Speaker Series

Voices in Public Health

College of Public Health

The College of Public Health is committed to assuring that a wide range of perspectives are available to faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends.  To this end, several lectures series have been implemented:

    • Since 2007, the College has hosted the  Leading Voices in Public Health  lecture series, a premier series of lectures that brings internationally respected thought leaders to the community to speak on issues of key importance to the publics welfare.  The topics are purposely diverse, reflecting the broad interests and impact of public health.  Several lectures each year are focused on specific topics:
      • The Evening of Health, Wellness, and the Arts Lecture is co-sponsored with the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts and the Gold Humanism Honor Society at the James H. Quillen College of Medicine;
      • The Justice, Health, and Humanities Lecture is co-sponsored with the Department of Philosophy and the Humanities;
      • The Lamb Lecture is named in honor of John P. Lamb, Jr. the first Dean of the School of Health and the College of Public and Allied Health.

2024-2025 Lectures

Brad Stone

Photo for Brad Stone

Docent, National Museum of Civil War Medicine

How the Civil War Created Modern Medicine, Nursing, and Public Health

Date: February 20, 2025
Press Release

Tommy Rock, PhD

Photo for Tommy Rock, PhD

Assistant Research Professor, Ecosystem Science and Society
Northern Arizona University

Environmental Sustainability of Native American Lands: The Navajo Experience

Date: September 12, 2024
Press Release

2023-2024 Lectures

Art and Coal in Appalachia

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Art and Coal in Appalachia
The 10th Evening of Health, Wellness and the Arts 

Date: April 3, 2024
Press Release 

  • A display of photographs by Brad Owens “Reclamation:  The Towns of the Virginia Coalfields” and a selection of books from the collection of retired coal miner Herbert Dotson
  • The music of The Twin Taters, an old-time string band that is part of ETSU’s  Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music Studies program.
  • A panel discussion:
    • Dr. Ted Olson: “The History of Coal in Appalachia:
    • Ms. Anne Lewis: “Film as a Voice for Social Change”
    • Dr. David Blackley: “The Health Effects of Coal Mining"

Gail Christopher, DN

Photo for Gail Christopher, DN

Executive Director, National Collaborative for Health Equity
A Call for Action: Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation in the United States
Date: November 7, 2023
Press Release

Eric Dahl, PhD

Photo for Eric Dahl, PhD

Associate Professor, National Security Affairs Department
Naval Postgraduate School

Using the Intelligence Community to Prevent the Next Pandemic

Date: September 14, 2023

Press Release

The College periodically sponsors speakers as a part of its "Special Lecture" series--focusing on very timely topics, often related to evolving issues of significant public health importance.

  • Special Lectures

     

    2017-2018 Lectures
    James Willis

    James Willis, PhD, MPA, BA
    Peace Corps Volunteer

    Special Lecture
    Title: A Personally Relevant Description of Peace Corps Service
    Date: September 20, 2017

    Video Presentation 
    2016-2017 Lectures
    Michael Meit

    Michael Meit, MA, MPH
    Program Area Director, Public Health Research Department 
    Co-Director, NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
    NORC at the University of Chicago

    Special Lecture
    Title: Leveraging Community Assets to Improve Rural Health and Equity
    Date: April 13, 2017

    Video Presentation
    Meredith Potts

    Meredith Potts
    Executive Director and Founder
    FIRE - Flagstaff International Relief Effort

    Special Lecture
    Title: Mongolia, Hepatitis, and FIRE - Flagstaff International Relief Effort
    Date: February 28, 2017

    Video Presentation
    Michael Gillenwater

    Michael Gillenwater, MSEH
    Branch Chief-Training Branch, Resource Management and Business Administration (RMBA)
    Grants Program Directorate (GPD), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
    Department of Homeland Security

    Special Lecture
    Title: A Career in Environmental/Public Health and Homeland Security: 
    From Johnson City, TN to Barrow AK to the White House and Capitol Hill
    Date: February 9, 2017


