BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Association of Health Care Journalists - ECPv6.15.11//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://healthjournalism.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Association of Health Care Journalists REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250226T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250226T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250130T182023Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250226T200532Z UID:58316-1740574800-1740578400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:How research misconduct harms patients and science DESCRIPTION:Fraud\, manipulation and research misconduct can lead scientists down a slippery slope\, affecting drug development\, grant funding\, and patients’ lives. Scientists working in the field of Alzheimer’s research are under enormous pressure to maintain grant funding\, publish\, and\, ultimately\, find a cure. For decades\, their primary focus has been preventing or eliminating amyloid plaque in the brain\, an approach that builds on prior research discoveries. We’re now learning that decades of research may have been misguided\, or even fraudulent. \n\n\n\nCharles Piller\, an investigative journalist for Science and author of “Doctored: Fraud\, Arrogance\, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s\,” has reported on clear signs of manipulated images by a top National Institute of Aging scientist\, found multiple examples of deception by other Alzheimer’s researchers\, and exposed questionable behavior by FDA officials about who had a role in Alzheimer’s drug development and approvals. \n\n\n\nPiller collaborated with Matthew Schrag\, M.D.\, Ph.D.\, a top neuroscientist at Vanderbilt University\, who first spotted these instances of data manipulation. Piller’s reporting was a wake-up call for many in the scientific community\, including at the National Institutes of Health. \n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, Piller and Schrag will discuss what they uncovered\, how the situation spiraled\, how to spot red flags on questionable papers\, and what journalists should know about the future of Alzheimer’s research. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nLiz Seegert\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for AgingLiz Seegert is AHCJ’s health beat leader on aging. She’s an award-winning\, independent health journalist based in New York’s Hudson Valley\, who writes about caregiving\, dementia\, access to care\, nursing homes and policy. Seegert is also a contributing writer for Fortune.com\, the American Journal of Nursing\, and PBS/NextAvenue.org\, reporting on myriad health topics\, including social determinants of health and women’s health. She has written for TIME Health\, The Wirecutter\, Money.com\, Medscape\, Consumer Reports\, The Guardian and Medical Economics\, as well as dozens of other trade and mainstream media. Her articles have been syndicated in Forbes.com\, the Los Angeles Times\, the Hartford Courant\, The Saturday Evening Post and other major outlets. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCharles Piller\n\n\n\nInvestigative journalist\, ScienceCharles Piller is an investigative journalist for Science magazine whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times\, the New York Times\, the Sacramento Bee\, and other publications. Piller has been honored with many national journalism awards and is the co-author of “Gene Wars: Military Control over the New Genetic Technologies” and the author of “The Fail-Safe Society: Community Defiance And The End Of American Technological Optimism” and “Doctored: Fraud\, Arrogance\, and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s.” He has reported on public health\, biological warfare\, infectious disease outbreaks\, and other topics from the United States\, Africa\, Asia\, Europe\, and Central America. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMatthew Schrag\, M.D.\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nAssistant professor of neurology\, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterMatthew Schrag\, M.D.\, Ph.D.\, is an assistant professor of neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and a principal investigator at Schrag Lab\, who studies the overlap between vascular and cognitive neurological diseases. His research focuses on the mechanisms of vascular degeneration in cerebral amyloid angiopathy and how this contributes to cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. \n\n\n\nDr. Schrag’s investigative work is independent of his job at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and is not speaking on behalf of the university for this webinar. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/how-research-misconduct-harms-patients-and-science/ CATEGORIES:Aging,Medical Studies,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/How-research-misconduct-harms-patients-and-science-webinar-featured-img.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250305T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250305T130000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250226T153044Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250305T221837Z UID:58704-1741176000-1741179600@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Make facts matter again: Pushing back against misinformation and disinformation DESCRIPTION:It’s exhausting and disheartening to work as a journalist these days\, dutifully reporting the facts only to see accurate reporting engulfed and overwhelmed by misinformation and disinformation — especially on social media. The consequences are dire — for example\, declining vaccination rates and a growing number of measles outbreaks. \n\n\n\nWhile there is no simple solution to the misinformation epidemic\, the situation isn’t hopeless\, and journalists still play a vital role in conveying accurate\, nuanced information about health. Join us to hear from Stephan Lewandowsky\, a cognitive scientist at the University of Bristol and one of the lead original authors of “The Debunking Handbook\,” as he talks about how misinformation spreads\, why people cling to it — rejecting accurate information — and what he thinks journalists can do to help address this crisis. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious DiseasesTara Haelle is an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. \n\n\n\nShe specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nStephan Lewandowsky\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nChair of Cognitive Science\, University of BristolProfessor Stephan Lewandowsky\, Ph.D.\, is a cognitive scientist at the University of Bristol whose research examines the consequences of the clash between social media architectures and human cognition\, such as countermeasures to the persistence of misinformation and the spread of “fake news” in society\, and how platform algorithms may contribute to the prevalence of misinformation. \n\n\n\nHe also studies the factors that determine whether or not people accept scientific evidence. He has received a range of prestigious research awards across multiple continents and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles since 2000. He also authored a report on Technology and Democracy in 2020 that has helped shape EU digital legislation. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/make-facts-matter-again-pushing-back-against-misinformation-and-disinformation/ CATEGORIES:Infectious Diseases,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Make-Facts-Matter-Again-Webinar-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250307T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250307T130000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250221T140908Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250304T160346Z UID:58653-1741348800-1741352400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Telehealth on the line: What could happen this spring? DESCRIPTION:As part of the American Relief Act signed by President Biden in December\, certain telehealth benefits for Medicare beneficiaries were extended only until the end of March 2025 — instead of a three-year extension as proposed in a Continuing Resolution. These benefits and the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program are now set to expire on March 31. Some areas\, like in-home cardiology rehabilitation visits\, were left out of this extension. \n\n\n\nIn this AHCJ webinar\, Kyle Zebley\, senior vice president of public policy for the American Telemedicine Association and executive director of ATA Action — an affiliated advocacy group — will spell out what services are covered in this extension\, what was omitted\, and what updates we might expect to see during the next few weeks of President Trump’s second administration. You’ll walk away with story ideas and insights to inform your reporting. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nKaren Blum\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Health ITKaren Blum is an independent health and science journalist\, based in the Baltimore area. She has written for publications such as the Baltimore Sun\, Pharmacy Practice News\, Clinical Oncology News\, Clinical Laboratory News\, Cancer Today\, CURE\, AARP.org\, General Surgery News and Infectious Disease Special Edition; covered numerous medical conferences for trade magazines and news services; and written many profiles and articles on medical and science research as well as trends in health care and health IT. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and chairs its Virtual Education Committee; and a member of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) and its freelance committee. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKyle Zebley. Photo by Christopher Huang\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKyle Zebley\n\n\n\nSenior VP of public policy\, American Telemedicine Association & executive director\, ATA ActionZebley works with and on behalf of the American Telemedicine Association and members of ATA Action (an affiliated advocacy organization) and like-minded organizations to eliminate barriers to the expansion of telehealth and ensure patients\, providers\, and payers can realize the benefits of virtual care. \n\n\n\nPrior to joining ATA\, Zebley was the chief of staff in the Office of Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He collaborated with senior leadership from HHS\, the White House and other cabinet departments to develop\, advise and promote U.S. global health policy\, including in areas such as drug pricing\, medical devices\, global health security and non-communicable diseases. \n\n\n\nHe is a sought-after policy expert and frequently quoted in major media coverage of telehealth. In January 2022\, Zebley was named by Politico as one of the “Four Washington players poised to shape digital health in 2022.” URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/telehealth-on-the-line-what-could-happen-this-spring-2/ CATEGORIES:Health IT,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/UPDATED-Telehealth-on-the-line-webinar-featured-img.