Annual Advancing Healthy Lifestyles Conference 2023

Improving Health through Equity

Thursday, May 18, 2023

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Delaware State University

About the Conference

The Division of Public Health, Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention (PANO) program presented its inaugural Conference, Advancing Healthy Lifestyles (AHL) in Delaware: Improving Health through Equity, on May 18, 2023, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, at the Delaware State University Martin Luther King Jr. Conference Center.

The AHL Conference provided a platform for cross sectional sharing on national, regional, and local best practices, challenges, opportunities, and success stories. With a focus on improving health equity, the ultimate goal of the conference was to strengthen efforts to reduce obesity and other chronic diseases amongst Delawareans. This invitational event included government legislative and administrative policy makers in public health, nonprofit advocates of health and wellness, educators, medical care givers and policy experts, and academic and medical researchers who are interested or engaged in health disparities, nutrition, chronic illness and obesity prevention. It further served as an opportunity to close gaps in health inequities, assess progress, and further strengthen the work of community stakeholders.

Speakers

Keynote Speaker

Dominique Dawes

Owner of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies, Dominique Dawes continues her commitment to developing a healthy and compassionate culture in the sport of gymnastics. Her first academy opened in July 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, and her second location is slated to open in early 2023. Dominique also holds minority ownership of the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League, and she served as the co-chair of the President’s Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition under the Obama administration, along with Drew Brees. Recently, alongside LeBron James and Maverick Carter, she served as executive producer of the Peacock docuseries Golden, the journey of USA’s elite gymnasts on the road to the Tokyo Olympics, which has been nominated for a sports Emmy.

Agenda

8:00 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 a.m.
Greeting
Shebra Hall, MPA, Program Administrator
Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention, Division of Public Health
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services
Welcoming Remarks

Molly Magarik, Secretary
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

Opening Remarks
The Honorable Bethany Hall-Long, PhD, RN, Lieutenant Governor
State of Delaware
9:20 a.m.
Panel Discussion
Improving Health Through Equity: A Regional Perspective
Moderator: Scott Siegel, PhD, MHCDS, MHCDS, Director of Cancer Control & Population Sciences
Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, ChristianaCare

Aniekan A. Ebitu, MPH, National Senior Director of Public Health Programs
American Heart Association

Keisha Morris, Director of Talent Management and Workforce Development
Bayhealth

Dalton Paxman, PhD, Region 3 Regional Health Administrator
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
10:05 a.m.
Break
10:15 a.m.
Concurrent Breakout Session Discussion Panels
I. Addressing Systemic Bias in Health Care
Moderator: Rita Landgraf, Director of Government Affairs, Lead Family Caregiving, AARP and Professor of Practice and Distinguished Health and Social Services Administrator in Residence
University of Delaware
Presentation: Melanie Daniels
Melanie Daniels, Executive Director
Delaware Chapter National Coalition of 100 Black Women
The Missing Link: Research on Black Girls in Delaware
Presentation(1.7 MB, PDF)
Presentation: Emily Kauffman and Raina Allen
Emily Kauffman, Project Manager, Equity Counts Partnership Initiative
United Way of Delaware
and
Raina Allen, Director, Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative
United Way of Delaware
Dismantling Systemic Racism for Racial Justice in Delaware as Seen Through the Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative
Presentation(6.2 MB, PDF)
Presentation: Gwen Angalet
Gwen Angalet, PhD, Owner and CEO
GBA Consulting
Addressing Health Equity Through a Community - Driven Population Health Approach
Presentation(598.1 KB, PDF)
Presentation: Col. Debbie Harrington
Col. Debbie Harrington, EdD, (Retired U.S. Army)
Governor’s Challenge
Connecting Veterans for Health Equity
Presentation(5.3 MB, PDF)
II. Improving Health Through Community Collaborations
Moderator: Peggy Geisler, CEO
PMG Consulting and Sussex County Health Coalition
Presentation: Aniekan A. Ebitu
Aniekan A. Ebitu, MPH, National Senior Director of Public Health Programs
American Heart Association
Community Collaborations Make Healthier Hearts
Presentation(9.2 MB, PDF)
Presentation: Frank Hawkins
Frank Hawkins, MS, Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement
AIDS Delaware
Do the Right Thing 4Life: An African American HIV Prevention/Outreach Program
Presentation(8.4 MB, PDF)
Presentation: Suchi Hiraesave and Molly Yoo
Suchi Hiraesave, PhD, Vice President of Grants Development
Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware
and
Molly Yoo, Director of Grants Development
Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware
Triple Play: Mind, Body and Soul, a National Health and Wellness Model
Presentation(3.2 MB, PDF)
Presentation: Knolan Rawlins
Knolan Rawlins, PhD, CAPE, Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator
Department of Public & Allied Health Sciences, Delaware State University
Building Pathways to Careers in Occupational Therapy
Presentation(8.1 MB, PDF)
III. The Trauma of Racism and Health Disparities
Moderator: Nicholas Moriello, President
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware
Presentation: Marlene Saunders
Marlene Saunders, DSW, MSW, LMSW, Chair, Connection and Social Action Committee
AKA Sorority, Inc., Alpha Alpha Mu Chapter
Achieving Health Equity in the First State
Presentation(344.9 KB, PDF)
Presentation: Gwendolyn Scott-Jones and Kim Graham
Gwendolyn Scott-Jones, PsyD, MSW, CAADC, Dean
Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Delaware State University
and
Kim Graham, Director, Trauma Academy
Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Delaware State University
Lasting Health Disparities in the African American Population in the Midst of COVID-19 and the George Floyd Incident
Presentation(6.0 MB, PDF)
Presentation: Teri B. Lawler
Teri B. Lawler, EdD, LPCMH, Education Associate
Trauma-Informed Practices and Social and Emotional Learning, Delaware Department of Education
Dismantling Oppressive Systems and Disrupting Disproportionality with the New 3 R’s of Applied Educational Neuroscience
Presentation(2.4 MB, PDF)
Presentation: Kate Smith
Kate Smith, MD, MPH, Program Manager, Clinical Liaison, Student Internship Coordinator
Delaware Academy of Medicine/Delaware Public Health Association
How Race and Ethnicity Pertaining to disparities, and as seen in Social Determinants of Health and Public Health
Presentation(3.0 MB, PDF)
11:30 a.m.
Buffet Luncheon
12:05 p.m.
The Honorable Governor John Carney, Remarks, and Introduction of Keynote Speaker
12:15 p.m.
Keynote Speaker
Dominique Dawes, Olympian and Business Owner
Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies
1:00 p.m.
Break to Visit Information Resource Room
1:30 p.m.
Interactive Peer-to-Peer Roundtable Discussions
Devona E. Williams, PhD, Facilitator, President/CEO
Goeins-Williams Associates, Inc.
2:45 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Molly Magarik, Secretary
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services
3:00 p.m.
Adjourn to Networking Reception
4:00 p.m.
Network Reception Ends

Sponsors/Partners

Annual Advancing Healthy Lifestyles Conference 2023

Improving Health through Equity

About the Conference

Speakers

Dominique Dawes

Molly Magarik

The Honorable Bethany Hall-Long, PhD, RN

Governor John Carney

Raina Harper Allen, MA

Gwendoline B. Angalet, PhD

Melanie Daniels

Aniekan Ebitu, MPH

Peggy Geisler

Kim Graham

Shebra K. Hall, MPA

Colonel Debbie Harrington, EdD

Frank Hawkins, MS

Suchi Hiraesave, PhD

Emily Kauffman

Rita Landgraf

Teri Lawler, EdD, LPCMH

Nicholas Moriello

Keisha Morris, MALM

Dalton Paxman, PhD

Knolan Rawlins, PhD, CAPE

Marlene A. Saunders, DSW, MSW, LMSW

Scott D. Siegel, PhD, MHCDS

Gwendolyn Scott-Jones, PsyD, MSW, CAADC

Devona E.G. Williams, PhD

Molly Yoo

Agenda

8:00 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.

Greeting

Welcoming Remarks

Opening Remarks

9:20 a.m.

Panel Discussion

Improving Health Through Equity: A Regional Perspective

10:05 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m.

Concurrent Breakout Session Discussion Panels

I. Addressing Systemic Bias in Health Care

Presentation: Melanie Daniels

Presentation: Emily Kauffman and Raina Allen

Presentation: Gwen Angalet

Presentation: Col. Debbie Harrington

II. Improving Health Through Community Collaborations

Presentation: Aniekan A. Ebitu

Presentation: Frank Hawkins

Presentation: Suchi Hiraesave and Molly Yoo

Presentation: Knolan Rawlins

III. The Trauma of Racism and Health Disparities

Presentation: Marlene Saunders

Presentation: Gwendolyn Scott-Jones and Kim Graham

Presentation: Teri B. Lawler

Presentation: Kate Smith

11:30 a.m.

Buffet Luncheon

12:05 p.m.

The Honorable Governor John Carney, Remarks, and Introduction of Keynote Speaker

12:15 p.m.

Keynote Speaker

1:00 p.m.

Break to Visit Information Resource Room

1:30 p.m.

Interactive Peer-to-Peer Roundtable Discussions

2:45 p.m.

Closing Remarks

3:00 p.m.

Adjourn to Networking Reception

4:00 p.m.

Network Reception Ends

Sponsors/Partners