Skip to content

Advancing Healthy Lifestyles Conference

Thursday, May 18, 2023

8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. - Delaware State University

Free, but registration required.

About the Conference

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

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

Speakers

Dominique Dawes

Keynote speaker

Dominique Dawes

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

Dominique Dawes

Keynote speaker

Dominique Dawes

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

Agenda

8:00 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.

Greeting

Shebra Hall, MPA, Program Administrator
Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention, Division of Public Health
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

Welcoming Remarks

Molly Magarik, Secretary
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

Opening Remarks

The Honorable Bethany Hall-Long, PhD, RN, Lieutenant Governor
State of Delaware

9:20 a.m.

Panel Discussion

Improving Health Through Equity: A Regional Perspective

Moderator: Scott Siegel, PhD, MHCDS, MHCDS, Director of Cancer Control & Population Sciences
Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, ChristianaCare

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

Keisha Morris, Director of Talent Management and Workforce Development
Bayhealth

Dalton Paxman, PhD, Region 3 Regional Health Administrator
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

10:05 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m.

Concurrent Breakout Session Discussion Panels

I. Addressing Systemic Bias in Health Care

Moderator: Rita Landgraf, Director of Government Affairs, Lead Family Caregiving, AARP and Professor of Practice and Distinguished Health and Social Services Administrator in Residence
University of Delaware

Melanie Daniels, Executive Director
Delaware Chapter National Coalition of 100 Black Women
The Missing Link: Research on Black Girls in Delaware

Presentation (PDF 1.8MB)

Emily Kauffman, Project Manager, Equity Counts Partnership Initiative
United Way of Delaware
and
Raina Allen, Director, Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative
United Way of Delaware
Dismantling Systemic Racism for Racial Justice in Delaware as Seen Through the Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative

Presentation (PDF 6.5MB)

Gwen Angalet, PhD, Owner and CEO
GBA Consulting
Addressing Health Equity Through a Community - Driven Population Health Approach

Presentation (PDF 612.5KB)

Col. Debbie Harrington, EdD, (Retired U.S. Army)
Governor’s Challenge
Connecting Veterans for Health Equity

Presentation (PDF 5.6MB)

II. Improving Health Through Community Collaborations

Moderator: Peggy Geisler, CEO
PMG Consulting and Sussex County Health Coalition

Aniekan A. Ebitu, MPH, National Senior Director of Public Health Programs
American Heart Association
Community Collaborations Make Healthier Hearts

Presentation (PDF 9.6MB)

Frank Hawkins, MS, Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement
AIDS Delaware
Do the Right Thing 4Life: An African American HIV Prevention/Outreach Program

Presentation (PDF 8.8MB)

Suchi Hiraesave, PhD, Vice President of Grants Development
Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware
and
Molly Yoo, Director of Grants Development
Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware
Triple Play: Mind, Body and Soul, a National Health and Wellness Model

Presentation (PDF 3.4MB)

Knolan Rawlins, PhD, CAPE, Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator
Department of Public & Allied Health Sciences, Delaware State University
Building Pathways to Careers in Occupational Therapy

Presentation (PDF 8.5MB)

III. The Trauma of Racism and Health Disparities

Moderator: Nicholas Moriello, President
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware

Marlene Saunders, DSW, MSW, LMSW, Chair, Connection and Social Action Committee
AKA Sorority, Inc., Alpha Alpha Mu Chapter
Achieving Health Equity in the First State

Presentation (PDF 353.1KB)

Gwendolyn Scott-Jones, PsyD, MSW, CAADC, Dean
Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Delaware State University
and
Kim Graham, Director, Trauma Academy
Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Delaware State University
Lasting Health Disparities in the African American Population in the Midst of COVID-19 and the George Floyd Incident

Presentation (PDF 6.3MB)

Teri B. Lawler, EdD, LPCMH, Education Associate
Trauma-Informed Practices and Social and Emotional Learning, Delaware Department of Education
Dismantling Oppressive Systems and Disrupting Disproportionality with the New 3 R’s of Applied Educational Neuroscience

Presentation (PDF 2.6MB)

Kate Smith, MD, MPH, Program Manager, Clinical Liaison, Student Internship Coordinator
Delaware Academy of Medicine/Delaware Public Health Association
How Race and Ethnicity Pertaining to disparities, and as seen in Social Determinants of Health and Public Health

Presentation (PDF 3.1MB)

11:30 a.m.

Buffet Luncheon

12:05 p.m.

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

12:15 p.m.

Keynote Speaker

Dominique Dawes, Olympian and Business Owner
Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies

1:00 p.m.

Break to Visit Information Resource Room

1:30 p.m.

Interactive Peer-to-Peer Roundtable Discussions

Devona E. Williams, PhD, Facilitator, President/CEO
Goeins-Williams Associates, Inc.

2:45 p.m.

Closing Remarks

Molly Magarik, Secretary
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

3:00 p.m.

