Agenda

Monday, September 21

9:00 AM	AOHC Board Meeting
10:00 AM – 5:30 PM	Registration
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM	New Health Commissioner Workshop/Luncheon New Health Commissioner Training Melanie Schott, Director of Operations and Member Services, AOHC Leading Through Conflict: Strategic Resolution, Negotiation, and Deescalation Vickie Taylor, BS, MA, Health Commissioner, Ashland County Health Department
1:00 – 1:15 PM	Welcome Melissa Howell, MS, MBA, MPH, RN, REHS, Health Commissioner, Greene County Public Health, Vice President, AOHC Board of Directors and Fall Conference Chair
1:15 – 2:15 PM	Plenary I - 20 Years Smoke-Free: Lessons from a Landmark Public Health Campaign Susan Jagers, JD, (Moderator), Executive Director, AOHC Bill Franks, MPH, College of Public Health and Health Sciences, Kent State University Tracy Sabetta, BA, Principal, Initiative Consulting Teresa Long, MD, MPH, Health Commissioner (Retired) Columbus Public Health, Adjunct Professor, OSU College of Public Health
2:15 – 3:15 PM	Plenary II – Strengthening Vaccine Policy and Public Confidence: Applying Evidence-Based Messaging to Address Vaccine Hesitancy Julie Sweetland, PhD, Senior Advisor, FrameWorks Institute
3:15 – 3:45 PM	Break
3:45 – 5:00 PM	Plenary III - Four Short Dynamic Talks One – Driving Community Engagement and Workforce Training with Academic Public Health Partners Paula Song, PhD, MHSA, MA, Dean, College of Public Health, Professor, Health Services Management and Policy, The Ohio State University Two – Thinking Through Critical Public Health Emergency Response Aram Dobalian, PhD, JD, MPH, Professor and Chair, Health Services Management and Policy, Director, Center for Public Health Practice, The Ohio State University Three – Translating Complex Public Health Policy Issues into Understandable Insights for Broad Audiences Simon Haeder, PhD, MPA, Associate Professor, Health Services Management and Policy, The Ohio State University Four – When Summer Doesn't End: How City Lights and Urban Heat Are Extending Ohio's Mosquito Season Megan Meuti, PhD, Associate Professor of Entomology, The Ohio State University
5:00 – 6:30 PM	Opening Dinner
6:30 – 7:30 PM	Plenary Session IV - Statewide AI Readiness, Gaps, and the Path Forward Melanie Schott, BA, (Moderator) – Director of Operations and Member Services, AOHC Jared Warner, MEM, REHS, Health Commissioner, Highland County Health Department Vickie Taylor, BS, MA, Health Commissioner, Ashland County Health Department Erik Balster, MPH, REHS, Health Commissioner, Butler County General Health District
7:30 PM	Adjourn

 