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250312T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250312T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250228T202603Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250312T211451Z UID:58734-1741784400-1741788000@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Finding sustainable work you love in an era of relentless layoffs DESCRIPTION:If you’re a health journalist who has recently been laid off or bought out\, you might feel lost\, discouraged\, angry or scared. Even if you’re gainfully employed as a staffer or freelancer\, you probably experience waves of uncertainty about the profession and your place in it from time to time. We get it — and we’re here to offer not just encouragement and community\, but also advice from writers\, editors and recruiters with personal experience and an intimate understanding of the journalism landscape today. \n\n\n\nJoin AHCJ freelance beat leader Anna Medaris\, a staff reporter-turned happy freelancer\, as she leads a conversation with writers and editors who were laid off in 2023 or 2024 about their paths to sustainable and satisfying work since. The webinar will also feature industry experts who will share where journalism jobs are now\, how journalism skills can be applied to other industries\, and how we all can gain some control over careers in a volatile profession. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nAnna Medaris\n\n\n\nAHCJ Freelance Beat Leader(She/her)Anna Medaris is a freelance health and lifestyle journalist with 15 years of experience writing features\, narratives\, explainers\, and news hits for publications including the Washington Post\, Women’s Health\, Vox\, Cosmopolitan\, US New & World Report\, Everyday Health\, AARP\, Monitor on Psychology\, among others. She left her last full-time role as health correspondent for Business Insider to go freelance full time in June 2023. \n\n\n\nAnna is passionate about\, and skilled in\, telling sensitive human-interest stories\, critiquing quirky cultural trends\, and answering questions you didn’t know you had. She’s appeared on the “TODAY Show\,” “Good Morning America\,” Hulu’s “Age of Influence\,” and many podcasts and local TV and radio stations. Anna also serves as AHCJ’s New York City chapter lead and as a writing coach through the New York Writing Room. She graduated with high honors from the University of Michigan in 2009 and later earned her master’s in interactive journalism from American University. She’s an avid swimmer who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their basset rescue\, Lou Longbody. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChandra Turner\n\n\n\nFounder\, The Talent FairyEditorial recruiter and career coach(She/her)Chandra is the founder of The Talent Fairy\, a boutique recruiting agency that connects brands with editorial leaders to elevate their storytelling and content products. When she’s not seeking out new talent\, Chandra works as a career coach\, helping editors\, content marketers\, and other content strategists find new jobs they love\, or thrive in the ones they’ve got. A former editor herself (Parents\, CosmoGirl\, Cosmopolitan)\, she is a vocal advocate for editorial talent; she believes that their skills are infinitely valuable — inside and outside of traditional media. #editorsmakethebesthires \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLiz Szabo\n\n\n\nVeteran health reporter(She/her)Liz is a reporter with 30 years in journalism\, including more than two decades covering health and science at publications such as USA TODAY\, The Virginian-Pilot\, and KFF Health News. An independent journalist since 2023\, Liz has been covering medical news for The New York Times\, NBC News\, Scientific American\, Medscape\, AARP\, and other publications. \n\n\n\nLiz has won numerous state\, local\, and national journalism awards\, including the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting and the National Headliner Awards’ first place prize. Her investigation of dangerous doctors for The Virginian-Pilot won two National Press Club Awards and spurred the state legislature to pass a new law to better protect patients. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMelissa Dahl\n\n\n\nIndependent health journalist(She/her)Melissa Dahl is an award-winning journalist with more than 15 years of experience on staff at publications like New York magazine\, Bustle Digital Group and NBC News. She is the author of “Cringeworthy: A Theory of Awkwardness\,” published by Penguin Random House in 2018\, and is now working on her second book. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRebecca Aguilar\n\n\n\nFreelance reporter(She/her)Rebecca is a freelance reporter who believes that part of surviving the news business is being prepared for the unexpected. She has experienced a layoff\, firing\, and newsroom downsizing in her career. The Emmy Award-winning journalist remains in the news after four decades because she has found that you create your path to success by tapping into your network and what you know.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhoto by Lori Hoffman/Bloomberg\n\n\n\n\n\n\nZachary Tracer\n\n\n\nSenior editor for business and policy\, STAT(He/him)Zach oversees business and policy coverage at the health and medicine publication STAT. He joined STAT in June after being laid off from Business Insider in early 2024. Zach worked at Business Insider for more than five years\, where he built and led the health care team. He began his journalism career at Bloomberg News\, covering financial services and then the health insurance industry. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2025/03/finding-sustainable-work-you-love-in-an-era-of-relentless-layoffs/ CATEGORIES:Freelancers,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Sustainable-work-after-layoffs-webinar-img.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250320T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250320T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20241218T173953Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250113T173738Z UID:57808-1742475600-1742479200@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Lunch and Learn: Pitching your ideal publication DESCRIPTION:At AHCJ’s Lunch and Learns\, freelancer members chat about a designated topic over Zoom every third Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. The Zoom link is new for 2025. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/lunch-and-learn-pitching-your-ideal-publication/ CATEGORIES:Event,Freelancers,Lunch and Learn END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250417T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250417T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250401T220127Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250401T220131Z UID:59052-1744894800-1744898400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Lunch and Learn: Need Advice? Ask a Freelancer! DESCRIPTION:At AHCJ’s Lunch and Learns\, freelancer members chat about a designated topic over Zoom every third Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. ET. \n\n\n\nFor April\, we’ll crowdsource advice to your freelance challenges\, such as how to handle being ghosted by an editor\, having “scope creep” in your assignment\, and finding a home for a cherished story idea. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/lunch-and-learn-need-advice-ask-a-freelancer/ CATEGORIES:Freelancers,Lunch and Learn ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lunch-and-Learn-Logo.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250502T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250502T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250313T211446Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250313T211450Z UID:58902-1746190800-1746194400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:PitchFest Prep Session DESCRIPTION:Whether it’s your first or tenth time at PitchFest\, please join this virtual session to review the dos and don’ts of your one-on-one with editors. The PitchFest committee will share feedback it has gotten from previous years’ editors and advice on how to make the most of your 10-minute time slots. Bring your pitches. As time allows\, you’ll have a chance to practice a pitch and get some input from fellow attendees and the committee. \n\n\n\nPitchFest will be held at Health Journalism 2025 in Los Angeles. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/pitchfest-prep-session/ CATEGORIES:Event,Freelancers,Webinar END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250515T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250515T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250401T221828Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250401T221833Z UID:59059-1747314000-1747317600@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Lunch and Learn: What's in your contract? DESCRIPTION:Update: This session has been moved from April to May. Find the April Lunch and Learn here. \n\n\n\nAt AHCJ’s Lunch and Learns\, freelancer members chat about a designated topic over Zoom every third Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. The Zoom link is new for 2025. \n\n\n\nFor May\, we’ll talk about freelance contracts; understanding terms\, negotiating terms and new issues for the current times. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/lunch-and-learn-whats-in-your-contract-2/ CATEGORIES:Freelancers,Lunch and Learn ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lunch-and-Learn-Logo.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250521T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250521T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250501T202845Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250521T204237Z UID:59425-1747832400-1747836000@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Health care in court: A prep session for a big June DESCRIPTION:Buckle up: The Supreme Court is expected to rule before the end of June in a number of cases with significant implications for health in America. With transgender health care\, Planned Parenthood funding\, preventive care\, and several environmental cases\, among others\, in the balance\, what’s the best way to prepare to cover these important stories? \n\n\n\nThis webinar will highlight the big cases and point you toward resources and strategies for writing solid court-related stories on deadline. You’ll hear from Chris Geidner\, also known as Law Dork for his Substack newsletter on court happenings\, and Alison Tanner of the National Women’s Law Center. They’ll talk about what to look for\, how to find an expert to help you interpret accurately and other tricks to reporting on the legal stuff with less stress. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nAlice Miranda Ollstein\n\n\n\nSenior health care reporter\, POLITICOAlice Miranda Ollstein is a senior health care reporter for POLITICO\, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health. \n\n\n\nHer coverage of state and federal health policy developments on Capitol Hill\, within government agencies\, in the courts\, and on the campaign trail draws connections between decisions made by elected officials and their impact on the ground. She has broken stories on the Covid-19 response\, the strategies of both anti-abortion and pro-abortion-rights groups\, and both the Biden and Trump transitions. \n\n\n\nAlice graduated from Oberlin College in 2010 and has been reporting in D.C. ever since\, covering the Supreme Court\, Congress and national elections for TV\, radio\, print\, and online outlets. Her work has aired on Free Speech Radio News\, All Things Considered\, WAMU and WTOP\, and her writing has been published by Talking Points Memo\, The Atlantic\, and La Opinión. She was elected in 2016 as an at-large board member of the DC Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2017\, she was named one of the New Media Alliance’s “Rising Stars” under 30. She is the author of a forthcoming book on the broader health care impacts of post-Roe abortion restrictions\, set to be published by The New Press. \n\n\n\nAlice grew up in Santa Monica\, California and began freelancing for local newspapers in her early teens. When not working on a story\, she can be found riding her bicycle around the region\, attempting to grow vegetables in her backyard\, and playing with her nephews. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChris Geidner\n\n\n\nLaw DorkChris Geidner is an award-winning journalist who covers the Supreme Court\, law\, and politics at Law Dork. His more than two decades in journalism includes widely recognized coverage of the courts\, LGBTQ issues\, the criminal legal system\, and other complex legal and political questions. \n\n\n\nHe previously worked as the Supreme Court correspondent and legal editor at BuzzFeed News and has written for many publications\, including The New York Times and MSNBC. Among other recognition\, Geidner was named Journalist of the Year by NLGJA\, the LGBTQ journalists’ association\, in 2014. \n\n\n\nBefore moving to Washington\, D.C.\, in 2009\, Geidner was a practicing lawyer in Columbus\, Ohio. He attended Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law\, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Ohio State Law Journal. It was in law school that Geidner originally started the Law Dork blog. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAlison Tanner\n\n\n\nSenior litigation counsel for reproductive rights and health\, National Women’s Law CenterAlison Tanner (she/her) litigates cases defending and expanding access to reproductive health care\, including emergency abortion care and assisted reproductive technologies. \n\n\n\nPreviously\, she was a staff attorney at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the Steven Gey Constitutional Litigation Fellow at Americans United for Separation of Church and State. She graduated magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center\, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/health-care-in-supreme-court-a-prep-session-for-a-big-june/ CATEGORIES:Health Equity,Health Policy,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/health-care-in-court-webinar-featured-img.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250529T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250601T235959 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20241218T171428Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241218T171436Z UID:57800-1748476800-1748822399@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Health Journalism 2025 DESCRIPTION:Get ready to join us on the West Coast! The Association of Health Care Journalists is thrilled to announce Health Journalism 2025 will take place in Los Angeles from May 29 to June 1\, with four days of fun field trips\, inspiring sessions\, hands-on workshops and invaluable networking opportunities.  \n\n\n\n“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in L.A.\, hopefully including a large contingent of our West Coast members and friends\,” said Felice J. Freyer\, AHCJ board president. “We try to vary our location to accommodate folks far and wide. What doesn’t vary\, though\, is the quality of the learning and networking you’ll always experience at AHCJ’s annual conference.” \n\n\n\nIn a time when the pursuit of truth and accountability is more critical than ever\, join us for a vital gathering of journalists\, health care professionals\, policymakers and experts to confront the pressing challenges and opportunities shaping health care and journalism today.   \n\n\n\nThis year’s conference will also include the 21st annual Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism\, which are now accepting entries. \n\n\n\nHealth Journalism 2025 will feature an inspiring lineup of keynote speakers\, hands-on workshops\, thought-provoking panel discussions\, immersive field trips\, and powerful networking opportunities. This is more than a conference – it’s a platform to strengthen your reporting\, amplify underrepresented voices and explore the vital intersections of health\, equity and policy in a rapidly evolving landscape. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/training-events/health-journalism-2025/ CATEGORIES:Annual Conference ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Los-Angeles-HJ25-banner.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250709T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250709T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250620T202914Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T202953Z UID:59889-1752066000-1752069600@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Rest deprived? Why rest\, not just sleep\, matters DESCRIPTION:If you’re getting sufficient sleep but still feeling mentally burnt out\, at a loss for creativity\, or frequently distracted\, the solution isn’t necessarily quitting your job or taking a vacation—it’s understanding what types of rest you really need and how to get them most effectively. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIn this webinar co-hosted by the National Association of Science Writers and the Association of Health Care Journalists\, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith\, an internal medicine physician\, will talk about the seven types of rest—from physical and sensory to creative and social—and how health and science communicators can recharge in ways that support their craft without sacrificing other aspects of their lives. \n\n\n\nThe session\, moderated by NASW’s Joy Drohan and AHCJ’s Anna Medaris\, will include plenty of time for Q&A with Dr. Dalton-Smith\, author of “Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life\, Renew Your Energy\, Restore Your Sanity.” \n\n\n\nAttendees are invited to look over or take Dr. Dalton-Smith’s free “Rest Quiz” beforehand\, an option that includes submitting contact information for Dr. Dalton-Smith’s mailing list. \n\n\n\nRegistration is free and open to all interested professionals and students. \n\n\n\nThe webinar recording will be made available to NASW members. \n\n\n\nA reminder that per NASW’s Code of Conduct attendees must use their name as their Zoom display name in order to be admitted. Please review the code for additional expected behaviors. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nAnna Medaris\n\n\n\nAHCJ Freelance Health Beat LeaderIndependent journalistAnna Medaris is a freelance health and lifestyle journalist with 15 years of experience writing features\, narratives\, explainers\, and news hits for publications including the Washington Post\, Women’s Health\, Vox\, Cosmopolitan\, US New & World Report\, Everyday Health\, AARP\, Monitor on Psychology\, among others. She left her last full-time role as health correspondent for Business Insider to go freelance full time in June 2023. \n\n\n\nAnna is passionate about\, and skilled in\, telling sensitive human-interest stories\, critiquing quirky cultural trends\, and answering questions you didn’t know you had. She’s appeared on the “TODAY Show\,” “Good Morning America\,” Hulu’s “Age of Influence\,” and many podcasts and local TV and radio stations. Anna also serves as AHCJ’s New York City chapter lead and as a writing coach through the New York Writing Room. She graduated with high honors from the University of Michigan in 2009 and later earned her master’s in interactive journalism from American University. She’s an avid swimmer who lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their basset rescue\, Lou Longbody. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nJoy Drohan\n\n\n\nIndependent science writer and editorJoy is an independent environmental science writer and editor with three decades of experience in translating complex environmental topics into clear\, compelling narratives. She has authored or edited a wide range of scientific and popular materials\, including books\, peer-reviewed journal articles\, grant proposals\, reports\, web content\, magazine articles\, and educational curricula. \n\n\n\nHer experience includes water quality\, watershed management\, PFAS\, microplastics\, hydrogeology\, sea-level rise\, wildfire ecology\, natural gas development\, waste management\, and risk communication. \n\n\n\nHer clients reflect the breadth and depth of her expertise. She has worked with leading universities (Penn State\, North Carolina State University\, University of Maryland)\, national and state environmental agencies (National Park Service\, US Department of Agriculture\, US Fish and Wildlife Service)\, publishers (W. W. Norton & Co.\, Island Press\, Santa Fe Institute Press)\, scientific and nonprofit organizations (Interstate Technology Regulatory Council\, American Society for Enology and Viticulture\, The Conservation Fund)\, and private companies. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSaundra Dalton-Smith\, M.D.\n\n\n\nInternal medicine physician\, speaker and authorDr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a Board-Certified internal medicine physician\, speaker\, and award-winning author. She is an international well-being thought-leader featured in numerous media outlets\, including Prevention\, MSNBC\, Women’s Day\, FOX\, Fast Company\, Psychology Today\, INC\, CNN Health\, and TED.com. \n\n\n\nShe is the author of numerous books\, including her bestseller “Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life\, Renew Your Energy\, Restore Your Sanity\,” which includes insight on the seven types of rest needed to optimize your productivity\, increase your overall happiness\, overcome burnout\, and live your best life. Her newest book is “Being Fully Known: The Joyful Satisfaction of Beholding\, Becoming\, and Belonging.” More than 250\,000 people have discovered their personal rest deficits using her free assessment at RestQuiz.com. Learn more about Dr. Saundra at DrDaltonSmith.com. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThis event is not intended to be a substitute for therapy. We encourage participants to use the resources below to explore therapy or other forms of professional help as needed. If you have thoughts of harming yourself or others\, please contact a doctor immediately and/or contact: \n\n\n\n988lifeline.org or dial or text 988 (Available in 240 languages within the United States) \n\n\n\nAdditional resources for mental health support\, many of which are specific to media\, can be found at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. This re-cap of the October 2020 ScienceWriters session “Taking care of yourself” has some tips and links to additional resources\, as well. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/rest-deprived-why-rest-not-just-sleep-matters/ CATEGORIES:Freelancers,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/why-rest-not-just-sleep-matters-webinar-img-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250716T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250716T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250708T171925Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250708T174100Z UID:60159-1752670800-1752674400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:AHCJ German Health Care Study Group informational webinar DESCRIPTION:Join us for an informational webinar about the AHCJ German Health Care Study Group\, a weeklong\, immersive experience in Berlin this October. Selected U.S.-based journalists will explore Germany’s health system — one that delivers universal coverage and strong outcomes without medical debt. \n\n\n\nSupported by The Commonwealth Fund\, the program covers airfare\, lodging\, meals\, local transportation and more. Participants will leave with deeply reported stories and new perspectives on cost\, coverage\, equity and care delivery. \n\n\n\nLearn how to apply\, ask questions about the program and get tips for strengthening your application. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/ahcj-german-health-care-study-group-informational-webinar/ CATEGORIES:Fellowships,Webinar END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250801T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250801T150000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250717T200012Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250722T145809Z UID:60334-1754056800-1754060400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:From big picture to local story: Reporting on the impact of the megabill DESCRIPTION:The 2026 budget act signed into law on July 4 will impact the health of millions of Americans — especially those on Medicaid and other safety net programs including SNAP. How can journalists wrap their arms around these massive changes? \n\n\n\nPanelists will highlight what aspects journalists should pay close attention to right now and how to use the power of storytelling to make these coming changes real for audiences. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nLara Salahi\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Health EquityLara Salahi is AHCJ’s health beat leader on health equity. She’s an award-winning\, independent health journalist based in Boston\, whose work has appeared in local\, national and international television and digital news outlets. She is also the Distinguished Professor of Journalism at Endicott College in Beverley\, Mass. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nJoe Burns\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Health Policy and InsuranceJoseph Burns is AHCJ’s health beat leader on health policy and insurance. He’s an independent journalist based in Brewster\, Mass.\, who has covered health care\, health policy and the business of care since 1991. Burns has written for a variety of publications\, including The New York Times\, Fortune\, Hospitals & Health Networks\, and Medical Economics\, among others. \n\n\n\nEarly in his journalism career\, Burns worked as a reporter in Connecticut\, first for The Wallingford Post (a weekly)\, and then The Meriden Record-Journal (a daily)\, and later for The Hartford Courant (the largest daily newspaper in the state and the nation’s oldest newspaper). For The Courant\, he was a reporter\, copy editor and regional news editor. During this time\, he also taught news writing at the University of Connecticut. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJoanne Kenen\n\n\n\nJournalist-in-Residence\, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthContributing writer\, Politico MagazineLong-time health reporter on and off Capitol Hill. Oversaw all the health coverage at Politico for about a decade – now I’m a contributing writer to Politico Magazine\, and the Journalist-in-Residence at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health\, where I also teach. I’m a regular on the KHN “What the Health” podcast. I was AHCJ’s first topic leader (on health reform) and the conferences are a highlight of my year. @JoanneKenen \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKristen Jordan Shamus\n\n\n\nHealth reporter\, Detroit Free PressShamus’ work has taken her across the Mitten State\, the U.S. and to Europe. There\, she covered the stories of children who were evacuated from war-torn Ukraine to eastern Poland. She also led coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on Michiganders. \n\n\n\nOver the past two decades\, Shamus has worked as a reporter\, an editor and columnist including at the Oakland Press and the News-Herald Newspapers. Shamus was among 20 journalists selected in 2019 for a National Press Foundation fellowship\, was a Mayo Clinic-Cronkite Medical Journalism fellow and a finalist for three consecutive years for the Richard Milliman Michigan Journalist of the Year award from the Michigan Press Association Foundation. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKatherine Hempstead\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nSenior policy officer\, Robert Wood Johnson FoundationHempstead works on healthcare issues\, mostly those related to health insurance\, costs\, and access to care\, using data and analyses to illuminate policy discussions at the federal and state levels. She is particularly interested making new sources of data that can inform policy available to researchers and the public sector. Hempstead frequently speaks and writes about health insurance and other healthcare topics. She is also an active researcher\, and has authored numerous articles in the peer reviewed literature. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/from-big-picture-to-local-story-reporting-on-the-impact-of-the-megabill-2/ CATEGORIES:Aging,Event,Health Equity,Health Policy,Insurance,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/32-Upcoming-Webinar-Newsletter-Ad-18.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250819T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250819T150000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250814T203629Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250819T212318Z UID:60688-1755612000-1755615600@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Reporting on 'sweeps' and the criminalization of homelessness: How to handle the story DESCRIPTION:The Trump administration is making clear its intention to banish\, arrest or imprison people who are homeless in the nation’s capital\, as well as threatening forced treatment for those struggling with substance use disorders. But front-line workers\, activists and experts are expressing skepticism about this old and failed approach to homelessness.  \n\n\n\nSo what is the state of affairs in D.C.? How are people who work on homelessness responding to the impending campaign\, and what is the likelihood that other cities will take a similar approach? This webinar will equip reporters to cover the story in their own cities and towns with guidance from a national reporter who is covering the D.C. story\, an addiction researcher\, a longtime activist and a journalist who did a year-long project on homelessness. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nKatia Riddle\n\n\n\nHealth correspondent\, NPRFormer AHCJ fellow \n\n\n\nKatia Riddle is a correspondent at NPR covering mental health. She has reported extensively on the impact of events such as Hurricane Helene\, Los Angeles wildfires and the loneliness epidemic. \n\n\n\nPrior to her current role\, she covered public health including reproductive rights and homelessness. She won a 2024 Gracie Award for a series on reproductive rights\, and was an AHCJ U.S. Health System Reporting Fellow from 2023-2024. \n\n\n\nRiddle lives in Portland\, Oregon with her husband and three kids. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhoto by Nancie Battaglia\n\n\n\n\n\n\nBrian Mann\n\n\n\nNational addiction correspondent\, NPRBrian Mann is NPR’s first national addiction correspondent. He also covers breaking news in the U.S. and around the world. \n\n\n\nMann began covering drug policy and the opioid crisis as part of a partnership between NPR and North Country Public Radio in New York. After joining NPR full time in 2020\, Mann was one of the first national journalists to track the deadly spread of the synthetic opioid fentanyl\, reporting from California and Washington state to West Virginia. \n\n\n\nAfter losing his father and stepbrother to substance abuse\, Mann’s reporting breaks down the stigma surrounding addiction and creates a factual basis for the ongoing national discussion. \n\n\n\nMann has also served on NPR teams covering the Beijing Winter Olympics and the war in Ukraine. \n\n\n\nDuring a career in public radio that began in the 1980s\, Mann has won numerous regional and national Edward R. Murrow awards. He is author of a 2006 book about small town politics called Welcome to the Homeland\, described by The Atlantic as “one of the best books to date on the putative-red-blue divide.” \n\n\n\nMann grew up in Alaska and is now based in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. His audio postcards\, broadcast on NPR\, describe his backcountry trips into wild places around the world. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKeith Humphreys\, OBE\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nEsther Ting Memorial Professor\, Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesCIGH fellow\, Stanford Center for Innovation in Global HealthKeith Humphreys is the Esther Ting Memorial Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. His research addresses addictive disorders and the translation of science into public policy.  In addition to over 400 scientific publications\, he has written extensively for outlets like The Washington Post and The Atlantic. \n\n\n\nDr. Humphreys’ public policy work includes testimonies to U.S. House and Senate Committees\, to the Canadian and U.K. parliaments\, and in many state legislatures. He served on the White House Commission on Drug-Free Communities during the Bush Administration and as Senior Policy Advisor in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Obama. He created and co-directs the Stanford Network on Addiction Policy\, which brings scientists and policy makers together to improve public policies regarding addictive substances. To recognize his service to addiction-related scholarship and policy\, Queen Elizabeth II made him an Honorary Officer in the Order of the British Empire in 2022. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nLisa Daugaard\n\n\n\nCo-executive director/policy\, Purpose. Dignity. Action.Lisa Daugaard is Co-Executive Director/Policy at Purpose. Dignity. Action. (PDA)\, formerly the Public Defender Association\, based in Seattle. She joined the Defender Association in 1996 as a public defense staff attorney\, later served in multiple management positions and led TDA’s Racial Disparity Project\, combatting racial discrimination in\, and generated by\, the criminal legal system at the height of mass incarceration\, from 2000-2013. \n\n\n\nFrom 2001-2008\, Lisa led a successful selective enforcement litigation challenge to drug arrests of Black people in Seattle. The settlement of that litigation effort resulted in an agreement by SPD and the King County Prosecutor’s Office to launch a pilot pre-booking diversion framework for drug offenses\, which came into being in 2011 as the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) model. Lisa was founding Co-Chair of the Seattle Community Police Commission\, & served on the CPC until 2019.  \n\n\n\nIn 2019\, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for work building consensus around community-based responses to illegal behavior related to unmet behavioral health needs and extreme poverty. From 2020-present\, she has helped design and implement JustCARE\, a response to unsheltered homelessness in the Seattle area combining low-barrier entry with non-congregate shelter\, intensive case management\, and aftercare\, that has allowed resolution of over 40 large encampments without dispersal or displacement of individuals to other areas. \n\n\n\nLisa grew up in the Seattle area\, attended the University of Washington\, was an anti-apartheid activist at Cornell University in the mid-1980s while occasionally attending class and earning an MA\, and obtained her JD from Yale Law School (class of 1992). After law school\, she worked in New York City as a fellow at the ACLU National Legal Department\, leading a successful challenge to the first US detention camp at Guantanamo (for HIV-positive Haitian asylum seekers); as Legal Director of the Coalition for the Homeless; and as Organizing Project Director at the Urban Justice Center. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/reporting-on-sweeps-and-the-criminalization-of-homelessness-how-to-handle-the-story/ CATEGORIES:Event,Health Equity,Health Policy,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Criminalization-of-homelessness-updated-image-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250821T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250821T173000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250505T185414Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250722T202717Z UID:59446-1755763200-1755797400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Rural Health Journalism Workshop DESCRIPTION:AHCJ will help you understand the implications of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and other changes to federal policy that have occurred since January at the annual Rural Health Workshop on August 21 in Atlanta. \n\n\n\nWe’ll also dig into: \n\n\n\n\nWhat Georgia learned from its experiment with a Medicaid work requirement\, also part of the budget bill.\n\n\n\nHow rural infrastructure affects access to health care\, especially broadband and public transportation.\n\n\n\nWhat’s happening with efforts to rebuild the rural health care workforce and how that work could be affected by immigration visa changes and other federal policies.\n\n\n\nTrends in opioid use\, overdose and treatment.\n\n\n\nWhere to find good\, reliable data in a “disappearing data” environment. \n\n\n\n\nBook your hotel room in the AHCJ block at the Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Hotel by July 29 to receive the discounted rate. \n\n\n\nRegistration (advance registration includes lunch): \n\n\n\n\nMembers: $30\n\n\n\nNon-members: $45\n\n\n\nNon-members + a six-month AHCJ membership: $75\n\n\n\nPR/PIO: $100\n\n\n\n\nAfter advance registration closes on August 7\, on-site registration will be available at the event: $60 (AHCJ members) and $80 (non-members). Please note: on-site registration does not include meals. \n\n\n\nScholarships are available to offset registration and hotel costs. Contact Andrea Waner for more information. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/training-events/workshops-summits/2025-rural-health-journalism-workshop/ LOCATION:Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Hotel\, 1 Hartsfield Center Pkwy\, Atlanta\, Georgia\, 30354\, United States CATEGORIES:Event,Workshops | Summits ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/AHCJ-Fallback-Image-Hi-res.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250911T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250911T120000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250902T205926Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250911T203133Z UID:60891-1757588400-1757592000@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Preparing for reporting on autism\, vaccines and related science DESCRIPTION:Join moderator Tara Haelle and an expert panel — including Paul Offit\, M.D. (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)\, and Jessica B. Steier\, DrPH\, PMP (Founder and CEO of Unbiased Science) — for a webinar that will help reporters navigate the science behind autism\, vaccines\, and the expected Health and Human Services report on autism causes. \n\n\n\nFacilitated by: Jesse Goodman\, M.D.\, MPH\, Chair of the E-VAT — Expert Vaccine Analysis Team. \n\n\n\nDon’t miss this opportunity to get the context and insights you need to report accurately and confidently. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases & Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPaul A. Offit\, M.D.\n\n\n\nDirector\, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Vaccine Education CenterMaurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology\, University of PennsylvaniaPaul A. Offit\, M.D.\, is the Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as well as the Maurice R. Hilleman Professor of Vaccinology and a Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Offit is currently a voting member on the FDA’s Vaccine Advisory Committee and has previously served on the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices to the CDC. He is also the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine\, RotaTeq\, recommended for universal use in infants by the CDC in 2006 and by the WHO in 2013. This vaccine was estimated recently to save about 165\,000 lives a year. He is also the author of 11 books written for the public about science\, medicine\, and vaccines.   \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJessica Steier\, DrPH\, PMP\n\n\n\nFounder and CEO\, Unbiased ScienceAn accomplished public health expert specializing in science communication\, Dr. Jessica Steier is committed to providing clients — and the general public — with accurate\, unbiased\, and methodologically sound information. Through her podcast and other public avenues\, she strives to connect citizens with accurate evidence about the forces that affect all of our lives. \n\n\n\nWhile working in both the private sector and academia\, she has built a career founded on providing data-driven solutions in real-world environments and communicating the importance of “old school” scientific values in contemporary education and public discourse. At her professional core\, Steier is dedicated to rigorous scientific inquiry and bettering the health and welfare of communities. \n\n\n\nShe is the CEO of Vital Statistics Consulting (VSC)\, which specializes in health program and policy evaluation using data science and advanced analytics. With a team of expert consultants\, VSC helps its clients improve healthcare outcomes while managing the cost challenges of this demanding sector. \n\n\n\nSteier is also the founder of “Unbiased Science.” It underpins a diverse social media platform dedicated to translating complex scientific concepts into everyday language. The essence of this endeavor is pushing back against the wave of pseudoscience and misinformation that the Internet and other social forces have recently unleashed. Its motto — “No Nonsense\, Just Science” — is meant to capture Steier’s direct and impassioned approach to disseminating technical knowledge in our technologically-driven culture. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFacilitator\n\n\n\n\nJesse L. Goodman\, M.D.\, M.P.H.\n\n\n\nDirector\, Georgetown University COMPASSProfessor of medicine and infectious diseasesChair\, Expert Vaccine Analysis Team (E-VAT)Jesse L. Goodman\, M.D.\, MPH is Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases and Attending Physician at Georgetown University. He was previously Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota where his laboratory isolated the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis. \n\n\n\nFrom 2003-2009\, he served as Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)\, regulating vaccines\, blood and cell and gene therapies\, and then as Chief Scientist of the U.S. FDA until 2014\, serving in U.S. leadership for numerous public health responses. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has served on numerous WHO\, CDC\, NIH\, NAM and other advisory committees and previously served as a member of GSK’s board\, chairing its science committee. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/preparing-for-reporting-on-autism-vaccines-and-related-science/ CATEGORIES:Health Policy,Infectious Diseases,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Autism-and-vaccines-webinar-Sept-11.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250916T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250916T150000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250908T211125Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250908T211132Z UID:60951-1758031200-1758034800@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:AI chatbots and mental health: How to report responsibly on a new risk DESCRIPTION:Artificial intelligence-powered chatbots can provide round-the-clock access to supportive “conversations\,” which some people are using as a substitute for interactions with licensed mental health clinicians or friends. But users may develop dependencies on the tools and mistake these transactions for real relationships with people or true therapy. Recent news stories have discussed the dangers of chatbots’ fabricated\, supportive nature. In some incidents\, people developed AI-related psychosis or were supported in their plans to commit suicide. \n\n\n\nWhat is it about this technology that sucks people in? Who is at risk? How can you report on these conditions sensitively? Join moderator Karen Blum and an expert panel\, including psychiatrists John Torous\, M.D. (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center); Keith Sakata\, M.D. (UC San Francisco)\, and Mashable Senior Reporter Rebecca Ruiz\, to learn more. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nKaren Blum\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Health ITKaren Blum is AHCJ’s health beat leader for health IT. She’s an independent health and science journalist\, based in the Baltimore area. She has written for publications such as the Baltimore Sun\, Pharmacy Practice News\, Clinical Oncology News\, Clinical Laboratory News\, Cancer Today\, CURE\, AARP.org\, General Surgery News and Infectious Disease Special Edition; covered numerous medical conferences for trade magazines and news services; and written many profiles and articles on medical and science research as well as trends in health care and health IT. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) and chairs its Virtual Education Committee; and a member of the National Association of Science Writers (NASW) and its freelance committee. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRebecca Ruiz\n\n\n\nSenior reporter\, MashableRebecca Ruiz is a Senior Reporter at Mashable. She frequently covers mental health\, digital culture\, and technology. Her areas of expertise include suicide prevention\, screen use and mental health\, parenting\, youth well-being\, and meditation and mindfulness. Rebecca’s experience prior to Mashable includes working as a staff writer\, reporter\, and editor at NBC News Digital and as a staff writer at Forbes. Rebecca has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a master’s degree from UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKeith Sakata\, M.D.\n\n\n\nPsychiatry resident\, UC San FranciscoKeith Sakata\, M.D.\, is a psychiatry resident at the University of California\, San Francisco\, where he founded the Mental Health Innovation and Digital Hub (MINDHub) to advance AI-enabled care delivery. He provides treatment and psychotherapy across outpatient and specialty clinics\, with a focus on dual diagnosis\, PTSD\, OCD\, pain\, and addiction. \n\n\n\nDr. Sakata previously trained in internal medicine at Stanford Health Care and co-founded Skript\, a diagnostic training platform adopted by UCSF and Stanford that improved medical education outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. He currently serves as Clinical Lead at Sunflower\, an addiction recovery startup. He also helps and advises startups working to improve access in mental health: including Two Chairs\, and Circuit Breaker Labs\, which is providing a safety layer for AI tools in mental health care. \n\n\n\nHis professional interests bridge psychiatry\, neuroscience\, and digital innovation. Dr. Sakata holds a B.S. in Neurobiology from UC Irvine and earned his M.D. from UCSF. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJohn Torous\, M.D.\, MBI\n\n\n\nDirector\, Digital Psychiatry\, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterJohn Torous\, M.D.\, MBI\, is director of the digital psychiatry division in the Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)\, a Harvard Medical School-affiliated teaching hospital\, where he also serves as a staff psychiatrist and associate professor. He has a background in electrical engineering and computer sciences and received an undergraduate degree in the field from UC Berkeley before attending medical school at UC San Diego. He completed his psychiatry residency\, fellowship in clinical informatics and master’s degree in biomedical informatics at Harvard. \n\n\n\nTorous is active in investigating the potential of mobile mental health technologies for psychiatry and his team supports mindapps.org as the largest database of mental health apps\, the mindLAMP technology platform for scalable digital phenotyping and intervention\, and the Digital Navigator program to promote digital equity and access. Torous has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles and five book chapters on the topic. He directs the Digital Psychiatry Clinic at BIDMC\, which seeks to improve access to and quality of mental health care through augmenting treatment with digital innovations. \n\n\n\nTorous serves as editor-in-chief for the journal JMIR Mental Health\, web editor for JAMA Psychiatry\, and a member of various American Psychiatric Association committees. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/ai-chatbots-and-mental-health-how-to-report-responsibly-on-a-new-risk/ CATEGORIES:Health IT,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/AI-chatbots-and-mental-health-crises-webinar-img-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250918T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250918T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250812T233626Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250902T214727Z UID:60664-1758200400-1758204000@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Lunch and Learn: Let's talk about money DESCRIPTION:Let’s talk about money. As in…how are you making it? Do you balance journalism with content writing—and if so\, how do you manage potential conflicts? Do you have side gigs\, such as teaching or editing/proofreading/factchecking (or even a part-time job)? Do you make money from a Substack column or YouTube channel or other alternative platform? We’d love to hear about it. \n\n\n\nAt AHCJ’s Lunch and Learns\, freelancer members chat about a designated topic over Zoom every third Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. ET. Registration is now required for Lunch and Learns. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/lunch-and-learn-lets-talk-about-money/ CATEGORIES:Event,Freelancers,Lunch and Learn ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lunch-and-Learn-Logo.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250924T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250924T150000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250902T204529Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250924T220016Z UID:60893-1758722400-1758726000@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:U.S. Health System Reporting Fellowship and International Health Study Fellowship informational webinar DESCRIPTION:Applications are now open for two of our most competitive and career-changing reporting fellowships: The U.S. Health System Reporting Fellowship and the AHCJ International Health Study Fellowship. These fellowships are your chance to take on ambitious projects\, sharpen your skills and bring vital health stories to life with the time\, resources and support you need. \n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, you’ll hear from the Association of Health Care Journalists and program alumni to learn about these opportunities to advance the craft of health journalism and encourage nuanced\, informed reporting that can drive meaningful change in health care systems worldwide. Start working on your project pitches\, talk to your editors and apply early! URL:https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2025/09/2025-fellowship-live-qa-session/ CATEGORIES:Fellowships,Webinar END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250925T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250925T200000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250918T192956Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250918T192959Z UID:61089-1758823200-1758830400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Reporting on GLP-1s and eating disorders DESCRIPTION:A few years after drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy hit the mainstream\, stories about their widespread use and unexpected consequences (for better and worse) continue to capture readers’ and editors’ attention. What angles still need to be explored\, particularly when it comes to how the meds might both exacerbate and quell eating disorder symptoms? What do mental health professionals and obesity medicine specialists think journalists have gotten wrong or have overlooked? \n\n\n\nIn partnership with Equip\, AHCJ New York invites you to an intimate panel discussion featuring Equip co-founder and clinical psychologist Erin Parks\, Bea Better Eating co-founder and clinical psychologist Sera Lavelle\, and likely one physician with relevant expertise. Anna Medaris\, who’s covered everything from GLP-1s’ promise in addiction medicine to their infiltration in the running community and their psychological implications\, will moderate. Refreshments will be served. \n\n\n\n\nThe Malin NoMad387 Park Ave South\, 5th FloorNew York\, NY\n\n\n\n\nRSVP by emailing Anna Medaris at the link below before Sept. 23 to ensure entry. \n\n\n\nRSVP here URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/reporting-on-glp-1s-and-eating-disorders/ CATEGORIES:Event,Freelancers END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251001T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251001T183000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250918T194400Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250918T194403Z UID:61094-1759339800-1759343400@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Fiction writing 101 (postponed from July) DESCRIPTION:Our fiction-writing workshop featuring POLITICO health reporter-turned-novelist Amanda Eisenberg was postponed from July 31 due to the crazy flooding risk that day. Here’s the description: \n\n\n\nHave you always dreamed of writing a novel — or even a short story? Are you a strong writer — maybe of briefs\, press releases\, or news articles — but don’t know how (or why) to write when you’re\, well\, making stuff up? \n\n\n\nJoin journalist Anna Medaris\, head of the Association of Health Care Journalist’s New York chapter\, in conversation with journalist-turned-novelist Amanda Eisenberg as they discuss the differences and similarities between fiction and nonfiction writing\, why everyone should give more creative writing a try\, and how to get started. \n\n\n\nThe pair will also lead the group in a few writing exercises and leave time for Q&A\, mingling\, and workshopping ideas amongst a judgment-free crowd. \n\n\n\n\nThe Luminary1204 Broadway (check in on 4th Floor; event is 3rd floor)New York\, NY\n\n\n\n\nRSVP: If you registered for the original event\, you automatically have a spot at the new one. If you didn’t\, there are still some tickets available here. Unless you happen to be a Luminary member\, please select the “in-person guest of speakers” option. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/fiction-writing-101-postponed-from-july/ CATEGORIES:Event,Freelancers END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251009T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251009T130000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250925T164102Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251009T214506Z UID:61129-1760011200-1760014800@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:How the budget bill will impact older adults: What journalists should know DESCRIPTION:H.R. 1\, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill\,” imposes $1 trillion in funding cuts\, along with sweeping reforms to Medicaid\, Medicare and safety net programs like food assistance. The law adds new work requirements for Medicaid recipients under the age of 65; puts home and community-based services at risk; pauses minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes; makes it harder for seniors and those with disabilities to enroll in Medicaid or get help with Medicare premiums; and triggers future cuts to the Medicare program directly. \n\n\n\nOur expert panel will discuss how these massive changes will harm older adults and the families who care for them\, including undermining the care and support they need to remain at home and in their communities. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nLiz Seegert\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for AgingLiz Seegert is AHCJ’s health beat leader on aging. She’s an award-winning\, independent health journalist based in New York’s Hudson Valley\, who writes about caregiving\, dementia\, access to care\, nursing homes and policy. Seegert is also a contributing writer for Fortune.com\, the American Journal of Nursing\, and PBS/NextAvenue.org\, reporting on myriad health topics\, including social determinants of health and women’s health. \n\n\n\nShe has written for TIME Health\, The Wirecutter\, Money.com\, Medscape\, Consumer Reports\, The Guardian and Medical Economics\, as well as dozens of other trade and mainstream media. Her articles have been syndicated in Forbes.com\, the Los Angeles Times\, the Hartford Courant\, The Saturday Evening Post and other major outlets. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAmber Christ\, J.D.\n\n\n\nManaging director of health advocacy\, Justice in AgingChrist leads Justice in Aging’s team of health attorneys and policy advocates in developing and implementing the team’s projects and initiatives to improve equitable access to health care and long-term services and supports for low-income and marginalized older adults across the country. Christ is a national Medicare and Medicaid expert with a focus on programs and policies impacting people who are dually eligible for both programs. She joined Justice in Aging in 2013 and is a 2006 graduate of Washington University of Law School in St. Louis. She serves on the boards of the Family Caregiver Alliance and Legal Aid of Western Missouri. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRachel Werner\, M.D.\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nExecutive director\, Leonard Davis Institute of Health EconomicsRobert D. Eilers Memorial – William Maul Measey Professorship in Health Care Management and Economics\, Wharton SchoolProfessor of medicine\, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of MedicineOver the past 20 years\, Dr. Werner has built a foundational research program examining the effects of health care financing\, payment\, and related policies on health care delivery and patient outcomes. She is a nationally recognized expert in Medicare and Medicaid policy\, particularly as it related to the care of older adults. She received her medical degree and doctoral degree in Health Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/how-the-budget-bill-will-impact-older-adults-what-journalists-should-know/ CATEGORIES:Aging,Event,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/How-budget-bill-will-impact-older-adults-webinar-image.