health
Joyce M Brown, MSW, Leon County Resident, CEO Cultural Arts Natural Design Internations (CANDI)
Edward J Dixon, Panelist, Executive Director, Gadsden Community Health Council
Rebecca Gray, Panelist, Gadsden County Resident
Miaisha Mitchell, Panelist, Community Action Team (CAT), Frenchtown Neighborhood First Plan
Marcus West, MHA, CSP, Panelist, Director, Community Health and Planning, Florida Department of Health in Leon County

October 9, 2020: Actions for Mental Health and Wellbeing

Speakers:

Catherine Woodstock Striley, PhD, MSW, MPE, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida
Lisa J. Merlo, PhD, MPE, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, UF College of Medicine
Nicolas Green, PhD, BCBA, Adjunct Research Assistant Professor, UF College of Public Health and Health Professionals

August 12, 2020: Pandemic On Top of Epidemics: Who Is Most Affected?

Speakers:

Linda B. Cottler, PhD, MPH, FACE, Associate Dean of Research and Dean’s Professor, UF College of Public Health and Health Professions
Commissioner Gigi Simmons, Gainesville City Commissioner District I
Irvin PeDro Cohen, ED, MBA, VP of Social Responsibility, Johnson Family YMCA

Event Information
Recorded Livestream
Recorded Livestream for Non-UF Viewers

May 27, 2020: The Future of HIV Treatments & Care

Speakers:

Robert Lucero, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor of Nursing, UF Department of Family, Community and Health Systems Science
Jennifer Janelle, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, UF Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine
Frankie Wong, PhD, Professor, Center for Translational Behavioral Science, FSU College of Nursing
Nicole Ennis, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, FSU College of Medicine
Lara Gadkowski, MD, MPH, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, UF Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine

Event Information

April 29, 2020: Autism and Research

Key Topics:

New progress in autism research
Role of vaccines in health
Clinical interventions
Innovative community engagement

Speakers:

Carol Mathews, MD, Director, UF Center for OCD, Anxiety, and Related Disorders
Suma Jacob, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, UM Department of Psychiatry
Milton Eder, PhD, Associate Director, UM Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Amy Esler, PhD, LP, Associate Professor, UM Department of Pediatrics
Mark Schleiss, MD, Professor, UM Department of Pediatrics

April 23, 2020: What You Need To Know About COVID-19 To Protect Yourself and Your Family

Key Topics:

How the virus causes disease and spreads;
The symptoms;
Treatment and prevention; and
How to navigate the COVID-19 epidemic to protect yourself, family and friends.

Speaker: Fred Southwick, MD, Chapter Leader, Right Care Alliance of Gainesville

Event Information
Recorded Livestream
Recorded Livestream for Non-UF Viewers

April 20, 2020: COVID-19 Update Webinar

Key Topics:

View of Italy, UK, and USA
Reporting and Social Lockdown
Testing and Vaccine Development
Antibody Testing

Speakers:

Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Florida
Dr. Ilaria Capua, Professor, Director of the One Health Center of Excellence, University of Florida

April 6, 2020: COVID-19 Update Webinar

Key Topics:

Current situation
Pets and COVID-19
Environmental impact
Clinical severity
Antibody testing and pregnancy

Speakers:

Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Florida
Dr. Ilaria Capua, Professor, Director of the One Health Center of Excellence, University of Florida

March 23, 2020: COVID-19 Update: The Public Health and Clinical Perspectives

Key Topics:

Origins of virus
Country-by-country comparison
Clinical findings and severity
Vaccine development
Current concerns in healthcare

Speakers:

Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Florida
Dr. Ilaria Capua, Professor, Director of the One Health Center of Excellence, University of Florida

March 17, 2020: Traumatic Brain Injury

Key Topics:

The connection between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and overall health
Implications of acute care and acute care rehabilitation in TBI
Cognitive and emotional impacts and symptom sub-types
Managing physical impairment and spasticity options in TBI

Speakers:

Russell Bauer, Ph.D., ABPP, Professor, UF Department of Clinical and Health Psychology
Michael Jaffee, M.D., FAAN, FANA, Associate Professor and Vice Chair, UF Department of Neurology
Carolyn Geis, M.D., Assistant Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UF Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation
Joseph Giacino, Ph.D., Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School

March 10, 2020: COVID-19 Update: The Public Health and Clinical Perspectives

Key Topics:

Epidemiology and timeline of COVID-19
Difficulties of outbreak management
Situation in Italy
Transmission statistics and spread
Clinical care, testing, infection control

