Strategic Leadership in DM Efforts (SLIDE) Program

The Strategic Leadership in DM Efforts (SLIDE) training series presents the SLIDE 2.0 Session Guide for PHIG recipients.

In Spring 2025, NNPHI launched its pilot program of the Strategic Leadership in DM Efforts (SLIDE) training series. SLIDE is a cohort based, virtual training designed to enhance leadership, strategic project management, and stakeholder engagement skills among public health professionals from state, local, and territorial health departments involved in data modernization (DM) activities through the Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG).

At the conclusion of the pilot program, our evaluation analysis showed that SLIDE participants gained knowledge across all modules (leadership, strategic planning, sustainability, and collaborative engagement), with average competency scores higher post-module than pre-module. Additionally, after sessions, 92% of respondents reported intent to take action. Examples of such action included identifying and engaging DM partners, defining and prioritizing goals, and using the tools and applying the approaches learned, specifically in strategic planning and action planning, and change management.

Utilizing the participant feedback and evaluation data from the SLIDE pilot, NNPHI refined the training series to provide a more robust program and peer-networking environment, which launched SLIDE 2.0 in the fall of 2025. SLIDE 2.0 included a new cohort of PHIG recipients to become champions of their data modernization work.

For a glimpse of the session content and learning objectives for SLIDE 2.0, please see below.

Session 1: Driving Organizational Value through Strategic Data Leadership

Learning Objectives

Utilize Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) methodology to align organizational efforts around DM and articulate its strategic value
Conceptualize data management as a discipline and DM as a steady journey toward maturity
Build competency in leadership and change management to effectively communicate and champion DM across an organization
Establish a collaborative cohort network that supports ongoing learning and strategic problem-solving

Session 2: Strategic Planning for Data Modernization

Learning Objectives

Create a clear and actionable vision statement for DM efforts
Develop specific strategic priorities, objectives, and key results to achieve the vision
Learn 90-day action planning methodology

Session 3: Building Sustainable Data Infrastructure for Public Health

Learning Objectives

Assess current data infrastructure
Identify key requirements for sustainable public health data infrastructure, including data governance, interoperability, and integration
Develop strategies for building and maintaining scalable data systems for public health

Session 4: Strategic Workforce Development for Data Modernization

Learning Objectives

Identify essential workforce capabilities needed to support DM initiatives
Learn strategies for building and maintaining informatics capacity within their teams

Session 5: Sustainable Funding Strategies and Responsible AI for Public Health Data Modernization

Learning Objectives

Understand different funding mechanisms available for public health
Learn approaches for braiding and layering funding streams to sustain funding for DM projects
Explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in public health, understanding its strategic value, implementation pathways, and mechanisms governance

Session 6: Capstone Presentations & Wrap-Up

Learning Objectives

Synthesize and articulate comprehensive DM strategies developed throughout the SLIDE program
Critically evaluate peer projects through constructive feedback to refine and strengthen proposed DM strategies
Establish a sustainable peer network for ongoing collaboration, knowledge sharing, and mutual support

SLIDE 2.0 was facilitated and led by the team at Flourish & Thrive Labs (F&T Labs), with support from the NNPHI team. F&T Labs provided optional homework assignments after each training session so that participants could apply the lessons learned to their own work. Although SLIDE 2.0 has ended, we hope that the SLIDE Session Guide can be a useful tool for professionals at public health agencies who are making strides on their data modernization efforts. The session guide includes content overviews from each session, key concepts, and the optional homework assignments with reflection question prompts.

For more information about the SLIDE program, please contact DMI@nnphi.org.

Use the session guide today.

The SLIDE Session Guide provides training content, key concepts, and optional homework assignments with reflection question prompts.

Download the session guide

This work is supported by funds made available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Center for STLT Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce, through OE22-2203: Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems grant. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.