TFAH’s 25th Anniversary
To mark Trust for America’s Health’s (TFAH) 25th anniversary, the Voices of Impact brings the organization’s history and policy achievements to life through the stories of the people who helped shape them. Filmed through interviews with TFAH leaders, staff, partners, and supporters, the project highlights the organization’s most significant public health wins, preserves its institutional memory, and looks ahead to the future of public health. These stories will help broaden awareness of TFAH’s impact and inspire new connections.
Starting from the early years of TFAH to now, the Voices of Impact project features two key series:
- TFAH in the Room: Offers behind-the-scenes insights into how we approach our work, as well as highlighting major federal policy victories and partnerships.
- Voices of Trust: Showcases the perspectives of the partners and stakeholders who champion our mission.
TFAH in the Room
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia and Dr. Shelley Hearne
TFAH’s President and CEO, Dr. J. Nadine Gracia sits down with our Founding Executive Director, Dr. Shelley Hearne to discuss TFAH’s early days. Discover how unprecedented national crises shaped our all-hazards advocacy and led to the creation of our signature Ready or Not report, setting a new standard for public health accountability. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia and Dr. Jeff Levi
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia is joined by former Executive Director, Dr. Jeff Levi, to reflect on TFAH’s critical role in shaping modern emergency response. From fighting for the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act framework to navigating H1N1 and Ebola, hear how years of advocacy against “boom-and-bust” funding laid the vital infrastructure that the nation, and TFAH leaders John Auerbach and Dr. Gracia, relied upon when COVID-19 struck. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, Dr. Jeff Levi, and Rich Hamburg
Dr. Gracia is joined by Dr. Jeff Levi and Rich Hamburg, former Executive Vice President and COO/Former Interim President and CEO, to reflect on TFAH’s pivotal role during the passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). From setting the stage with the 2008 Blueprint for a Healthier America to fiercely defending the Prevention and Public Health Fund (PPHF) from budget cuts, hear how this coalition laid the groundwork for the public health infrastructure improvements that we continue to fight for today. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dara Lieberman
TFAH’s Director of Government Relations, Dara Lieberman takes us inside the rooms where federal policy is forged. Dara breaks down the dangerous “boom- and-bust” cycle of public health funding and explains how TFAH provides lawmakers with the localized, non-partisan evidence they need to build lasting public health infrastructure. From protecting vital appropriations to championing data modernization and workforce pipelines, discover what the long game of sustained advocacy looks like on Capitol Hill and in Washington, DC. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Andrea Takash, Breanca Merritt, and Adam Lustig
TFAH’s Director of Strategic Communications and Policy Research, Andrea Takash sits down with our Director of Policy, Dr. Breanca Merritt and our former Senior Policy Manager, Adam Lustig to discuss TFAH’s Promoting Health and Cost Control in States (PHACCS) initiative which focuses on strengthening state health and economic resilience. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia & Jonah Cunningham
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, sits down with our former Government Relations Manager for Behavioral Health, Jonah Cunningham – now President and CEO of National Association of County Behavioral Health & Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD) – to discuss TFAH’s foundational Pain in the Nation series. Looking back at the genesis of this work, they explore how TFAH built a bipartisan advocacy strategy to bridge the gap between disturbing public health data and meaningful policy action. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. Tekisha Dwan Everette
TFAH’s Executive Vice President, Dr. Tekisha Dwan Everette, discusses how health equity is operationalized every day at TFAH. Dr. Everette shares how health equity serves as the practical lens for TFAH’s reports and advocacy, as well as highlights the power of cross-sector coalitions to bring diverse partners together around shared priorities. She also highlights how TFAH champions upstream solutions, and how our 2024 Pathway to a Healthier America: A Blueprint for Strengthening Public Health for the New Administration and Congress provide policymakers with evidence-based, bipartisan strategies to support well-being and opportunity across all communities. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Matt McKillop and Kevin McIntyre
Associate Director of Policy Research Matt McKillop, and Senior Government Relations Manager, Kevin McIntyre discuss the intersection of climate change, community resilience, and public health Building on the foundation of the Ready or Not reports, they explain how TFAH translates complex environmental data into actionable guidance while building cross-sector coalitions to keep resilience central to the national policy conversation. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia and John Auerbach
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia is joined by former TFAH President and CEO, John Auerbach to reflect on TFAH’s policy and operational efforts during his tenure, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss the realities of navigating a sudden national crisis and the focus to ensure equitable resource access for disproportionately affected communities. They also explore the creation of the Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) to support state and local public health departments with coordinated messaging, and maintaining steady, objective advocacy throughout the response. Listen to this story of TFAH.