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251016T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251016T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250812T234007Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251006T191041Z UID:60667-1760619600-1760623200@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Lunch and Learn: AI and you DESCRIPTION:It’s been a while since we first broached the subject of AI and freelance journalism\, and so much has changed. We’ll share how we’re using AI in research\, drafts\, headlines — even to enhance pitches or check for similar articles on the topic. And we’ll discuss how our client publications are responding — some may be using AI\, some may be prohibiting its use. Randy Dotinga will start us off with his experiences and insights. \n\n\n\nAt AHCJ’s Lunch and Learns\, freelancer members chat about a designated topic over Zoom every third Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. ET. Registration is now required for Lunch and Learns and is only available to current freelance AHCJ members. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/lunch-and-learn-ai-and-you/ CATEGORIES:Event,Freelancers,Lunch and Learn ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lunch-and-Learn-Logo.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251114T235959 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250724T160850Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250926T203235Z UID:60426-1762992000-1763164799@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Research reset: Covering promising paths to better health | 2025 Fall Summit DESCRIPTION:AHCJ’s fall summit\, “Research reset: Covering promising paths to better health\,” is designed to help reporters learn to identify and report on health research questions\, overlooked opportunities and innovative models that could transform health. \n\n\n\nUntil recently\, the U.S. consistently invested more in health research than any other country. Yet it has experienced poor health outcomes compared to other affluent nations. This day-and-a-half event will explore that disconnect\, the current funding environment and promising approaches to alleviating some of the nation’s most pressing health problems. \n\n\n\nThe summit will take place Nov. 13-14 in New York City\, at the Graduate by Hilton New York on Roosevelt Island. Registration is now open\, and closes Oct. 29. A half-day field trip at the conclusion of the summit will give participants an opportunity to learn about the public health history of Roosevelt Island where Nellie Bly made her name as a muckraker after she posed as a person with a mental illness to investigate conditions inside a women’s asylum there. \n\n\n\nAHCJ’s fall summit this year takes a step back to look at the history of research funding in the U.S.\, its likely future and the growing recognition that research could more directly result in improvements to the health of Americans. The summit will highlight areas of health research that have not\, traditionally\, been well-funded and more closely examine the value of projects that have been pursued outside traditional channels. \n\n\n\nSessions will explore: \n\n\n\n\nHow funding decisions were made\, how they’re made now\, and how researchers are navigating the shifting research landscape.\n\n\n\nWhat journalists can learn from unconventional leaders in the health care system — community groups\, trusted messengers\, and people with unconventional expertise — who take community-based approaches to the same outcomes as the more traditional research enterprise.\n\n\n\nHow to cover the changing landscape\, with some hands-on guidance on how to identify solid information and sources; and how to find stories about research on diverse communities.\n\n\n\nHow journalists can report responsibly on the many health issues that research barely touches\, including menopause\, men’s mental health and many rare diseases.\n\n\n\n\n\nGraduate by Hilton New York22 N Loop RdNew York City\n\n\n\n\nBook a hotel room\n\n\n\nSpecial thanks to The Doris Duke Foundation\, the sponsor of the summit. The Commonwealth Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have also provided support for this event. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/training-events/workshops-summits/2025-fall-summit-research-reset/ CATEGORIES:Event,Workshops | Summits ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/FALL-SUMMIT-2025-LOGO-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251119T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251119T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20251030T171007Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T214050Z UID:61531-1763557200-1763560800@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Trust\, public health reporting and the CDC: Insider perspectives DESCRIPTION:A lot has happened this year at the CDC with walkouts\, layoffs and the disappearance of data and reports\, presenting major challenges for journalists who report on public health. Especially when reporting on infectious disease\, the compromising of the CDC as a source of public health data and up-to-date information about outbreaks has huge implications for public health. But that’s not all that has been lost — not by a long shot. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has also undermined the CDC as a source of trustworthy information about drug use/harm reduction\, autism\, chronic disease and diet. \n\n\n\nAlthough the dismantling of the CDC has cost the country its oldest\, most stalwart resource for public health information\, the CDC diaspora has not vanished in silence. Join us for a conversation with former CDC officials Deb Houry\, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science; Demetre Daskalakis\, former Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; and Daniel Jernigan\, former Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Moderated by AHCJ Health Beat Leader Tara Haelle\, the discussion will explore: \n\n\n\n\nWhere journalists should turn for the reliable\, evidence-based reporting resources that formerly had a home at the CDC’s web pages.\n\n\n\nWho\, if anyone\, has taken over data collection and communication about infectious disease.\n\n\n\nWhat is missing\, now\, from the national public health picture.\n\n\n\nTheir biggest worries about the potential consequences of the loss of this body of expertise and communication.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases & Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. She specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDemetre C. Daskalakis\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nFormer Director\, CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory DiseasesDr. Demetre C. Daskalakis\, M.D.\, MPH\, is a nationally recognized physician and public health leader in infectious diseases and emergency response. He received his B.A. from Columbia\, M.D. from NYU\, and MPH from Harvard\, followed by advanced training at Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess and Partners Healthcare. \n\n\n\nDr. Daskalakis has held major leadership roles at the New York City Department of Health\, overseeing HIV\, TB\, STD\, immunization\, and laboratory programs\, and managing responses to measles\, Legionella\, and New York City’s initial COVID-19 outbreak. At the CDC\, he directed the Division of HIV Prevention and later led the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases\, where he managed strategies for influenza\, COVID-19\, RSV\, and the transition of the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine program to commercialization. He played a critical role in national responses to respiratory virus threats and managed high-profile outbreaks including measles and avian influenza\, demonstrating trauma-informed leadership during challenging events like the August 2025 CDC shooting. \n\n\n\nAs Deputy Coordinator of the White House National Mpox Response\, Dr. Daskalakis’s innovative approaches led to a dramatic reduction in daily cases. Throughout his career\, he has championed health equity\, LGBTQ+ health\, and evidence-based policy\, shaping national and global strategies in HIV prevention and vaccination. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDebra Houry\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nFormer Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science\, CDCDebra Houry M.D.\, MPH is a nationally recognized emergency physician and public health leader with more than two decades of experience guiding health care and public health strategy across federal government\, health systems\, and academia. \n\n\n\nMost recently\, Dr. Houry served as Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)\, where she oversaw nine national centers and the Office of Science with a combined budget of more than $6 billion. She also served as Acting Principal Deputy Director\, the agency’s most senior leader after the CDC Director\, where she co-led the Moving Forward initiative—restructuring CDC to strengthen preparedness\, data\, and laboratory systems. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDaniel Jernigan\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nFormer Director\, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases\, CDCDaniel B. Jernigan\, M.D.\, MPH\, recently resigned his position as Director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Jernigan completed training at Duke University and Baylor College of Medicine and has completed residencies in Internal Medicine and Preventive Medicine. \n\n\n\nHe entered the CDC in 1994 as an Epidemic Intelligence Officer\, and has been studying respiratory and emerging diseases since that time. He is a retired Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service and was the recipient of the 2019 Service to America Medal. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2025/11/trust-public-health-reporting-and-the-cdc-insider-perspectives/ CATEGORIES:Event,Health Policy,Infectious Diseases,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Trust-public-health-reporting-and-the-CDC-Insider-perspectives-webinar-img.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251120T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251120T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20250812T235221Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251118T224234Z UID:60669-1763643600-1763647200@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Lunch and Learn: These are Stressful Times. How Are You Coping? DESCRIPTION:This will focus on the practical (not expressly political) issues that we’re facing amid an implosion in our industry and radical changes in the health care landscape. How are you getting accurate information and data? How are you finding reliable sources? How are you navigating sudden changes as editors leave\, get laid off or retire? How are you coping with your own stress? Let’s share strategies. \n\n\n\nRegistration is now required for Lunch and Learns. You only need to register one time to be automatically registered for all Lunch and Learns. Not sure if you’ve already registered? Try searching your email for “AHCJ Lunch & Learn Confirmation.” URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/lunch-and-learn-these-are-stressful-times-how-are-you-coping/ CATEGORIES:Event,Freelancers,Lunch and Learn ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Lunch-and-Learn-Logo.