Speakers:

Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, Professor, Department of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, University of Florida
Dr. Ilaria Capua, Professor, Director of the One Health Center of Excellence, University of Florida

February 11, 2020: Distracted Driving

Key Topics:

Describe the connection between distracted driving and traffic safety
Explore how human behavior and perception contribute to distraction
Examine the impacts of distraction on traffic patterns and flow
Address legal and ethical factors in traffic safety
Discuss how federal and state laws affect distracted driving

Panelists:

Cary Gallop, Moderator, Alachua County Deputy Sheriff
Shan Bao, PhD, Associate Professor, Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, University of Michigan, Transportation Research Institute
Wayne Giang, PhD, Assistant Professor, Industrial & Systems Engineer, UF Transportation Institute
Sandra Winter, PhD, OTR/L, Research Assistant Scientist, Associate Director of I-MAP, Department of Occupational Therapy, UF Transportation Institute
Pruthvi, Manjuantha, PhD, I-STREET Testbed Manager, Research Assistant Professor, Civil and Coastal Engineering, UF Transportation Institute
Jennifer Bard, MPH, PhD, JD, Professor of Law, Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati

January 27, 2020: Cancer Survivorship

Key Topics:

How cancer research drives community-based interventions
The connection between cancer and symptom management
The impact that health disparities have on treatment and intervention
How the narratives and efforts of cancer survivors further cancer research

Panelists Included:

Dr. David Cheng, PhD, Assistant Professor and Cancer Epidemiologist, UF Department of Epidemiology
Dr. Debra Lyon PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN, Executive Associate Dean, Kirbo Endowed Chair and Symptom Management with the UF College of Nursing
Dr. Ashley Ghiaseddin, MD, Assistant Professor of Neuro-Oncology with special interests in Quality of Life and Translational Research in Primary Brain Cancers which include Glioblastoma, University of Florida
Barb Thomas, Breast cancer survivor, Co-Founder and Coordinator of the monthly Cancer Connections meetings for ten years, Co-Founder of the Survivors for Research, and Cancer Research Advocate

November 6, 2019: Maternal & Child Health

Key Topics:

Leadership and community engagement
Maternal and child health equity
Innovation in equity
Shared lived experiences

Panelists included:

Camara Jones, MD, MPH, Ph.D., Fellow at Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University
Penny A. Ralston, Ph.D., Professor, Dean Emeritus, and Director, Center on Better Health and Life, Florida State University
Reverend Roosevelt Rogers, Pastor of Old Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church, Convener, Pastors’ Advisory Council, Health for Hearts United
Courtney Atkins, MA, LPC, Executive Director, Whole Child Leon
Joedrecka Brown Speights, MD, FAAFP, Professor and Chair, Family Medicine and Rural Health, Florida State University
Miaisha Mitchell, BA, Executive Director, Greater Frenchtown Revitalization Council

Event Information
Recorded Livestream

May 29, 2019: Medical Marijuana and Public Health

Key Topics:

Health effects of marijuana and other cannabinoids
Use of marijuana in pain management
Use of marijuana in opioid use disorder treatment
Addictive potential of medical marijuana

Panelists included:

Shanna Babalonis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, and Clinical Research KL2 Scholar, Department of Behavioral Science, Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky
Ruben Baler, Ph.D., NIH/NIDA Health Scientist Administrator, Office of Science Policy and Communications (OSPC);
Robert Cook, MD, MPH, Professor of Epidemiology with a joint appointment in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Florida; and
Jay Kuchera, MD, FASAM Algiatry, Addiction Medicine, and Anesthesiology at Resolute Pain Solutions, Envision Physician Services.

Our moderator was Patrick James Tighe, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Florida.

Resources:

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Marijuana as Medicine
U.S. Food Drug Administration (FDA): FDA and Marijuana
Centers for Disease Control (CDC): Marijuana and Public Health

March 28, 2019: Gut Health & The Microbiome

Key Topics:

The connection between gut health and disease
How gut microbiota are affected by diet and probiotics
The role of environmental factors on gut health

Panelists included:

Sandra M. Buerger, Ph.D., lecturer of natural sciences and mathematics in the Boston University College of General Studies.
Gary P. Wang, M.D., Ph.D., FIDSA, associate professor of medicine and chief of the division of infectious diseases and global medicine in the UF Department of Medicine.
Adam C.N. Wong, Ph.D., assistant professor of insect-microbe interactions in the UF IFAS department of entomology and nematology and the UF Genetics Institute.

