MDH Speaks Event, April 2024
In April of 2024, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) hosted an event at the University of Minnesota Bell Museum called “MDH Speaks,” which consisted of six speakers from across MDH, including Commissioner Dr. Brooke Cunningham.
MDH Speaks: “Guided by an Inner Voice & Courage: My Path to Public Health” by Dr. Brooke Cunningham
Dr. Brooke Cunningham was appointed the commissioner for the Department of Health in January of 2023. Previous to that role, she was the assistant commissioner of Health Equity Bureau at the Minnesota Department of Health. Dr. Cunningham is a general internist, sociologist, and assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining MDH, her research focused on developing strategies to reduce racial disparities in health, including addressing the adverse impacts of exposure to racism. She also co-directed the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Thread in medical education.
Dr. Cunningham received her doctorates in medicine and sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing residency in internal medicine at Duke University, she completed fellowships in health services research, health policy, and bioethics at Johns Hopkins University and an Academy Health Delivery System Science Fellowship at the Medica Research Institute. She received her bachelor’s degree in history and African American studies from the University of Virginia.
Audio Text of the “Guided by an Inner Voice & Courage: My Path to Public Health” Video (PDF)
MDH Speaks: “Queen of Chlamydia” by Candy Hadsall
Candy Hadsall is a nurse specialist in the Prevention Unit of the STDTB section as part of MDH’s Infectious Disease Epidemiology Prevention and Control (IDEPC). Hadsall has been with the health department for over 20 years, she is a recognized expert in sexually transmitted diseases, and she talked about her path on becoming the "Queen of Chlamydia."
Audio Text of the “Queen of Chlamydia” Video (PDF)
MDH Speaks: “Why Public Health? Why Not?” by Odi Akosionu-DeSouza
Odi Akosionu-DeSouza is the Director of the Division of Health Equity Strategy and Innovation in the Heath Equity Bureau at the Minnesota Department of Health. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of MN School of Public Health and has almost completed her PhD in public health. Akosionu-DeSouza enjoys developing food and drink recipes, exploring new cities and cuisines, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Audio Text of the “Why Public Health? Why Not?” Video (PDF)
MDH Speaks: “How a Murder of Crows Inspired One Veterinarian-Scientist to Explore Public Health” by Greg Sousa
Greg Sousa is a Laboratory Leadership Service Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stationed with the Infectious Disease Laboratory at the Minnesota Department of Health. Sousa is a 2023 graduate of the combined-degree VMD/PhD program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. His PhD studies in the Michael Povelones Laboratory explored the immune systems of disease vector mosquitoes. Sousa was a mixed animal major at Penn Vet where he especially enjoyed clinical rotations in ophthalmology, cardiology, and large animal field service. Sousa is the proud father of three cats and one day hopes to win the lottery so he can retire closer to home on the coast of Maine.
MDH Speaks: “Matthew Modine, Peanut Butter, and the Heart of Public Health” by Steph Meyer
Stephanie Meyer is an epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health in the Emerging Infectious Diseases Section. She has over two decades of experience in infectious disease outbreak investigation and response, has taught courses at the University of Minnesota, and has trained epidemiologists both here and abroad in disease investigation. Her path in public health began where many do – in a laboratory, working with bacteria. Meyer’s talk is titled "Mathew Modine, Peanut Butter, and the Heart of Public Health."
Audio Text of the “Matthew Modine, Peanut Butter, and the Heart of Public Health” Video (PDF)
MDH Speaks: “From Infantry to Infection Control: A Military Reservist's Perspective on Public Health” by Dan Evans
Our final speaker of the night was Daniel Evans, who works in the Sequencing and Bioinformatics Unit of the Minnesota Public Health Laboratory. In addition to working at MDH, Evans serves as an officer in the Army Reserve. He will be presenting his talk "From Infantry to Infection Control: A Military Reservist's Perspective on Public Health."
Please note that the views expressed in this presentation are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Medical Department, or the U.S. Government. The mention of any non-federal entity and/or its products is not to be construed or interpreted, in any manner, as federal endorsement of that entity or its products.
The next MDH Speaks event is planning for Spring 2025.
See the videos from last year's MDH Speaks.