The 2024 Arizona Health Equity Conference brought together hundreds of health services professionals, including many alumni from the college, to focus on expanding health programs, services, and care for all the people of Arizona.
The 2024 Arizona Health Equity Conference (AZHEC) brought together nearly 500 attendees for a robust program of activities, including a keynote session, expert panels, breakout presentations, poster sessions, and networking opportunities. The Conference, hosted on Thursday, October 10, 2024, for both in-person and virtual attendees, provided an overview of current health equity research, outreach, and policies in Arizona, and connected professionals and organizations working in the field of health equity to reduce health disparities. The Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH) has been involved in the conference since it began in 2014.
The planning committee for the AZHEC brings together 15 primary representatives from 13 different health services organizations, including four MPH alumni from the Zuckerman College of Public Health. Notably, Kim Barnes, MPH ’08, from the college’s Office of Student Affairs in Phoenix has been involved with the AZHEC planning committee since the conference’s inception in 2014. As a proud Garnet Sponsor, our college was well-represented with exhibitor tables in Phoenix and in the virtual space, thanks to the active involvement of the MEZCOPH Office of Student Affairs, the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach, and Corporate Engagement and Business Development.
Several MEZCOPH alumni enjoyed the chance to reconnect at the conference. From the college, in addition to Kim Barnes, many current faculty and staff attended, including Paloma Beamer, Interim Associate Dean of Community Engagement and Professor of Public Health; Kurt Peterson, Director of Corporate Engagement and Business Development; Anaiz Acosta, Senior Recruitment Coordinator; and Ashleigh Gagliano, Academic Advisor. Melissa Garcia, Outreach Coordinator for the WEST Environmental Justice Center, managed the college’s virtual outreach table.
Our college representatives engaged with community organizations, public health professionals, prospective students, and alumni. We were especially pleased that our alumna Zaida Dedolph Piecoro, MPH ’17, the Health Policy Advisor in the Office of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, closed out the day’s events with an engaging session titled, “Vote For Your Health: 2024 Election Insights.”
All together the conference was a very successful event to promote and expand health equity in Arizona! Thanks to everyone who planned, coordinated, and participated!
