Spring CPHA Newsletter
Letter from Elizabeth
Dear CPHA Community,
It was wonderful to see so many of you at this year’s Annual Conference!
The clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70s provided a bright and energizing backdrop for a day of learning, networking and collaborating. We welcomed over 300 participants and 20 sponsors and exhibitors. The conference remains one of the largest gatherings of Connecticut’s public health community. Our new spring timing and event location (University of Saint Joseph) received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
We were especially encouraged by strong student engagement. Attendees represented 11 public health programs. The day featured an inspiring keynote from Dr. Jeffrey Hines, a wide range of sessions spanning health equity, housing and food access, maternal health, and emerging topics like AI, as well as a poster session showcasing 47 student projects. Just as meaningful were the connections made through networking and mentoring, reflecting the collaborative spirit at the heart of public health.
We are especially thankful for UConn, The University of Bridgeport, and The University of New Haven, without whose generous support, this conference would not have been possible.
The Annual Conference may be complete, but we’re still plenty busy. See below for upcoming activities
~ Elizabeth Schwartz, Executive Director
Upcoming CPHA Events
On the horizon are 5 solid days of programming, resources and activities for National Public Health Week (see below). This includes two upcoming events worth nothing:
- Next Gen Workforce Showcase on Wednesday April 8th
- Guns 2 Garden: Life Taking to Life Making Webinar on Friday April 10th
In addition to these events, CPHA will share resources, highlights, and ways to get involved across our social media channels. Follow along, engage with our posts, and share them within your networks!
Be on the lookout for even more events coming up!
We plan to host a digital poster session so that students from across the state can display the fruits of their research to the public health community.
Mark your calendars, participate, and stay connected with CPHA as we continue this exciting work together!
National Public Health Week
This year’s theme is Ready. Set. Action!
“As we celebrate, take a moment to recognize how public health has improved our daily lives, safeguarded our families, expanded our life spans, and strengthened our communities. This week is also a chance to honor the public health workers who show up for us every day — and to advocate for policies and practices that promote good health for all. Ready. Set. Action! calls on each of us to look back at the progress we’ve made and look forward to the steps needed for an even healthier future. Because one truth guides it all: Good health doesn’t just happen.”
Join the NPHW Conversation
Join us throughout National Public Health Week by engaging with CPHA on social media. Each day, we will share a prompt highlighting a different aspect of public health in Connecticut. We invite you to respond by:
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Posting a photo that represents public health in action
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Writing a short caption describing the impact, action, or “win” shown in your photo
For example, I might post a picture of my local farmers’ market and include a caption about the market’s SNAP-matching program which reduces the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables for lower income households.
Be sure to include our campaign hashtags so we can see and amplify your contributions: #NPHW #CTPublicHealth #CPHA
Your posts help elevate the visibility of public health work across Connecticut and showcase the meaningful impact happening in communities every day. Together, let’s celebrate the people, partnerships, and progress that make public health in Connecticut strong.
Other Public Health News in CT
Connecticut Health Council Presents: Building Health Equity in the Healthcare Workplace
Tuesday, April 28
Select tickets – Healthcare Trend Talks – Zoom
We will discuss trends in health equity in the workplace over the last year and steps healthcare employers can take when navigating health equity in 2026. Topics will include the implications of employment laws on health equity in healthcare, current workplace trends related to health equity, and approaches to strengthening workforce accountability and engagement.