    Video Presentation
    2015-2016 Lectures
    Bob Morrow

    Bob Morrow, MD, MPH, FACPM
    Associate Professor (Adjunct) Pediatrics, Global Health Track Mentor
    International Medicine Programs, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

    Special Lecture
    Title: Challenges of Health in Bhutan: Stomach Cancer in a Culturally Unique, High Incidence Region
    Date: April 21, 2016
    Video Presentation
    David Blackley

    David Blackley, DrPH
    Research Epidemiologist, Surveillance Branch, Respiratory Health Division, 
    National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

    Special Lecture
    Title: Ebola in Liberia: Responding to an Evolving Epidemic
    Date: April 4, 2016
    Jay Mehta

    Jay Mehta, MD
    Pulmonary and Critical Medicine Fellowship Director
    Quillen College of Medicine

    Special Lecture
    Title: TB: Lessons from Epidemiological Change
    Date: March 1, 2016
    Video Presentation 
    Melanie Boeckmann

    Melanie Boeckmann, DrPH
    University of Bremen, Artec Sustainability Research Center, 
    Research Fellow, Gender and Climate Change

    Special Lecture
    Title: Exploring the health context: evidence, ethics, and social aspects of climate change adaptation
    Date: November 16, 2015
    2014-2015 Lectures
    Sarah Woodard

    Sarah Junkin Woodard
    Jubilee House Community Founder
    Center for Development in Central America

    Special Lecture
    Title: Lessons Learned from 20 Years of Working to Reduce Poverty in Nicaragua
    Date: April 6, 2015
    David Kirschke David Kirschke, MD, MPH
    Medical Director, Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Department
    Special Lecture
    Title: Ebola: Implications for Public Health
    Date: November 20, 2014
    Video Presentation 
    Ed Kelly Edward J. Kelly, JD
    University Counsel, East Tennessee State University
    Special Lecture
    Title: Quarantine Law and the Ebola Crisis
    Date: November 17, 2014
    Video Presentation
    2013-2014 Lectures
    Dr. Jenny Dyer Jenny Dyer, Ph.D.
    Executive Director, Hope through Healing Hands
    Special Lecture
    Title: Saving Mother and Child: Why Planning Families is Critical in Developing Nations
    Date: April 15, 2014
    Video Presentation
    Dr. Kyle Colvett

    Kyle Colvett, M.D.
    Medical Director for Oncology Services, Mountain States Health Alliance
    Special Lecture
    Title: Radiation Emergencies: Implications for Public Health
    Date: November 21, 2013
    Captain John Sanders Captain John Sanders
    Commanding Officer of the Naval Medical Research Center
    Special Lecture
    Title: Bioterrorism: Implications for Public Health
    Date: October 31, 2013
    Dr. Steven Booth-Butterfield Dr. Steven Booth-Butterfield
    President, Healthy Influence, LLC
    Special Lecture
    Title:  Persuasion Opportunity for Public Health or Getting Your Way with Words
    Date: April 12, 2013
    Dr. Konglai Zhang Dr. Konglai Zhang
    Professor Emeritus, Epidemiology and Biostatistics - Peking Union Medical College
    Former President - Global Chinese AIDS Network
    Special Lecture
    Title:  Update on AIDS in China
    Date: March 19, 2013
    Selected Lectures by the Dean
    Randy Wykoff

    Randy Wykoff, MD, M.P.H. & TM 
    Dean 
    College of Public Health 
    East Tennessee State University 

    Title: "Your World and Your Role in it" for the Survive and Thrive: Roadmap for New County Health Officials
    Date: August 5, 2010
    Video Link

    Title: The Greatest Challenge in Global Health 
    Date: November 13, 2006 
     
    Video Link

    Title: Leading Change in Health: Lessons from America’s “Poorest State"
    Date: September 14, 2016
    Event: IDEAcademy 
    Video Link