Adjourn to Networking Reception

4:00 p.m.

Network Reception Ends

8:00 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m.

Greeting

Shebra Hall, MPA, Program Administrator
Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention, Division of Public Health
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

Welcoming Remarks

Molly Magarik, Secretary
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

Opening Remarks

The Honorable Bethany Hall-Long, PhD, RN, Lieutenant Governor
State of Delaware

9:20 a.m.

Panel Discussion

Improving Health Through Equity: A Regional Perspective

Moderator: Scott Siegel, PhD, MHCDS, MHCDS, Director of Cancer Control & Population Sciences
Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, ChristianaCare

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

Keisha Morris, Director of Talent Management and Workforce Development
Bayhealth

Dalton Paxman, PhD, Region 3 Regional Health Administrator
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

10:05 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m.

Concurrent Breakout Session Discussion Panels

I. Addressing Systemic Bias in Health Care

Moderator: Rita Landgraf, Director of Government Affairs, Lead Family Caregiving, AARP and Professor of Practice and Distinguished Health and Social Services Administrator in Residence
University of Delaware

Melanie Daniels, Executive Director
Delaware Chapter National Coalition of 100 Black Women
The Missing Link: Research on Black Girls in Delaware

Presentation (PDF 1.8MB)

Emily Kauffman, Project Manager, Equity Counts Partnership Initiative
United Way of Delaware
and
Raina Allen, Director, Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative
United Way of Delaware
Dismantling Systemic Racism for Racial Justice in Delaware as Seen Through the Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative

Presentation (PDF 6.5MB)

Gwen Angalet, PhD, Owner and CEO
GBA Consulting
Addressing Health Equity Through a Community - Driven Population Health Approach

Presentation (PDF 612.5KB)

Col. Debbie Harrington, EdD, (Retired U.S. Army)
Governor’s Challenge
Connecting Veterans for Health Equity

Presentation (PDF 5.6MB)

II. Improving Health Through Community Collaborations

Moderator: Peggy Geisler, CEO
PMG Consulting and Sussex County Health Coalition

Aniekan A. Ebitu, MPH, National Senior Director of Public Health Programs
American Heart Association
Community Collaborations Make Healthier Hearts

Presentation (PDF 9.6MB)

Frank Hawkins, MS, Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement
AIDS Delaware
Do the Right Thing 4Life: An African American HIV Prevention/Outreach Program

Presentation (PDF 8.8MB)

Suchi Hiraesave, PhD, Vice President of Grants Development
Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware
and
Molly Yoo, Director of Grants Development
Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware
Triple Play: Mind, Body and Soul, a National Health and Wellness Model

Presentation (PDF 3.4MB)

Knolan Rawlins, PhD, CAPE, Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator
Department of Public & Allied Health Sciences, Delaware State University
Building Pathways to Careers in Occupational Therapy

Presentation (PDF 8.5MB)

III. The Trauma of Racism and Health Disparities

Moderator: Nicholas Moriello, President
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware

Marlene Saunders, DSW, MSW, LMSW, Chair, Connection and Social Action Committee
AKA Sorority, Inc., Alpha Alpha Mu Chapter
Achieving Health Equity in the First State

Presentation (PDF 353.1KB)

Gwendolyn Scott-Jones, PsyD, MSW, CAADC, Dean
Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Delaware State University
and
Kim Graham, Director, Trauma Academy
Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Delaware State University
Lasting Health Disparities in the African American Population in the Midst of COVID-19 and the George Floyd Incident

Presentation (PDF 6.3MB)

Teri B. Lawler, EdD, LPCMH, Education Associate
Trauma-Informed Practices and Social and Emotional Learning, Delaware Department of Education
Dismantling Oppressive Systems and Disrupting Disproportionality with the New 3 R’s of Applied Educational Neuroscience

Presentation (PDF 2.6MB)

Kate Smith, MD, MPH, Program Manager, Clinical Liaison, Student Internship Coordinator
Delaware Academy of Medicine/Delaware Public Health Association
How Race and Ethnicity Pertaining to disparities, and as seen in Social Determinants of Health and Public Health

Presentation (PDF 3.1MB)

11:30 a.m.

Buffet Luncheon

12:05 p.m.

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

12:15 p.m.

Keynote Speaker

Dominique Dawes, Olympian and Business Owner
Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academies

1:00 p.m.

Break to Visit Information Resource Room

1:30 p.m.

Interactive Peer-to-Peer Roundtable Discussions

Devona E. Williams, PhD, Facilitator, President/CEO
Goeins-Williams Associates, Inc.

2:45 p.m.

Closing Remarks

Molly Magarik, Secretary
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services

3:00 p.m.

Adjourn to Networking Reception

4:00 p.m.

Network Reception Ends

Sponsors/Partners

Delaware State University
Partnership for Healthy Communities - U of D
Delaware Academy of Medicine
Highmark Delaware
AKA Delaware