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251121T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251121T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20251105T123000Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251121T195044Z UID:61596-1763730000-1763733600@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:National Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowship informational webinar DESCRIPTION:Are you ready to take your reporting to the next level? The Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ)\, in collaboration with the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing and the Society of Environmental Journalists\, is now accepting applications for the National Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowships (SHERF)\, a yearlong program designed to empower early-career journalists covering the critical intersections of science\, health and the environment. \n\n\n\nThis unique fellowship allows participants to keep their current jobs while engaging in hands-on training\, exclusive workshops and mentorship from veteran journalists and experts. Fellows will deepen their storytelling skills\, gain access to new sources and explore pressing issues shaping public understanding such as climate change\, environmental justice\, health equity and scientific innovation. \n\n\n\nIn this webinar\, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions about the fellowship and hear from SHERF alumni about their experience. Don’t miss your opportunity to join this dynamic community of science\, health and environment reporters driving meaningful change. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/sherf-informational-webinar/ CATEGORIES:Event,Fellowships,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/SHERF-logo-hi-res-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251202T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251202T120000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20251202T160229Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251202T161112Z UID:61759-1764673200-1764676800@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Webinar: Key issues before a key CDC meeting DESCRIPTION:This session is crucial for AHCJ members who want clear\, authoritative background ahead of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meetings on December 4 and 5. \n\n\n\nWhen the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meets on December 4 and 5\, they will be considering changes\, some dramatic\, that could affect vaccine access and protection throughout the United States\, including the hepatitis B birth dose and combination vaccines. The multi-institutional Expert Vaccine Analysis Team\, hosted by Georgetown University\, and the Association of Health Care Journalists invite you to a journalist briefing ahead of the ACIP meetings. \n\n\n\nDr. Paul Offit\, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia\, will explain the history\, safety\, and effectiveness of the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose and discuss the potential impacts of ACIP changes. Dr. Jesse Goodman\, Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases and Attending Physician at Georgetown University\, will follow with an overview of related issues ACIP may consider\, including adjuvants and combination vaccines. Michael Ninburg\, Executive Director Emeritus for the Hepatitis Education Project and past president of the World Hepatitis Alliance\, will help ground the science with perspectives on the impact of hepatitis B and its prevention on patients and families. \n\n\n\nThe briefing will take place on December 2\, 2025\, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET and will include ample time for reporter questions. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/event/webinar-key-issues-before-a-key-cdc-meeting-sent/ CATEGORIES:Event,Webinar END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251204T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251204T160000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20251009T165607Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251009T165610Z UID:61245-1764856800-1764864000@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Virtual PitchFest DESCRIPTION:AHCJ’s popular Virtual PitchFest is back — giving independent journalists the chance to pitch directly to editors at leading health publications. \n\n\n\n\nHere’s how it works\n\n\n\n\nWe’re recruiting 10–15 editors from a variety of outlets.\n\n\n\nEach participating writer will get up to three 10-minute pitch slots\, with a short break built in for editors between sessions.\n\n\n\nJournalists can sign up with the editors who best match their interests and expertise.\n\n\n\nThe cost to participate is just $25.\n\n\n\nTo ensure quality interactions\, registration is capped at 45 journalists\, each guaranteed three pitch sign-ups. If all slots are not filled\, we may expand capacity. \n\n\n\nPitchFest has long been one of AHCJ’s most anticipated opportunities for freelancers to get their ideas in front of a variety of editors. Don’t miss your chance to connect with editors who are actively seeking fresh\, high-quality health stories.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTimeline\n\n\n\n\nOct. 31: Full slate of editors announced; journalist registration opens\n\n\n\nNov. 6 at 11 a.m. ET: Editor slot sign-ups open for all registered journalists; sign-up link will remain open\, with additional slots added if needed.\n\n\n\nDec. 4 at 2 p.m. ET: PitchFest begins! URL:https://healthjournalism.org/training-events/virtual-pitchfest-2025/ CATEGORIES:Event,Freelancers ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Pitchfest-logo-cropped.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260109T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260109T140000 DTSTAMP:20260403T185552 CREATED:20260105T223830Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260109T225213Z UID:62134-1767963600-1767967200@healthjournalism.org SUMMARY:Big changes to the CDC's childhood vaccine schedule: What you need to know DESCRIPTION:This week\, the CDC changed the agency’s recommended childhood immunization schedule to nearly match that of Denmark\, a country that bears little similarity to the U.S. in population\, health care system\, and public health approach. The move shifts six vaccines from “recommended” to “shared clinical decision-making.” \n\n\n\nHosted by Tara Haelle and offered in conjunction with the Expert Vaccine Analysis Team (E-VAT)\, this webinar will give you access to quotable experts on vaccine law\, the history of the childhood immunization schedule\, and the science supporting the longtime CDC schedule to help journalists report on this significant change. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nModerator\n\n\n\n\nTara Haelle\n\n\n\nAHCJ Health Beat Leader for Infectious Diseases\, Medical StudiesTara Haelle is AHCJ’s health beat leader for infectious diseases and medical studies. She’s an independent science/health journalist\, author\, speaker\, and photographer. Her work has appeared in the National Geographic\, Scientific American\, Texas Monthly\, Science News\, Medscape/WebMD\, The New York Times\, Wired\, and O Magazine\, among others. \n\n\n\nShe specializes in public health and medical research\, particularly vaccines\, infectious disease\, maternal and pediatric health\, mental health\, healthcare disparities\, and misinformation. She also covers medical research conferences and edits Long COVID Connection on Medium. Haelle earned a master’s in photojournalism from the University of Texas at Austin\, and her images have appeared in Texas Monthly\, NPR\, the\, Chicago Sun-Times and elsewhere. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJesse L. Goodman\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nDirector\, Georgetown COMPASSAttending physician\, Georgetown UniversityJesse L. Goodman\, M.D.\, MPH is a professor of medicine and infectious diseases and an attending physician at Georgetown University and the previous chief of infectious diseases at the University of Minnesota. From 2003-09\, Goodman served as director of the federal Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)\, regulating vaccines\, blood and cell and gene therapies\, and then as Chief Scientist of the US FDA until 2014\, serving in US leadership for numerous public health responses. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has served on numerous WHO\, CDC\, NIH\, NAM and other advisory committees and previously served as a member of GlaxoSmithKline’s board\, chairing its science committee. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJohn D. Gräbenstein\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nPresident\, Vaccine DynamicsRetired director\, U.S. Dept. of Defense Vaccine Military AgencyJohn D. Gräbenstein\, Ph.D.\, is a global vaccinologist\, pharmacist\, and public-health leader. He served 27 years in the U.S. Army Medical Department and\, as a colonel\, directed Department of Defense’s Military Vaccine Agency. Gräbenstein served for 13 years as Global Executive Director of Medical Affairs for Merck Vaccines. He operates Vaccine Dynamics\, a consulting service on vaccinology and has no conflicts of interest. He is a Member of he National Academy of Medicine. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSean O’Leary\, M.D.\, MPH\n\n\n\nProfessor of pediatrics and infectious diseases\, University of Colorado Denver AnschutzDirector\, Colorado Pediatric Practice-Based Research NetworkSean T. O’Leary\, M.D.\, MPH\, is a professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. He is also an investigator at Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS) and director of the Colorado Children’s Outcomes Network (COCONet)\, a pediatric practice-based research network. \n\n\n\nHis research focuses on prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases through understanding clinical\, attitudinal\, and infrastructural barriers to vaccination\, and developing and testing interventions to address those barriers. O’Leary is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on School Health\, serves as chair of the Committee on Infectious Diseases\, and served for many years as AAP liaison to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)\, serving on many ACIP work groups. He also serves as co-chair of the Policy Committee for Immunize Colorado and has been a speaker at the NFID Clinical Vaccinology Course since 2015. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDorit Rubinstein Reiss\, Ph.D.\n\n\n\nProfessor of law & James Edgar Hervey ’50 Chair of Litigation\, UC San FranciscoDorit Rubinstein Reiss\, Ph.D.\, is a professor of law and the James Edgar Hervey ’50 Chair of Litigation at UC Law in San Francisco. Now a nationally recognized expert on vaccine law\, Reiss received her undergraduate degree in law and political science from the Faculty of Law in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem\, and her PhD from the Jurisprudence and Social Policy program at the University of California Berkeley. Her current research and activities focus on legal and policy issues related to vaccines. She writes about vaccines mandates\, policy responses to non-vaccinating\, tort issues and administrative issues related to vaccines\, and the anti-vaccine movement. URL:https://healthjournalism.org/big-changes-to-the-cdcs-childhood-vaccine-schedule-what-you-need-to-know/ CATEGORIES:Event,Infectious Diseases,Medical Studies,Webinar ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://healthjournalism.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/AHCJ-E-Vat-CDC-childhood-vaccine-schedule-webinar-image-.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR