Partners in Public Health Conference
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Partners in Public Health Conference
The Local Public Health Association (LPHA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) are excited to launch a new opportunity for learning and connection: the Minnesota Partners in Public Health Conference.
Join us in November 2024 in Breezy Point, MN, as we explore new approaches for transforming Minnesota’s public health system. We will forge and strengthen our partnership and leverage each other's expertise to develop strategies that improve the well-being of our communities.
November 13-15, 2024
Breezy Point Resort: 9252 Breezy Point Dr., Breezy Point, MN 56472
Registration is now open through Nov. 1. Register by Sept. 30 for early bird pricing.
Who should attend?
- Local public health leaders and staff
- Tribal health department leaders and staff
- MDH leadership and staff
Conference purpose and objectives
Strengthen the partnership between local and state public health and create a shared understanding of what this partnership means.
By the end of the conference, attendees will be able to:
- Describe the common mission/vision between local and state public health.
- Explain the importance of partnership between the Local Public Health Association (LPHA) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) as organizations and between local and state public health.
- Describe the strengths and assets that LPHA and MDH as organizations bring to the partnership.
- Identify positive outcomes of partnerships between local and state public health.
- List the unique traits that local and state public health bring to the partnership.
For questions about the conference, visit the frequently asked questions below or email health.mpphconference.mdh@state.mn.
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We invite the following audience to this conference. It is designed for the following groups and will have content that is most relevant and beneficial for these groups:
- Local public health department directors/CHS administrators/staff - our goal is to have every local public health agency represented at this conference
- Tribal health department leaders and staff – participants from the health departments of Minnesota’s 11 Tribal Nations are encouraged to attend
- MDH leadership and staff – a wide representation of attendees across MDH divisions is sought
The conference will feature a mix of keynote speakers and breakout sessions. Learn more about the keynote speakers below.
Breakout session descriptions can be found here: Breakout Session Descriptions | 2024 (PDF)
Conference keynote speaker biographies
Tim Gard, CEO Tim Gard International
Introducing Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE, a Hall of Fame speaker renowned for blending humor with practical resilience techniques to enhance productivity and employee enthusiasm. With over 25 years as a professional speaker, Tim has captivated global audiences at over 3000 events, from Texas to Tasmania, leaving a lasting impact with his memorable and dynamic presentation style.
Starting his career as an eligibility caseworker, Tim developed resilience amidst high-stress situations, which led him to roles such as welfare fraud investigator and Management Analyst for Food Stamp operations. His "comic vision" philosophy, born from these experiences, underpins his approach to defusing and managing stress.
Tim holds the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional designation and is a celebrated author and inventor of stress-reduction products. His background as a US Navy veteran and business owner for over 20 years further enriches his connection with audiences, making his stress reduction and conflict resolution strategies universally relatable and effective.
Nora McInerny, best-selling author, creator, and host of podcasts “Terrible Thanks for Asking “ and “It’s Going to be OK”
How are you? Nora McInerny wants to know the truth. As the creator and host of the podcast “Terrible, Thanks For Asking” and the TED speaker known for her viral talk, “We Don’t Move On From Grief, We Move Forward With It,” Nora McInerny specializes in making space for emotional honesty and difficult conversations.
From her bestselling memoirs and essay collections to her pieces in The New York Times, TIME magazine, and The Washington Post, Nora’s work regularly touches on topics many would rather not discuss — death, loss, illness, mental health, trauma, and change–with disarming wit and earnest candor.
Michelle Nelson
Michelle has over 25 years of experience leading, managing, and training professionals in the human service industry. In addition to her leadership skills, she is well-versed in team, program, and organizational development, including strategic planning. She is a certified trainer for the Crisis Prevention Institute, The National Council for Behavioral Health, Motivational Interviewing, Thera International Rising (Drama Free Workplace), and Adverse Childhood Experiences. She has delivered numerous trainings at local, state, and national conferences. Michelle also provides consultation services for several private and public businesses. Michelle’s education includes a Master's in Management, a Bachelor's in Criminology/Sociology, and a certificate in Leadership and Change.
Sponsor opportunities are still available. Learn more and apply for sponsor opportunities here: Sponsor and Exhibitor Prospectus (PDF).
We have sold out of exhibitor space, but please contact us to be added to the waitlist. We will notify you if a spot opens up. Please contact Alicia Rodriguez, arodriguez@mncounties.org, to get involved!
The conference will take place from November 13 to 15, 2024.
Agenda (PDF) (updated Nov. 1, 2024)
Registration is now open and closes at the end of business day, November 1, 2024. Register by September 30 to receive the early bird rate: Register | Partners in Public Health Conference 2024
| Dates | Registration fee per person |
| Aug. 19 - Sept. 30 | Early bird rate: $200/person |
| Oct. 1 - Nov. 1 | Regular rate: $225/person |
The registration fee covers all meals and materials. It can be paid by credit card only. You will be asked to submit your credit card information when registering.
Registration Cancellation Policy: Cancellation requests made by November 1 will receive a 100% refund of their registration fees. After November 1, conference registrations may be transferred to someone else, but no refund will be given if you are not able to attend. Notice of cancellation or transfer of registration must be made in writing by email to arodriguez@mncounties.org.
