EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

John Auerbach, M.B.A.
Director, Intergovernmental & Strategic Affairs
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Join us for our Wednesday morning opening plenary featuring Mr. John Auerbach, Director of Intergovernmental and Strategic Affairs at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mr. Auerbach will discuss opportunities in rebuilding and strengthening the public health infrastructure at the local, state, and federal levels.

In his current role, Mr. Auerbach oversees a range of activities as lead strategic advisory on CDC engagement with government agencies, public health partners, and other external partners. Auerbach previously served as the President and CEO of the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) where he oversaw TFAH’s work to promote sound public health policy and make disease prevention and national priority.

Over the course of a 30-year career, Mr. Auerbach has held senior public health positions at all levels of government. Auerbach served as CDC’s Associate Director for Policy from 2014 through 2016 and Acting Director of the CDC’s Office of State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support in 2016. Prior to joining the CDC, Auerbach served as the Commissioner of Public Health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for six years.

Mr. Auerbach will discuss opportunities for California and its local health jurisdictions in rebuilding and fortifying our public health infrastructure as the state rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A CONVERSATION WITH CALIFORNIA STATE LEADERSHIP
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Tomás Aragón, M.D., Dr.P.H.
Director and State Public Health Officer
California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

Michelle Baass, M.P.P.A.
Director
California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)

Thursday morning’s plenary will feature a conversation with leaders from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). As the state continues its response to the COVID-19 pandemic and embarks on significant public health planning efforts and an overhaul of the state’s Medi-Cal system, we will hear from CDPH and DHCS leaders about opportunities for California’s 61 local health departments.

Dr. Tomás Aragón serves as the director of the California Department of Public Health and the State Public Health Officer, since January 4, 2021. Prior to coming to CDPH, he was the health officer for the City and County of San Francisco and director of the public health division. Dr. Aragón has served in public health leadership roles for more than 20 years (communicable disease controller, deputy health officer, health officer, community health and chronic disease epidemiologist), including directing a public health emergency preparedness and response research and training center at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.

Ms. Michelle Baass was appointed Director of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2021. Before her appointment to DHCS, Ms. Baass served as Undersecretary of the California Health and Human Services (CHHS) Agency since 2018 and Deputy Secretary of the Office of Program and Fiscal Affairs at CHHS from 2017 to 2018. Prior to joining the executive branch, Ms. Baass worked in the Legislature for 13 years, including in the California State Senate, Senate Office of Research, and the California Legislative Analyst’s Office.

BUILDING CALIFORNIA’S PUBLIC HEALTH WORKFORCE
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Tia Orr
Director of Government Relations
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) of California

Michael Lu, M.D., M.S., M.P.H.
Dean
University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health

Susan Fanelli, M.A.
Chief Deputy Director of Policy & Planning
California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

Our closing plenary will explore opportunities for California and its local health departments to establish a sustainable and skilled public health workforce. Join experts from SEIU California, the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to hear about public health workforce innovations and areas for future growth.

Ms. Tia Orr serves as the Director of Government Relations for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) of California. In this role, Ms. Orr leads formation and advocacy for SEIU California’s legislative strategy to create economic opportunity, justice, and equity for California families. SEIU California represents over 700,000 workers throughout the state, including social workers, nurses, state workers, security officers, janitors, and more. Ms. Orr has been involved with major policy solutions in California, including the Fight for $15, bail reform legislation, and SEIU’s larger vision for restorative justice and racial equity. Orr joined SEIU California in 2008, most recently being promoted to Government Relations Director in 2016. She previously worked in the California Legislature and is a graduate of UC Davis.

Dr. Michael Lu is the Dean of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, a role in which he has served since 2019. Dr. Lu has decades of experience as a professor of public health as well as obstetrics and gynecology, a proven track record of academic and national executive leadership, and a passion for health equity and social justice. Prior to joining UC Berkeley, Dr. Lu was the senior associate dean for academic, student, and faculty affairs at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health and the director of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Dr. Lu was a professor and researcher at the UCLA Schools of Medicine and Public Health and is a graduate of the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program.

Ms. Susan Fanelli is the Chief Deputy Director of Policy and Planning for the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), a position she has held since 2018. Ms. Fanelli served as Acting Director of CDPH in 2019 and has held a series of senior CDPH positions since 2004, including associate director, deputy director and assistant deputy director of the Emergency Preparedness Office, and chief of the program support section of the Emergency Preparedness Office. Ms. Fanelli held several positions at the California Department of Health Services from 2002 to 2004 and was the director of information services at the Institute for Fiduciary Education from 1996 to 2001.