Our moderator was Volker Mai, Ph.D., MPH, associate professor of microbiology and cell science in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions’ and College of Medicine’s department of epidemiology and associate member of the Emerging Pathogens Institute.

January 22, 2019: Healthy Aging: Evidence-Based Lifestyle Interventions

Key topics:

Exercise and nutritional interventions for healthy aging
Enhancement of motivation in order to reach long-term health goals
Community-based programs that use evidence-based interventions

Our moderator was Marco Pahor, M.D., director of the UF Institute on Aging and founding chair of the UF College of Medicine’s department of aging and geriatric research.

Panelists included:

Stephen Anton, Ph.D., division chief of clinical research in the UF College of Medicine’s department of aging and geriatric research
Betty Flagg, administrator of community outreach and healthy aging at Elder Options
Kieran Reid, Ph.D., M.P.H., Scientist II in the nutrition, exercise physiology, and sarcopenia lab at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University

November 29, 2018: Diabetes: The Hidden Epidemic

Key topics:

Describe current diabetes research on Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Discuss the growing prevalence of diabetes and whether funding for research is keeping pace.
Address the rising cost of insulin and what our communities can do about it.

Our moderator was Desmond Schatz, M.D., medical director of the UF Diabetes Institute and associate chair of the UF College of Medicine’s department of pediatrics.

Panelists included:

Michael Haller, M.D., professor of pediatrics in the UF College of Medicine, chief of pediatric endocrinology, member of the UF Diabetes Institute
Frederick Southwick, M.D., FACP, CPPS, professor of medicine in the UF College of Medicine, co-founder of the Gainesville chapter of the Empowered Patient Coalition
Joni S. Williams, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin

September 27, 2018: Multiple Sclerosis: A Revolution in the Making

Panelists from the University of Southern California, the University of Florida, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society gathered to discuss the advances in care and treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Key topics:

What does the recent gene therapy discovery mean for current and future MS patients?
Is early diagnosis important for the patient’s prognosis?
What resources are important for MS patients and their caregivers?

Our moderator was Tirisham Gyang, MD, assistant clinical professor, and division chief for MS at the University of Florida’s department of neurology.

Featured panelists included:

Lilyana Amezcua, MD, associate professor of clinical neurology at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine
Brad E Hoffman, PhD, assistant professor in the departments of pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine
Sarah Kurtz, MPA, manager of healthcare provider engagement at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

August 29, 2018: Pesticides and Health: What We Need to Know

Our panel of scientists and subject-matter experts from the Farmworker Association of Florida, UCLA, FSU, and UF gathered to discuss pest control and the impact of chemical pesticides on human health.

Key Topics:

Do pesticides increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s?
How are we exposed to pesticides?
How can we protect ourselves in our own communities and while on the job?

Our moderator was Pamela Koons, Executive Director, At The WELLness Network, Inc. and board member of the Gainesville chapter NAMI.

Featured panelists included:

Jeff Bronstein, MD, PhD, Director, Movement Disorders Program and Professor of Molecular Toxicology, Neurology, UCLA
Jeannie Economos, Pesticide Safety and Environmental Health Project Coordinator, Farmworker Association of Florida
Joan Flocks, MA, JD, Director, Social Policy Division Center for Governmental Responsibility, Levin College of Law, UF
Joe Grzywacz, PhD, Department Chair & Norejane Hendrickson Professor, College of Human Sciences, FSU

July 26, 2018: National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

UF HealthStreet’s 18th national Our Community, Our Health town hall meeting addressed the impact of childhood trauma and mental health issues on minority communities. The discussion focused on the negative consequences and life-altering outcomes of undiagnosed mental disorders and examined some of the reasons that diagnosis and treatment happen less frequently in minority communities.

Our moderator was Pamela Koons, Executive Director, At The WELLness Network, Inc. and board member of the Gainesville chapter NAMI.

Featured panelists included:

Michelle E. Jacobs-Elliott, MD (Staff Psychiatrist, UF Student Health Care Center; Assistant Dean, Office for Diversity and Health Equity, UF College of Medicine)
Micah E. Johnson, PhD (National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Drug Abuse Postdoctoral Fellow in the UF Department of Epidemiology)
Andres Pumariega, MD (Professor and Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, UF College of Medicine and UF Health)

May 21, 2018: Opioid Addiction: Controversies Surrounding Treatment

UF HealthStreet hosted the 17th national Our Community, Our Health town hall meeting, the second in our series covering the opioid crisis, on May 18, 2018. This town hall focused on the topic of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD).