Tuesday, September 22

7:30 AM – 5:00 PM	Registration
9:00 AM – 10:10 AM	AOHC Business Meeting Ballots open at the end of this session.
10:10 AM – 10:15 AM	Welcome Julianne Nesbit, MPH, REHS, Health Commissioner, Clermont County Public Health, President, AOHC Board of Directors
10:15 AM – 11:00 AM	Ohio Department of Health Update Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, Director of Health, Ohio Department of Health Lance Himes, JD, Assistant Director, Ohio Department of Health
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM	Plenary Session V – BIPOLAR GENERAL: My Forever War with Mental Illness Major General Gregg F. Martin, PhD, US Army (Retired)
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM	Break/View Exhibits
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM	Lunch Local Public Health Services Collaborative Board of Managers Meeting/Lunch Medical Director University Luncheon
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM	Concurrent Sessions A.  From Conflict to Collaboration: Practical Workforce Strategies for Today’s Public Health Leaders Linda Pataky, SHRM, Human Resource Manager, Lorain County Public Health B.  Implementing a Novel Mental Health Awareness Training within Local Health Departments and the      Community Diana Patel, PhD, Project Coordinator Kayla Varney, MPH, Research Assistant, Kent State University C.  Waste in Plain Sight: QI Wins Hidden in Everyday Administrative Processes Brad Hollingsworth, MS, PE, Hollingsworth Consulting LLC (partnering with the Public Health Services Council of Ohio) D.  2026 AOHC Statewide Salary Survey Results and Trend Analysis (Panel Discussion) Garrett Guillozet, MPA, REHS, Health Commissioner, Delaware Public Health District Jared M. Warner, MEM, REHS, Health Commissioner, Highland County Health Department Tyler Briggs, MPH, Wood County Health Department
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM	Break/View Exhibits
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM	Concurrent Sessions E.  Data-Driven Policy Analysis: A Practical Framework for Controversial Public Health Issues Anne Goon, MS, RD, LD, Executive Director, Public Health Services Council of Ohio Annabelle M. Fisher, Public Health Student, Intern, Bowling Green University F.   Operationalizing Fundamental Financial Benchmarks for LHD Success Noah Stuby, MBA, Greene County Public Health G.   From Now to Next: A Modern Succession Strategy Julianne Nesbit, MPH, REHS, Health Commissioner; Clermont County Public Health Tara Jimison, DNP, RN, TTS, Director of Nursing; Clermont County Public Health Maalinii Vijayan, MPH, REHS, Assistant Health Commissioner of Community Health Services, Clermont County Public Health H.  The Human Side of Leadership: Retaining Talent and Inspiring Performance Lisa M. Russell, PHR, Senior Learning & Development Consultant, Kane Learning
5:00 PM	Adjourn
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM	President’s Reception (All Registrants Welcome) Smoke-free Ohio 20 yr. Anniversary

 

 

Tuesday/Medical Director University

12:15 – 1:15 PM		Lunch and Networking
1:15 – 2:00 PM		Session I - The New Era of Cancer Screening: Emerging Technologies and Public Health Practice Norah L Crossnohere, PhD, MHS, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine Meaghan Costello, MD, Primary Care Research Fellow, The Ohio State University
2:00 – 3:45 PM		Session II - Shared Vision: What’s Ahead in Public Health Tabitha Jones-McKnight, DO, MPH, CPE, Assistant Medical Director, Ohio Department of Health (ODH) John Kennedy, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Ohio Department of Behavioral Health Dana Vallangeon, MD, DABFM, FASAM, Dipa BLM - Assistant Medical Director, Ohio Department of Medicaid *Additional speaker pending.
3:45 – 4:00 PM		Break or View Exhibits
4:00 – 5:30 PM		Session III – Employing the next Public Health Generation: Academic Partnerships between Local Health Departments and Colleges of Public Health Paula Song, PhD, MHSA, MA, Dean, College of Public Health, Professor, Health Services Management and Policy, The Ohio State University Sonia Alemagno, PhD, Dean, Professor Health Policy & Management, Kent State University *Additional speaker pending
5:30 PM		Adjourn
5:30 – 7:00 PM		President’s Reception (All Registrants Welcome) Smoke-free Ohio 20 yr. Anniversary

 

Wednesday, September 23

7:30 AM – 12:00 PM	Registration
7:30 – 9:00 AM	AOHC District Concurrent Meetings
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM	AOHC Legislative Update Greg Kesterman, MPA, REHS, Health Commissioner, Hamilton County Public Health Adriane Casalotti, MPH, MSW, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, NACCHO Victoria Van de Vate, MPP, Director of Government Affairs, NACCHO
10:15 – 10:45 AM	Break/View Exhibits
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM	Plenary VI – Promoting Mental Wellness Before a Concern or Crisis Ariana Hoet, PhD, Executive Clinical Director, The Kids Mental Health Foundation
12:00 – 12:30 PM	View Exhibits: Ballots Closed
12:30 – 2:30 PM	Lunch and Awards Ceremony Business Session
2:30 PM	Adjourn

 

Speakers

Sonia Alemagno, PhD, 

Erik Balster, MPH, REHS, RS, CDI, - Health Commissioner for Butler County General Health District, where I oversee public health programs, regulatory services, emergency preparedness, and organizational operations that protect and improve the health of Butler County residents. With more than 15 years of public health experience, my career has spanned epidemiology, environmental health, community health initiatives, and executive leadership. I provide strategic direction and oversight for departmental operations, workforce development, community partnerships, and public health accreditation efforts while advancing the agency's mission to promote and protect the health of our communities. I've served as AOHC President and a variety of other board positions across various Public Health and Public Health-adjacent sectors. I am also an avid musician.

