Responding to Today’s Gaps for Tomorrow’s Health Emergencies: 2026 Ready or Not Report

Join Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) for a Congressional Briefing and National Webinar on the latest information on public health emergency readiness and findings from TFAH’s upcoming report, Ready or Not 2026: Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism – releasing May 7th.

The past year alone saw the U.S. facing the most severe flu season in nearly a decade, the highest annual measles case count since 1991, and devastating weather-related emergencies. In addition, these challenges occurred alongside deep federal staffing cuts and destabilized funding to the public health system. As TFAH marks its 25th anniversary, the webinar will review the highlights from this year’s report, which measures the nation’s readiness for public health emergencies through 10 indicators of state preparedness to respond to a wide spectrum of health emergencies and to provide ongoing public health services.

Subject matter experts will discuss the nation’s readiness for public health emergencies, examine the findings of the report, and discuss key recommendations for policymakers. The webinar will include time for Q&A from the audience.

Panelists

• Stella Fogleman
  Stella Fogleman is the Director of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Division (EPRD) for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) and has been leading readiness activities to prepare for emerging threats and natural disasters as well as acts of biological, radiological, and chemical terrorism for over eleven years.
  Bio
  
• Dave A. Chokshi, MD MSc
  Dave A. Chokshi — a practicing physician and public health leader — is currently Sternberg Family Professor and Founding Director of the Health & Opportunity Leadership Institute(HOLI) at the City College of New York. He is also Chair of the Common Health Coalition and Co-Chair of the Health and Political Economy Project.
  Bio
  
• Steven Levine
  Steven is a Co-CEO of the Health Action Alliance (HAA), which mobilizes businesses to address pressing public health challenges, and Co-CEO of Meteorite, the firm behind HAA and other coalitions focused on health, climate resilience, and civic engagement.
  Bio
  

Moderator

• J. Nadine Gracia
  Dr. J. Nadine Gracia is the President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), a nonprofit, nonpartisan public health policy, research and advocacy organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community.
  Bio