Our moderator was Irvin (PeDro) Cohen, EdD, Chair, UF CTSI Community Advisory Board and Executive Director, Florida’s First Coast YMCA

Featured panelists included:

Jay Kuchera, MD, FASAM (Algiatry, Addiction Medicine, Anesthesiology, Envision Physician Services/ Resolute Pain Solutions),
Barbara (Basia) Andraka-Christou, Esq., JD, PhD (Assistant Professor, Department of Health Management and Informatics, University of Central Florida), and
Jason Hunt, MD (Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Addiction Medicine, UF College of Medicine; Attending Physician, UF Health Florida Recovery Center).

Our panelists discussed why MAT is the standard of care for treating OUD. They examined the stigma associated with the disorder and how barriers to treatment are accelerating the rate of overdose deaths in the US.

February 28, 2018: Youth Tobacco Prevention Policy

UF HealthStreet hosted the 16^th national Our Community, Our Health national town hall on February 28, 2018. This town hall focused on the topic of youth tobacco use and prevention policy. Featured panelists, including Dr. Ramzi Salloum (Assistant Professor, UF Health Outcomes & Policy), Victoria Hunter Gibney (Chair, Tobacco Free Alachua), and Andrew Romero (Health Policy Program Manager, FL Dept. of Health) presented data and research, discussed Tobacco 21, and answered questions about youth tobacco use.

November 14, 2017: Food Insecurity: A National Town Hall

UF HealthStreet’s next Our Community, Our Health national town hall will take place on November 14, 2017, from 6-7pm. This town hall will focus on topics of food deserts and food insecurity. Featured panelists, including Dr. Bruce Waite (Fresh Wagon), David Dinkins (UF/IFAS), Dr. Catherine Campbell (Family Nutrition Program & Program for Research Efficient Communities), and Sylvia James (Gainesville Housing Authority) will be presenting research, discussing models that have been tested, talking about national issues of food insecurity, and answering questions about food deserts and food insecurity.

August 30, 2017: Opioids: A Crisis Facing Our Communities

HealthStreet, a community engagement program at the University of Florida, is hosting its 14th National Our Community, Our Health (OCOH) event to discuss how communities are being affected by the national opioid crisis. Researchers and physicians from the University of Florida, Nova Southeastern University and Resolute Anesthesia & Pain Solutions are sharing the latest findings on the opioid crisis in the U.S. at a national, live-streamed town hall event called Our Community, Our Health: Opioids: A Crisis Facing Our Communities

March 30, 2017: Everything You Wanted to Know About the Zika Virus

Researchers from the University of Florida, the University of Miami and the Florida Department of Health are sharing the latest findings on the Zika virus to address community concerns at a national, live-streamed town hall event called Our Community, Our Health: Everything You Wanted to Know about the Zika Virus.

February 21, 2017: HPV Vaccine: Taking a Shot Against Cancer

HealthStreet — a community engagement program at the University of Florida, is hosting its 12th National Our Community, Our Health (OCOH) event to discuss how the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine can prevent various types of cancer among people in our community.

January 31, 2017: Addressing the Stigma: Intersections Between HIV and Substance Abuse

HealthStreet – a community engagement program at the University of Florida– and the Southern HIV and Alcohol Research Consortium are hosting an engaging event, Our Community, Our Health (OCOH), to discuss relevant research addressing the stigma against HIV and drug and alcohol use.

October 26, 2016: Understanding and Addressing Trauma Across the Life Span

HealthStreet – a community-engaged research initiative of the University of Florida Clinical and Translational Institute, in partnership with Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, is hosting the 10th national Our Community, Our Health event (OCOH) to discuss the role that the trauma has on changing the face of our communities’ mental health care

Event Information

July 19, 2016: Nurses: Changing the Face of Health Care

HealthStreet – a community-engaged research initiative of the University of Florida Clinical and Translational Science Institute – and the University of Florida College of Nursing are hosting the 8th national Our Community, Our Health event (OCOH) to discuss the role that the nurse has on changing the face of our communities’ health care. The OCOH town hall series facilitates two-way communication between researchers and community members across the country. We share ideas about priorities for health research and ways to communicate research findings. We blend ideas for research from multiple stakeholders.

June 30, 2016: Women’s Heart Health

HealthStreet, a community-engaged research initiative at the University of Florida, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are hosting the 7th Our Community, Our Health event (OCOH) on women’s heart health. This town hall meeting facilitates two-way communication between the community and researchers. We share ideas about priorities for health research and ways to communicate research findings and blends ideas for research from multiple stakeholders across the country.