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Public Health LEADS

Data science and leadership in public health

Data science and leadership continue to evolve across the public health field. From academia to the workforce, understanding the complexities and interconnections between data science and leadership drives impact on the next generation of the workforce and expands the existing public health professional’s capacity. Public health data science and leadership can be conceptualized as a relationship between data science, data literacy and data informed leadership.

Data science suggests a combination of math and statistics skills often executed through the use of software and/or programming; data literacy is the ability to find meaning in the data; and data-informed leadership is the use of data to inform, guide, and justify decisions.

We invite you to dive into recruitment and retention, programs and curriculum, training and skills and learn more about the Public Health LEADS program that has been leading this work.

  • Data science Collecting, manipulating and visualizing information
  • Data literacy Interpreting and evaluating information across contexts
  • Data-informed leadership Using information to advance public health objectives and support the public health workforce

Ask Ethan: Your Guide for Public Health Leadership and Data Science

Explore our tools, trainings, and resources designed to strengthen leadership, collaboration, and data-informed decision-making in public health.
Photos of the Public Health LEADS Steering Committee, including the following individuals: Sanggom Nam, PhD, Azusa Pacific University; Nakia Bolden, I Am Health Education Corps; Kathleen Rees, Washington County Public Health Division; Breyana D. Davis, North Carolina A&T State University; Emily McRae, Center for Health Innovation; E. Chandlee Bryan, Dartmouth College; Ethan Greenblatt, St. Louis County Health Department; Shelley Argabrite, Garrett County Health Department.
The Public Health LEADS steering committee.
About the project toggle

The Public Health Leadership and Education, Advancing Health Equity and Data Science (Public Health LEADS) is an NNPHI program funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to strengthen population and public health workforce pathways. This project is an initiative aimed at developing leadership and data science capabilities within public health. Led by NNPHI’s Environmental Health and Emergency Preparedness team, the project is developing resources and recommendations in data science and leadership to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge required to address complex public health challenges. This project serves to nurture and empower the next generation of public health leaders and data scientists.

Project team presentations toggle

The Public Health LEADS team has engaged in interactive presentations and workshops across the country with the public health workforce. Events include Association for Programs of Public Health’s Annual Conference, National Association of County & City Health Officials 360 Conference and NNPHI’s Open Forum Next Generation Conference. Each event provided an opportunity to connect with academia, the health department workforce and the next generation of public health professionals.

Financial support toggle

This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award (NU36OE000016-01-00, titled Strengthening Environmental Health – Building Capacity for a More Diverse and Representative Workforce) totaling $366,000 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. 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.

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Please reach out to the Environmental Health and Emergency Preparedness team at ccp@nnphi.org with any questions or to learn more.