Dean Schillinger, MD
University of California and San Francisco General Hospital

This presentation involves a case study in how to advance public health literacy. It provides insights learned from a youth-led diabetes prevention campaign that combined The Arts with Public Health. The campaign empowered and activated youth to reframe the diabetes epidemic in their communities to confront and change the social and environmental drivers of chronic disease and improve individual well-being and strengthen public health. Dr. Schillinger will describe the campaign, as well as share insights based on recent campaign evaluations.

Perri Klass, MD
Professor of Journalism and Pediatrics, New York University, Reach Out and Read – National Medical Director

This presentation will look at what has been learned from three decades of Reach Out and Read, using pediatric primary care and the relationships that parents and families build with their health care providers to support and promote reading with young children and all the positive and language-rich routines that can be built around books in the home. The presentation will discuss the rich and complex topics that literacy and books can bring up in the pediatric visit, from the importance of routines to dialogue and interaction to parent efficacy, and look at some of the newer directions that literacy promotion can take us, from social-emotional development to early math. Finally, the presentation will come back to the idea of all that literacy encompasses, from the complexities of developing a "reading brain" to the long-term benefits across the life course of fluency with written language, ranging from civic engagement to creativity.

H. Shonna Yin, MD, MSc
General Pediatrician and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Population Health at the NYU School of Medicine

Health literacy issues affect the majority of US parents, impacting their ability to understand and act on health information they encounter in their daily lives, including guidance provided by pediatric healthcare providers. Over time, children also develop their own health literacy skills as they embark on a path to learn how to navigate health issues on their own. This session is aimed at those interested in advocating for children, including those serving child health-related needs, and will delineate the important rationale for addressing health literacy in the context of child health and what is known about successful intervention strategies.

Michael Paasche-Orlow MD, MA, MPH
Professor of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine

By discussing several successful health literacy interventions, we will examine core implementation and evaluation challenges and opportunities to design programs that work.

Matthew W. Kreuter, PhD, MPH
Kahn Family Professor of Public Health, The Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis

Dr. Kreuter will share insights gained from his team’s extensive public health research with low-income individuals, families and communities, with a particular focus on translating these findings into practical applications for attendees. The presentation will cover a range of topics, concluding with timely perspectives and new data about how the health care sector can better address the social needs of vulnerable populations.

Annie Griffiths
Award-winning National Geographic photojournalist and founder and executive director of Ripple Effect Images

Annie Griffiths will discuss the impact her photos have in covering under-reported issues and solutions that affect women and children in seven key areas: food, water, health, education, energy, economic empowerment and climate change impact.