No refunds will be given if inclement weather forces the cancellation of the event or a pivot to an online-only format. We will give as much notice as possible to registered attendees should such a circumstance arise.
Local and Tribal public health receive two free registrations! This conference is sponsored in part by LPHA’s Response Sustainability Grant funding received from the state. Through these funds, LPHA will cover the cost of 2 conference registrations per local public health agency. A local public health agency is defined as a Tribal, city, or county health department that has its own director. See the FAQs for more details on this policy.
How to receive your two free registrations: Two registration discount codes were emailed in mid-August to agency directors. Each code is good for 100% off one registration. Use these codes at the time of registration. The free registrations can be used for anyone in the agency, not just the director.
We want a wide representation of local and tribal public health. If the cost of attending this conference hinders your attendance, please email Alicia Rodriguez at arodriguez@mncounties.org. Scholarships are available.
All individuals are responsible for making and canceling their own lodging reservations.
The conference will take place at Breezy Point Resort, 9252 Breezy Point Dr., Breezy Point, MN 56472.
Space in the conference room block at Breezy Point is full. You may still call the resort to see if there are any cancellations or to learn about other nearby options. Please email health.mpphconference.mdh@state.mn if you need assistance.
Thank you to our conference planning committee!
Kristin Bye, Otter Tail County
Kelsey Collier, Wright County
Sam Colston, MDH, Public Health Laboratory
Michelle Ebbers, Des Moines Valley Public Health
Amy Evans, Dodge County
Kelly Felton, MDH, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease
Karen Grasmon, MDH, Communications Office
Sara Lovett, MDH, Infectious Disease, Epidemiology, Prevention and Control
Erin Melz, Aitkin County
Amy Nelson, MDH, Child Family Health
Gabby Nelson, MDH, Community Health Division
Sarah Reese, Polk County Public Health
Alicia Rodriguez, Local Public Health Association
Mickey Scullard, MDH, Emergency Preparedness and Response
Stephanie Souter, Washington County
Frieda vonQualen, MDH, Environmental Health
Deanna White, MDH, Center for Public Health Practice
I am a local public health professional but not a member of the Local Public Health Association (LPHA). Can I attend?
Yes! Local public health agencies can send as many people as they want, whether they are appointed LPHA members or not. Those in leadership and staff positions are welcome and encouraged to attend. To encourage attendance from every corner of the state, each local health agency/tribe will receive two free registrations. Additional attendees from each agency are welcome and encouraged to attend and will be responsible for a registration fee and lodging expenses.
What do you mean when you say “local health agency”?
A local health agency is defined as a tribal or city health department or a county health department that has its own director. Departments that serve multiple counties with one director will be counted as one “agency” and will receive two free registrations. CHBs receive double the number of registrations equal to the number of counties with directors in the CHB – i.e. -- a three-county CHB that has three directors plus a CHB administrator still receives six free registrations.
I am a community health board (CHB) administrator only (i.e., I do NOT have a dual role as administrator and public health director of a county). Will my free registration be separate from the free registrations the counties in my CHB receive?
No. If you are a CHB administrator in a three-county CHB, for example, your CHB would receive six free registrations total. Your free registration as a CHB administrator is included in that number.
How will my local health agency get the free registrations?
Two registration discount codes were emailed in mid-August to each local health department director. Each code is good for 100% off one registration. Use these codes at the time of registration to get the two free registrations. The free registrations can be used for anyone in the local health department, not necessarily the director.
I work at a Tribal health department but am not a member of LPHA. Can I attend?
Yes! This conference is open to all those who work in Minnesota’s tribal public health departments, whether the tribe is a member of LPHA or not.
Are local public health agencies allowed to use grant funds to support their staff's attendance at the conference?
Yes, several grants may be used for this purpose. For example, local public health agencies might consider using the Local Public Health Grant, the CDC Federal Infrastructure funds, or the Foundational Public Health Responsibilities Grant funds to support staff attending the conference. The Response Sustainability Grant funds could be used to support an emergency preparedness staff person’s attendance. **Please check with your grant manager to confirm the use of funds for this purpose based on your specific circumstances and funding source.**
I work at the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) – how do I know if I can attend?
We want to have representation from a wide array of departments at MDH attend this conference. Please speak to your division/section director or your direct supervisor to understand the plan for your department’s attendance.
Will continuing education be offered?
Participants will receive a certificate of attendance that can be used for continuing education contact hours after the conference. The number of contact hours is to be determined.
Will parts of the conference be recorded or live-streamed?
No. This conference will be an in-person event only, and there is no plan to record or live-stream parts of it.
If I can’t attend the conference in person, is there a virtual option?
There will be no virtual attendance option for this conference.
The cost of attending the conference (registration, lodging, travel) is prohibitive to my attendance. Are scholarships available?
Yes, scholarships are available to cover the costs associated with attending this conference for those in local or tribal public health. Please contact Alicia Rodriguez at arodriguez@mncounties.org to learn more.
Will different dietary needs be accommodated?
Yes, when you register, you will be able to share your dietary restrictions, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Note that if you have severe allergies, we cannot guarantee that food is prepared in an allergen-free environment, so in that case, you might consider bringing your own food to supplement the conference meals.
Thank you to our sponsors!
