Episode #438 The Connection They Couldn’t See

Laura Hollabaugh
3 days ago
4 min read

On This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast

What Happens When Leadership Doesn't Understand Public Health?

A wellness director at a university saw an opportunity that should have been obvious. A major public health conference was coming up, complete with a wellness section, yoga sessions, and holistic health programming. Her institution's public health department already had a booth reserved. The connection was clear: wellness is public health, and she could bridge both departments while expanding student awareness of career pathways.

But when she proposed attending the conference, her boss dismissed the idea immediately. The message was clear: wellness and public health are separate fields. The opportunity never even reached a budget conversation because leadership couldn't see the public health value from the start.

The Real Cost of Missed Connections

This wasn't just about one conference or one frustrated professional. Students at that university missed seeing how wellness services connect to public health careers. Conference attendees lost the perspective of a wellness professional in the public health space. Both departments missed an opportunity to collaborate, differentiate themselves, and show the interconnected nature of health and wellbeing.

Dr. Huntley unpacks why these gaps exist even within institutions that employ public health professionals. The conference literally embodied the World Health Organization's definition of health (physical, mental, and social wellbeing), yet leadership couldn't recognize that a wellness director belonged there.

Why These Gaps Matter Now More Than Ever

Public health has been going through a major identity shift. For many people, the field has narrowed in their minds to just disease tracking and vaccines. But this creates an opportunity to expand understanding again and show the complete picture of what public health encompasses.

When departments within the same university struggle to understand each other's work, it limits professional development, restricts student understanding of career possibilities, and reduces the collective impact everyone could be making together.

Breaking Down the Silos

Whether you're early in your career or a seasoned professional, you have a role to play in bridging these gaps. This episode explores how to advocate within your organization, mentor others to see the full landscape of public health careers, and be the bridge that brings people together across artificial boundaries.

Listen To This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast

Conversation Highlights

Leadership gaps can be more limiting than budget constraints.

This wellness director's proposal never reached a budget discussion because leadership dismissed it outright, unable to see how wellness connects to public health or recognize the opportunity for collaboration.

Students lose when departments fail to communicate connections.

When universities don't help students understand how wellness training applies to public health careers (or vice versa), they limit students' awareness of viable career pathways and reduce potential career outcomes.

Public health needs internal advocates just as much as external ones.

The challenge isn't always explaining public health to the general public. Sometimes colleagues and partners in adjacent fields need help understanding what public health encompasses and how their work intersects with it.

Conference and professional development opportunities have ripple effects.

When one professional is blocked from attending a relevant conference, it doesn't just affect that individual. Students, conference attendees, and entire departments miss valuable perspectives and collaboration opportunities.

The field's recent challenges create an opportunity for re-education.

Public health's identity has narrowed in many people's minds to focus primarily on disease and vaccines. This moment offers a chance to expand understanding and illuminate the field's interconnected nature, from wellness and mental health to community engagement and health education.

Being the bridge requires recognizing moments when they happen.

When someone says "that's not public health" about something that absolutely is, that's your cue to speak up, share examples, and help expand their understanding of the field's breadth and possibilities.

Collaboration across departments strengthens everyone's impact.

The wellness department and public health department at this university could have differentiated themselves and reached more students by working together, but siloed thinking prevented that synergy from happening.

"There are organizations, departments, and institutions where leadership still doesn't fully understand what public health encompasses. They're missing the connections, the overlaps, the opportunities that exist at these intersections." - Dr. Huntley

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Public Health Consulting To Support You

DrCHHuntley LLC is a public health consulting firm that specializes in epidemiology consulting, supporting large nonprofit organizations in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida that serve Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). We also provide nationwide public health consulting and epidemiology consulting support to BIPOC organizations across the United States.