John Auerbach, Megan Wolfe, and Dr. Karon Phillips
John Auerbach sits down with Megan Wolfe, TFAH’s Senior Policy Development Manager, and Dr. Karon Phillips, TFAH’s Policy Development Manager, to reflect on the evolution of the pioneering Age-Friendly Public Health Systems (AFPHS) initiative. In partnership and with funding support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, they discuss how AFPHS grew from a regional pilot into a nationwide network that elevates healthy aging as a core public health function with a foundational focus on health equity. They also explore on-the-ground mobilization efforts, such as securing pandemic vaccine access for homebound adults, and the use of the AFPHS 6Cs Framework to guide state and local health departments alongside cross sector partners to ensure future public health planning is viewed through an aging lens. Listen to this story of TFAH
Voices of Trust
Theodore Spencer
TFAH’s Board Member, Theodore Spencer reflects on the organization’s founding vision: bridging the “prevention gap.” Learn how TFAH built its reputation as a non-partisan, data-driven trusted resource for policy makers, and how our focus has evolved to tackle modern challenges like climate change, mental health, and the social determinants of health. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Andi Lipstein Fristedt
Andi Lipstein Fristedt, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Policy Officer at Parkinson’s Foundation, joins us to reflect on TFAH’s enduring role from both a legislative and agency perspective. Drawing on her deep leadership experience with the Senate HELP Committee and CDC, Andi shares why TFAH is a go-to resource for federal public health policy making. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. Umair Shah
TFAH’s Board Member Dr. Umair Shah reflects on his deep leadership experience as a local and state health official to highlight how public health leaders practically leverage TFAH’s Ready or Not reports. He explains how the report serves as an objective “diagnostic roadmap” that transforms routine departmental requests into urgent, non-partisan, national security priorities for governors and state legislators. He also highlights how a comprehensive “all-hazards” preparedness framework protects communities from infectious outbreaks, natural disasters, and climate-related health impacts. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Maureen Byrnes
Maureen Byrnes played a pivotal role in the need for TFAH during her tenure at The Pew Charitable Trusts, helping provide the seed capital to launch the organization. She offers a unique funder perspective on how TFAH coordinates diverse coalitions to help philanthropic goals reach a national scale. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Scott Becker
Scott Becker, CEO of the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), discusses TFAH’s role as a “force-multiplier” for the public health coalition. Looking back at TFAH’s 25-year legacy, he explores how TFAH translates technical laboratory needs into broader national security narratives to secure critical policy shifts, ensuring the voice of the entire public health workforce is represented. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Sana Chehimi
Sana Chehimi, Managing Director of Policy, Narrative & Partnerships at the Prevention Institute, discusses the power of cross-sector partnerships and TFAH’s role as a trusted convener. As a key partner in our Well Being Working Group, Sana explores how collaborative advocacy helps reframe behavioral health as a preventable public health challenge solvable through unified partnerships. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. Gail Christopher
Dr. J. Nadine Gracia sits down with Dr. Gail Christopher, Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity and former TFAH Board Chair. Looking back at her 15 years of service and the launch of the 2018 Strategic Plan, they explore how intentionally centering health equity and institutional trust-building has allowed TFAH to find common ground and champion actionable, bipartisan solutions. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. John Balbus
Dr. John Balbus of Climate Care Consulting, and former Director of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, discusses TFAH’s role as a trusted non-partisan policy organization and convener. Drawing on TFAH’s 25-year legacy of cross-sector collaboration, he highlights how TFAH’s independent, evidence-based research bridges national climate strategy with public health advocacy.Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. Joseph Kanter, Lori Tremmel Freeman, and Chrissie Juliano
Public health leaders Dr. Joseph Kanter, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Lori Tremmel Freeman, National Association of County and City Health Officials, and Chrissie Juliano, Big Cities Health Coalition (BCHC) highlight TFAH’s collaborative advocacy alongside their organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. They reflected on the need for a unified voice to secure emergency funding, support the public health workforce, and represent the realities faced by rural, suburban, and urban communities alike. Additionally, they outline the ongoing partnership between TFAH and their organizations to advance health equity, strengthen community trust, and advocate for stable funding to ensure long-term public health infrastructure readiness. Listen to this story of TFAH.
Dr. Brian C. Castrucci and Dr. Judy Monroe
Dr. Brian C. Castrucci, President and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation, and Dr. Judy Monroe, President and CEO of the CDC Foundation, reflect on the rapid formation of the Public Health Communications Collaborative with TFAH during the COVID-19 pandemic. They highlight how this partnership provided trusted communication tools to bridge federal, state, and local responses, and how it continues to advance communications training for the public health workforce today. Listen to this story of TFAH
Daniel Dawes
Daniel Dawes, Founding Dean and Senior Vice President of Global Health at the School of Global Health at Meharry Medical College, reflects on TFAH’s role as a force-multiplier for prevention and health equity. He discusses how TFAH’s nonpartisan credibility and access to policymakers help bridge the gap between health equity research and actionable policy decisions, drawing on collaborative milestones during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the COVID-19 pandemic response. He also explores how strengthening core domestic public health systems supports global health equity and highlights why TFAH’s 25-year legacy of trust remains vital for addressing systemic disparities and future public health challenges. Listen to this story of TFAH
Rani E. Snyder and Dr. Terry Fulmer
Rani E. Snyder, President of The John A. Hartford Foundation, and Dr. Terry Fulmer, President Emerita, share their perspectives on the evolution of the Age-Friendly Public Health Systems (AFPHS) initiative in partnership with TFAH. Expanding from a successful foundational pilot in Florida to a scalable national movement, they discuss the critical shift from isolated health sectors toward a comprehensive, collaborative Age-Friendly Ecosystem. Their conversation highlights how cross-sector collaboration with TFAH is embedding health equity, combatting ageism, and ensuring older adults remain prioritized amidst evolving challenges like emergency preparedness and climate-related impacts. Listen to this story of TFAH