The Health Law & Policy Brief Spring Symposium

March 20, 2025

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The Health Law and Policy Brief, supported by the WCL Health Law and Policy Program, Presents:

Public Health at a Crossroads: Reflecting on Lessons Learned from COVID-19 and Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness

REGISTER HERE – available for in-person and Zoom viewing

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Symposium Description:

March 2025 marks the five-year anniversary of the initial COVID-19 lockdowns in the United States. The pandemic impacted every aspect of daily life, exacerbated inequities in our healthcare landscape, and strained our public health infrastructure. This half-day symposium will consider how lessons learned during COVID-19 will inform future pandemic preparedness amidst rising distrust in public health institutions and challenges facing our healthcare workforce. Lunch will be served.

Agenda Overview:

• 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM – Registration & Lunch
• 12 PM to 12:10 PM – Welcome Remarks
• 12:10 PM to 1:00 PM – Session 1 – Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response
  • Moderator: Celeste Davis, Professorial Lecturer and Director of Public Health Scholars, Dept. of Health Studies, American University
  • Alexandra Bhatti, J.D., MPH – U.S. Commercial Leader, Vaccination Confidence, Equity, and Public Health at Merck
  • Michelle Fiscus, M.D. – Chief Medical Officer, Association of Immunization Managers
  • Sam Halabi, J.D. – Director of Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center O’Neill Institute
  • Sam Hurley, MPH, EMPHS, NRP – Senior Deputy Director of Health Systems & Preparedness Administration, DC Health
• 1:10 PM to 2 PM – Session 2 – Lessons from a Workforce in Crisis: Understanding the Pandemic’s Impact on the Healthcare Workforce and the Road Ahead
  • Moderator: Asha Scielzo, Director of the WCL Health Law and Policy Program; President, American Health Law Association
  • Wendy Dean, MD – President and Co-Founder of Moral Injury of Healthcare
  • Karen Drenkard, PhD – President, Drenkard Healthcare Consulting, LLC
  • Rob Niccolini – Shareholder at Ogletree Deakins
  • Moriah Robins, MPH – Research Officer at de Beaumont Foundation
  • Joelle Simpson, MD, MPH – Medical Director of Emergency Preparedness at Children’s National Hospital

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