Rationale:  The severity of health disparities in our communities, the pending Public Health workforce crisis, and the on-going need for leadership skill building among our existing and prospective supervisors, managers, and executives are well documented.  The confluence of these phenomena demands our immediate and ongoing attention to inspiring and preparing future leaders in community and public health.
 
Background:  The March 2006 Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust conference, “Bridging Healthcare Disparities: Getting Healthy and Living Well in the Black Community” in Brooklyn set the stage for inspiring public health workers to take on leadership roles – at every level possible – to move us forward in addressing health care disparities. 

The original, July 2006, “Finding Your Inner Leader: An ‘Aha!’ Conference for Aspiring Community and Public Health Leaders” demonstrated the need for a community health leadership launch-pad event to inspire people to prepare themselves to take on community health leadership roles.

In response to the positive reaction and interest in this first event, we have expanded the format of this annual event to include, in addition to the original track for aspiring leaders, a track for current leaders, and a track on leadership responsibilities and opportunities in specific areas of public health.

Goal:

The goal of the conference is to help support efforts to eliminate health disparities and increase the availability of community and public health leaders by

• Understanding the need for new leaders in public health
• Increasing practitioners’ motivation to assume leadership roles
• Building leadership self-confidence
• Promoting on-the-job leadership development
• Encouraging leadership development among students in health-related majors
• Sharing HIV/AIDS leadership opportunities, requirements, and challenges
• Fostering mentoring relationships among current and emerging health leaders

Who Should Attend:

If you, through your paid work or volunteer activities, address disease and disability prevention and/or health protection and promotion for geographically (neighborhoods/communities, counties, states, schools, worksites, health care facilities, etc.), and/or demographically related groups and populations (infants, youth, teens, adults, women, parents, seniors, people with specific diseases, conditions or unhealthy behaviors, specific ethnic and racial groups, etc.), this conference is for you! 

Specifically: 

• Health, allied health, and/or medical professionals with 3-5 years of health experience but limited, if any, leadership experience
• Supervisors/mentors of staff who wish or need to assume leadership roles
• Faculty from community/public health, allied health, nursing, and pre-med programs
• Students from community/public health, allied health, nursing, and pre-med programs
• K-12  health teachers
• HIV/AIDS specialists
• Everyone interested in the future of public and community health leadership
  

Conference Planning Partners:

Brooklyn Borough President’s Office
 Brooklyn College
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC)
Greater New York Society for Public Health Education
Greater Southern Brooklyn Health Coalition
Kingsborough Community College
MHRA, Inc.
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
New York State Department of Health
Public Health Association of New York City
Dept. of Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Health Care System

Other community and public health agencies and organizations are invited to join us in supporting the conference through underwriting, exhibits, and in-kind services.

Special Features:

Centering and Focusing Warm-Up

• Develop intentionality and help maintain focus and energy with this early morning warm-up on the terrace, weather permitting

Leadership Development for HIV/AIDS Specialists

• Attend up to six roundtable discussions with leaders in HIV/AIDS advocacy, case management, coalition building, community health education, community organizing, fund raising, health care administration, international work, policy development, professional preparation, research, and staff development. 

Seaside Networking Social

• Post-conference early evening seaside reception.

Barnes and Noble Bookstore

Conference discounts and free mailing

• Public and community health leadership related books
• Books by conference speakers and supporters
  

Exhibits

• Organization, program, and education materials

Conference Attire:

• Casual and comfortable dress is appropriate throughout the conference
• Sportswear encouraged for opening centering session

Continuing Education Credits:

Applications for up to 8 hours of continuing education credit for certified health education specialists, nurses, physicians, and other professionals pending. 

Registration Fees:

Conference registration fee includes:

• Admission to all education sessions
• The Art of Supportive Leadership  by J. Donald Walters
• Free shuttle bus from Brighton Beach subway station (Q, B, W) to campus
• Continuing education credit processing
• Certificate of attendance
• Registration packet including list of participants, training resources and more!
• Speakers’ handouts
• Free mailing of any bookstore purchases
• Light breakfast
• Buffet lunch
• Post conference reception
• Free on-campus parking 

Scholarships are available.

Click here to register.