Tyler Briggs, MPH, is a 2017 graduate from the Northwest Ohio Consortium for Public Health and has worked in Ohio public health since 2017. Since 2018, he has been with Wood County.

Adriane Casalotti, MPH, MSW, Chief of Government and Public Affairs, NACCHO

Meaghan Costello, MD is an assistant clinical professor of Internal Medicine in The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and I am passionate about advancing public health through innovative research. As a Fellowship to Faculty Scholar in the Division of General Internal Medicine, my academic work centers on reducing health disparities by improving access to and uptake of preventive care services in the primary care setting. My current areas of focus include developing strategies to encourage patients to undergo lung cancer screenings and expanding access to cervical cancer screenings through the use of the HPV self-collected vaginal swab.

Norah Crossnohere, MHS, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and a Cancer Control Program Member at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC James). A patient-centered health services researcher with a focus on cancer screening programs in primary care, she earned her MHS and PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research centers on integrating patient preferences and evidence-based decision making into cancer screening, with particular expertise in multi-cancer early detection and emerging screening technologies.

Aram Dobalian, PhD, JD, MPH is Professor and Chair of the Division of Health Services Management and Policy at The Ohio State University College of Public Health, and Director of the Center for Public Health Practice. His research focuses on the impact of natural and human-caused disasters and other large-scale emergencies on health systems and population health. He was the founding director of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) research center focused on disaster preparedness, and led the center for 14 years.

Annabelle M. Fisher - Annabelle Fisher is a Public Health major at Bowling Green State University with a growing interest in health policy and data-informed decision-making. She has contributed academic presentations and community engagement efforts, building a strong foundation in analyzing public health issues through data. Annabelle is particularly interested in applying practical, evidence-based approaches to complex and often controversial public health policy challenges.

Bill Franks, MPH After having received a BS in Biology from Kent State University, Bill then served Ohio Public Health for 42 years before he retired.  He started as a sanitarian with the Lake County Health Department then moved on to the Ohio Department of Health.  After completing his MPH at the University of Minnesota he came back to Ohio to become the Health Commissioner of the Columbiana County Health Department.  In 1983 he became the Health Commissioner of the Stark County Health Department for 29 years before his retirement in 2012.  Shortly after his retirement he joined Kent State University College of Public Health as a Public Health Ambassador and part-time faculty.  He still holds that position.

Anne Goon, MS, RD, LD Executive Director of the Public Health Services Council of Ohio, has over 35 years of leadership experience in public health and healthcare settings, including 12 years as a health commissioner. She's assisted health departments of all sizes in their accreditation journeys. In her current role, Anne leads efforts to build health department capacity to provide foundational public health services, which include policy development and support. Anne has bachelor's and master’s degrees in allied medicine and a Certificate in Public Health Management and Leadership, all from The Ohio State University.

Garrett Guillozet, MPA, REHS, has served as Health Commissioner of the Delaware Public Health District since 2023, and previously served as Health Commissioner of the Ross County Health District from 2020 to 2023. He brings 20 years of public health experience, including service as Chair of the Ohio Public Health Advisory Board, Treasurer of the Ohio Public Health Association, Past President of the Ohio Environmental Health Association, and current service as an At-Large Director of the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners. He is an Ohio Registered Environmental Health Specialist and an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician. He received his undergraduate degree from Ohio Northern University and a Master of Public Administration in Public Health Policy from Kent State University.

Simon F. Haeder, PhD, MPA, is an associate professor in the Division of Health Services Management and Policy at The Ohio State University College of Public Health. His research examines access to health and health-protective services, with a focus on administrative burden, provider networks, vaccination policy, school-based health services, and the regulatory process.

Lance Himes, JD, is a longtime public health attorney and civil servant in Ohio who has served multiple times as interim director and Director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). He is currently the Assistant Director at ODH.

Ariana Hoet, PhD is Executive Clinical Director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, where she leads efforts to provide trusted, evidence-based resources that promote children's mental health. She also serves as a clinical assistant professor of Pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University and provides care in pediatric primary care, with a focus on serving immigrant children and families. A nationally recognized expert in youth mental health, Dr. Hoet is a frequent media contributor for outlets including CNN, Good Morning America, USA Today, Newsweek, and Axios. Her work has earned numerous honors, including the American Psychological Association Early Career Award for Outstanding Contributions to Benefit Children, Youth, and Families and recognition as a Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan. Originally from Venezuela, Dr. Hoet is a passionate advocate for equitable access to mental health care and culturally responsive family support. She is also the co-founder and vice president of Parenting Culture, a national nonprofit dedicated to inclusive parenting resources.

Brad Hollingsworth, MS, PE - Brad Hollingsworth is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with over two decades of experience in business process improvement. He has trained and certified more than 825 individuals in Lean Six Sigma, including public health practitioners across Ohio. Through Hollingsworth Consulting LLC’s partnership with the Public Health Services Council of Ohio, Brad brings expertise in Lean Six Sigma, Voice of the Customer, data analytics, and strategic planning to health departments seeking sustainable, data-driven improvement.

Melissa Howell, MS, MBA, MPH, RN, REHS, 

Tara Jimison, DNP, RN, TTS - Tara Jimison serves as the Director of Nursing at Clermont County Public Health in Ohio. She actively leads and contributes to quality improvement initiatives, performance management strategies, and multidisciplinary task groups supporting community health service programs, including communicable disease prevention, community health assessments, and community health improvement planning. In addition, she serves as Co-Chair of the Southwest Ohio Public Health Association Public Health Nurse Section, where she collaborates with partners to advance public health nursing practice and professional development.

Tabitha Jones-McKnight, DO, MPH, CPE, Dr. Tabitha Jones-McKnight is Assistant Medical Director at the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) where she provides clinical and public health leadership and guidance to various programs and community health initiatives. Before joining ODH, she cared for children living in underserved communities as a National Health Service Corps Scholar and primary care pediatrician. A graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (B.S. Biology), The Ohio State University (MPH), and Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), Dr. Jones-McKnight trained as an intern with the U.S. Public Health Service and completed an internship and pediatrics residency at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Doctors Hospital West in Columbus, OH. She is also a graduate of the Columbus Medical Association’s Physicians Leadership Academy and the American Academy of Physician Leadership, Certified Physician Executive Program. Dr. Jones-McKnight is actively involved in community-based initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes for children and families, reducing health disparities, and promoting optimal health for all. On behalf of the Director of Health she serves on the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and the Doula Advisory Group. Dr. Jones-McKnight is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Pediatrics and is a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. She is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Primary Care at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine where she serves as Discipline Director of Pediatrics.

John Kennedy, MD, Dr. John Kennedy is the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health. Dr. Kennedy spent a decade at The Ohio State University, completing medical school, graduate school, and his psychiatry residency. He then continued his training in forensic psychiatry in New York, working in a maximum-security forensic unit upon graduation. In 2000, he returned to Ohio to serve as the Director of the Institute for Psychiatry and Law at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, integrating the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship into Summit Behavioral Healthcare and serving as the Director of Forensic Services at Summit. For the past 20 years, Dr. Kennedy has held CMO and VPMA positions in university, psychiatric, and general medical hospitals, with oversight of the medical staff office, quality, accreditation, case management and graduate medical education, and outpatient mental health programs.

Greg Kesterman, MPA, REHS

Teresa C. Long, MD, MPH, is a nationally recognized public health leader, physician, and educator with more than three decades of experience in public health leadership. She served for 15 years as Health Commissioner for Columbus Public Health and currently serves as Special Advisor for Community Engagement and Partnerships and Clinical Associate Professor at The Ohio State University College of Public Health. Dr. Long has dedicated her career to advancing health equity, building cross-sector partnerships, and strengthening public health systems through leadership, education, and community engagement.

Kayla Varney, MPH Kayla graduated with her Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Kent State University in 2022. Prior to this, she graduated from KSU in 2021 with a bachelor's in psychology, and a bachelor's in criminology and justice studies. She works in the Center for Public Policy at Kent State University as a Research Associate on a Medication-Assisted Treatment Project to expand substance use treatment services in rural Southeastern Ohio. Additionally, Kayla serves as the Training Coordinator for the Center's NEO MHAT grant. In this role, she helps to schedule and present mental health awareness trainings in a nine-county area in Northeast Ohio. Kayla is a certified QPR and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor. She received the Golden Flash Award from the Kent State University Alumni Association in 2020.

Major General Gregg F. Martin, PhD, US Army (Retired), is a 36-year combat veteran who led more than 10K soldiers in the Iraq War. A bipolar survivor and THRIVER, and mental wellness warrior, he is an Airborne-Ranger-Combat Engineer, and Army Strategist. He led a combat engineer platoon, company, battalion and brigade, and was commanding general of Fort Leonard Wood and the Army Corps of Engineers Northwest Division, commandant of the Army Engineer School and the Army War College, and president of the National Defense University. A graduate of West Point, he holds a PhD and two master’s degrees from MIT, and master’s degrees from both the Army and Naval war colleges. He lived unknowingly on the bipolar spectrum his whole life, which mostly helped him, until he rocketed into full blown mania and terrifying psychosis, then crashed into crippling depression, along with PTSD and moral injury — a devastating combination which almost killed him. His life’s mission and purpose is sharing his bipolar story to help stop stigma, promote recovery, and save lives. His wife Maggie is an Army brat, Army wife, and Army mom to three sons, two of whom are Army Special Forces veterans, and one a “starving artist.” Martin is also the father of two sons who live with bipolar disorder, which makes for a fantastic family support team!  Martin is the author of “BIPOLAR GENERAL: My Forever War with Mental Illness.” A globally recognized leader in mental health and bipolar disorder, he is an “Expert by Lived Experience” in the BipolarActionNetwork.org and a leading character in BrainStormthefilm.com , a new documentary on bipolar disorder that will air on PBS. For more, see his website at BipolarGeneral.com . He is also grateful and proud to be an IBPF.org and NAMI.org Ambassador, and an Advisor to DragonflyMentalHealth.org.

Megan Meuti, PhD, is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University whose research examines how environmental conditions influence mosquito populations and vector-borne disease risk. Her recent studies have shown that factors common in urban environments, including elevated temperatures and light pollution, can extend mosquito biting activity later into the fall. Her work bridges physiology, ecology, and public health, providing insights that can inform mosquito surveillance, disease prevention, and community health planning in Ohio and beyond.

Julianne Nesbit, MPH, REHS has dedicated her career to advancing community health across Ohio and has served as Health Commissioner for Clermont County Public Health since 2013. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental management from Ball State University, a Master of Public Health from Wright State University, and is a registered environmental health specialist. Julianne is President of the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners and remains an active leader in shaping public health policy, programs, and partnerships.

Linda Pataky, SHRM Serves as the Human Resource Manager at Lorain County Public Health, where I support workforce development, employee relations, and organizational operations. My work focuses on helping supervisors navigate workplace challenges, strengthen team communication, and build supportive environments that allow public health professionals to succeed. I am passionate about developing practical strategies that strengthen the public health workforce and support the mission of improving community health.

Diana Patel, PhD Dr. Diana Patel currently serves as a Project Coordinator in the Center for Public Policy and Health at Kent State University. In her role, she serves as the project director for a SAMHSA-funded mental health awareness training program for local public-school districts and charter schools in Northeast Ohio. Dr. Patel received her PhD in Prevention Science from Kent State University (KSU). Prior to taking on her role at Kent State University, she served as the Senior Director for Research and Analytics at Summit Education Initiative, a non-profit focused on improving personal and regional prosperity through K-12 educational attainment. She also completed two postdoctoral research fellowships at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and Kent State University. In addition to her PhD, she also holds a Master of Public Health and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Akron. Dr. Patel’s primary research interests are focused on how social issues impact vulnerable populations, as well as how systems change can be utilized to improve population and social health.

Lisa Russell, PHR With over 20 years of learning and talent development experience, Lisa nurtures talent by focusing on the unique contributions leaders can make to grow their teams and the organization. Lisa translates insights into meaningful outcomes by highlighting the intersection of learning, connection, and strategic thinking. After growing up in Columbiana County in northeast Ohio, Lisa established her family and career in the Columbus area. She has her master’s degree in human resources from The Ohio State University and has demonstrated leadership abilities in progressive roles within internationally known organizations. Lisa brought her talents to Kane Learning: a boutique consulting firm with expertise in team effectiveness, people leadership, Human Resources, and communications. Kane Learning has Fortune 500 companies, small business, and non-profits on their client list, all of whom benefit from custom delivered solutions.

Tracy Sabetta, BA Tracy Sabetta is a founding partner of Initiative Consulting, a strategy and communications firm located in Columbus. Sabetta has more than 30 years of experience working in government, politics, and communications in Ohio, with a current focus on energy policy at the local, state, and federal levels. Prior to starting Initiative Consulting in 2008, she served as the Vice President of Government Relations for the American Cancer Society and Director of Tobacco-Free Ohio, where she was the campaign co-chair and media spokesperson for the successful SmokeFreeOhio statewide ballot initiative campaign that made all workplaces in Ohio smoke-free. Tracy has also served as a legislative and policy staff member in the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives and has worked as a campaign manager and staff on US Senate, Ohio gubernatorial, legislative, and ballot issue campaigns.

Paula H. Song, PhD, MHSA, MA, is professor of health services management and policy and dean of the College of Public Health at The Ohio State University. Dr. Song’s research expertise includes health care finance, accountable care organizations (ACOs), payment reform, community benefit, and utilization and access for vulnerable populations, including the underinsured and children with disabilities. Her current research interests focus on innovative financing and delivery mechanisms to improve the delivery of health care. Dr. Song teaches graduate level courses in healthcare financial management and has co-authored several leading textbooks in healthcare finance. Dr. Song is the 2020 recipient of the John D. Thompson Prize by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.  Dr. Song received her Ph.D. in health services organization and policy, and master’s degrees in health services administration and applied economics, all from the University of Michigan.

Noah Stuby, MBA Noah has worked in local public health for over 10 years and currently work as the Deputy Health Commissioner for Greene County Public Health. I routinely work with other local health departments to assess their financial health and provide strategies and tools to improve their financial outlook. I continue to develop financial training modules and educational material for the Region V Public Health Training Center, universities and colleges, NACCHO, AOHC, and other associations within the local governmental public health system. I've served as an independent consultant in the public health and health policy space and as a lecturer in the Division of Health Policy and Management, in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota.

Julie Sweetland, PhD, Dr. Julie Sweetland is a sociolinguist and senior advisor with the FrameWorks Institute, a nonprofit that studies the cultural and communications aspects of social and scientific issues. Dr. Sweetland’s skill in translating framing research into communication strategy has helped drive change on health equity topics like childhood adversity, tobacco control, maternal mortality, and more. As a longtime partner to the American Academy of Pediatrics, Julie has been instrumental in AAP’s efforts to lead a more productive public conversation on childhood vaccination.

Dana Vallangeon, MD, DABFM, FASAM, Dipa BLM Dr. Dana Vallangeon, MD, graduated from Olivet Nazarene University, where she received the Maggie Sloan Honor Award for Most Outstanding Woman Graduate. She went on to graduate summa cum laude from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and completed her family practice residency at Mount Carmel, serving as Chief Resident. She is Board Certified in Family Medicine. Dr. Vallangeon founded and served as CEO and Staff Physician of Lower Lights Christian Health Center for 17 years. Lower Lights, a faith based Federally Qualified Health Center, now provides a medical home for more than 14,000 patients and delivers more than 65,000 visits annually. She earned Board Certification in Addiction Medicine in 2018 and later served as Medical Director at Maryhaven before becoming Chief Medical Officer at the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers. She also provided adult primary care (0.25 FTE) at Southeast Healthcare, an FQHC in Columbus serving urban, medically underserved, largely homeless, and clinically complex populations. Her clinical focus includes treatment of substance use and opioid use disorders, along with integrated Hepatitis C and HIV screening, prevention, treatment, and linkage to ongoing primary and psychiatric care.

Victoria Van de Vate, MPP, Director of Government Affairs, NACCHO

Bruce Vanderhoff, M.D., MBA, was appointed director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) in August 2021. Dr. Vanderhoff joined the agency after being named chief medical officer in November 2020 and is a key leader in planning, managing, and executing Ohio’s COVID-19 response, including its wide-reaching vaccination program. Dr. Vanderhoff also leads the effort to transform the landscape of public health in Ohio through programs and policies that strive to erase inequities, elevate the importance of social determinants, and improve healthcare access and outcomes. Before joining ODH, Dr. Vanderhoff had amassed years of experience leading large teams in successfully dealing with important healthcare issues in Ohio. He served more than a decade as a senior vice president and chief medical officer at OhioHealth, where he prepared the healthcare system to manage the threat of Ebola and H1N1. He also addressed pressing healthcare issues affecting Ohio from rural Appalachia to metropolitan Columbus. His service has made him a nationally recognized physician leader with an impressive track record of managing large-scale healthcare initiatives, addressing disparities, and improving population health. Dr. Vanderhoff holds a doctorate in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration from Franklin University. He completed a residency in family medicine at York Hospital in York, Pennsylvania. 

Kayla Varney, MPH - Kayla graduated with her Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Kent State University in 2022. Prior to this, she graduated from KSU in 2021 with a bachelor's in psychology, and a bachelor's in criminology and justice studies. She works in the Center for Public Policy at Kent State University as a Research Associate on a Medication-Assisted Treatment Project to expand substance use treatment services in rural Southeastern Ohio. Additionally, Kayla serves as the Training Coordinator for the Center's NEO MHAT grant. In this role, she helps to schedule and present mental health awareness trainings in a nine-county area in Northeast Ohio. Kayla is a certified QPR and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor. She received the Golden Flash Award from the Kent State University Alumni Association in 2020.

Maalinii Vijayan, MPH, REHS Maalinii Vijayan serves as the Assistant Health Commissioner of Community Health Services for Clermont County Public Health, overseeing community health services programs, including WIC, nursing, harm reduction, injury prevention, and other public health programs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Dentistry from India and a Master of Public Health from Wright State University. With about 15 years of experience in public health, Ms. Vijayan brings a strong background in emergency response, environmental health, and community health program management. Ms. Vijayan plays a key role in community health assessments, community health improvement plan development, accreditation processes, and strategic planning, ensuring that initiatives are data-driven, collaborative, and aligned with community priorities to improve population health outcomes.

Jared Warner, MEM, REHS Jared Warner has served as Health Commissioner at Highland County Health Department for over eleven years. He holds a master’s degree in environmental management and, in 2023, earned a graduate certificate in Cybersecurity along with his Security+ certification from CompTIA. Jared co-chairs, the AOHC AI Committee, chairs the BTeam Committee, and has worked with the Salary Survey Committee for the last 3 survey cycles. Prior to his work as Health Commissioner, Jared worked in emergency preparedness and environmental health.