x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Public Health Insight

The Public Health Insight Podcast is a weekly podcast ranked in the top 5% of all podcasts globally. The podcast covers all things public health and global health, from the sustainable development goals to the social determinants of health, as well as interesting dialogues about the diverse career opportunities that exist in the fields. Since its launch in March 2020, the podcast has featured more than 40 high-profile guests and has built an audience in more than 5,000 cities in over 190

science social sciences

All Episodes

34:31

Turning Data To Action With Community Needs Assessments

Public Health Insight ·

2026/04/07

How often do public health organizations decide what a community needs — without actually asking them? This episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast sees Gordon sit down with Alexandra Piatkowski, epidemiologist and founder & CEO of Piat Public Health, to unpack one of public health's most foundational — and often misused — tools: the community needs assessment. They explore why existing quantitative data is never enough on its own, how health equity moves from buzzword to practice,...

en

34:37

Jumping From Health Systems Transformation to Public...

Public Health Insight ·

2026/03/31

What does it take to hit the ground running after grad school? For Alexandra Piatkowski, the answer started long before graduation — by deliberately building real-world experience while still a student. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Gordon sits down with the founder of Piat Public Health to trace a career that blends epidemiology, health policy, and project management into something entirely her own. Alexandra shares how stacking hands-on experience during school set...

en

23:25

Building A Better Future With 'Just' One Health

Public Health Insight ·

2026/03/24

Prevention is the most powerful public health tool we have and yet the hardest to fund. Dr. Hope Ferdowsian of Phoenix Zones Initiative explains how her organization is changing that: informing global health strategies, training cross-sector professionals, and advancing a justice-centered framework called Just One Health that targets root causes, not symptoms. She also shares a bold 10-year vision — where well-being replaces GDP, animals gain rights recognition, and prevention is the default....

en

26:02

The Cost of Putting Humans First

Public Health Insight ·

2026/03/17

Animal abuse is a predictor child abuse. Slaughterhouse locations correlate with violent crime. Over three-quarters of emerging infectious diseases trace back to how we treat animals and ecosystems. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Hope Ferdowsian connects these patterns to a single root cause: systems built on hierarchies that reduce living beings to their financial worth. She challenges public health to stop treating symptoms, expand its moral circle beyond humans, ...

en

28:16

It Started With A Sheep Named Crystal

Public Health Insight ·

2026/03/10

Healing people requires healing animals and the systems we share. Dr. Hope Ferdowsian traces that conviction from a sheep named Crystal on an Oklahoma farm to sanctuary chimpanzees with PTSD, to asylum seekers she's evaluated across borders. The through-line isn't a coincidence — it's a career built on understanding humanity through animals, following suffering wherever it leads, and finding resilience on the other side. References for Our Discussion ◼️Phoenix Zones Website Guest ◼️Ho...

en

22:35

Rx Kids: A Cash Prescription for Pregnant Moms & Babies

Public Health Insight ·

2026/03/03

What if the prescription wasn't a pill, but cash? Rx Kids gives expecting and new mothers up to $7,500, no questions asked. Laura Keen from GiveDirectly explains why giving money to everyone — not just the poorest — actually works better, why nearly every eligible mom in Flint signed up, and what happened to preterm births, evictions, and depression when communities invested in families from day one. Plus, how a program centered on babies united both sides of the political aisle. Reference...

en

16:11

Flint Is (Re)Writing Its Own Story & You Should Pay...

Public Health Insight ·

2026/02/24

Flint, Michigan was once known as one of America's most prosperous industrial cities. Decades of deindustrialization and a water crisis changed that, but crisis isn't the whole story. Laura Keen of GiveDirectly joins the podcast to explore the resilience behind the popular headlines, the gaps in America's safety net, and what the expanded Child Tax Credit revealed about child poverty. All of it set the stage for Rx Kids — one of the most ambitious social programs in the country. References ...

en

40:06

What Do Telenovelas, Staircases, & Supply Chains Have...

Public Health Insight ·

2026/02/17

She studied philosophy at UPenn, sharpened her Spanish watching telenovelas with a host mom in silk robes and kitten heels, then moved to Peru and built staircases so families wouldn't fall carrying water. Laura Keen's path wound through cocoa farms in West Africa, anti-trafficking work in the Amazon, and the inner workings of fair trade — each stop ultimately leading her to GiveDirectly and a radically simple idea that's reshaping how we think about poverty. References for Our Discu...

en

24:57

What Would It Take To Strike Out Snakebite?

Public Health Insight ·

2026/02/10

Imagine surviving a snake bite only to battle depression for years. Half of hospitals can't properly treat snake bites and almost all healthcare workers struggle to administer life-saving anti-venom in many ways. Dr. David Lalloo illuminates a crisis killing more people than many familiar diseases, yet receiving a fraction of the funding. From recent strides in quality control to universal antivenom approaches and simple prevention measures, this conversation reveals the challenges of...

en

22:04

Why Snakebite Envenoming Is (Still) A Public Health...

Public Health Insight ·

2026/02/03

Right now, someone is being bitten by a venomous snake. Over the course of a year, 138,000 deaths and 400,000 disabilities. Yet snake bite remains one of the world's most neglected health crises. Professor David Lalloo explains why this preventable tragedy persists—from the science of venom to the economics of anti-venom, and why the right treatment might not exist where people need it most. References for Our Discussion ◼️Snakebites kill 130,000 people a year. This UK lab may have the ans...

en

18:14

The Split-Second Decision That Led to Papua New Guinea

Public Health Insight ·

2026/01/27

A young doctor faces a choice: wait in line after a lecture or go to the pub. He waits. Fast forward, he's on a plane to Papua New Guinea. He arrives expecting malaria research—but finds 25% of ICU beds filled with snakebite victims. Professor David Lalloo didn't plan to dedicate his life to one of the world's most neglected health crises. He stumbled into it. And it took until 2017 for the WHO to even recognize snakebite as a disease worth fighting. This is the story of how one split-s...

en

28:32

Public Health Communications Needs A Makeover: Power...

Public Health Insight ·

2026/01/20

Public health says "don't drink and drive." Bud Light says "don't let the party stop—have a designated driver". One feels like a lecture, the other made millions take notice. That communication gap is why public health messaging still misses the mark despite saving millions of lives. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Brian Castrucci explains how AI platforms and influencer partnerships could go a long way in helping public health step out of the shadows. From the De Be...

en

24:29

Why America Isn't As Divided On Public Health As You...

Public Health Insight ·

2026/01/13

79% of Americans support childhood vaccine requirements—including the majority of Republicans. So why does it feel like everyone in the U.S. is against public health? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Brian Castrucci reveals what public opinion polling actually shows: Americans are far more united on health issues than we think. The problem isn't what people believe—it's the messages we're sending and who's delivering them. References for Our Discussion ◼️Poll: 100 ...

en

34:52

The Beautiful & Most Scary Thing About Public Health

Public Health Insight ·

2026/01/06

If you just look at his resume, it sounds almost made up: Political Science at NC State, a Master’s at Columbia, a DRPH at UNC, and a decade in the trenches as an epidemiologist across three states. Then, employee number three at a “tiny foundation”—now president and CEO, shaping how America thinks about public health. This episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast dives into the forks in the road, the mentors, and the scars that turned Dr. Brian Castrucci into the leader he is today. Re...

en

2:18

Trailer: Welcome to the Public Health Insight Podcast

Public Health Insight ·

2025/12/30

Welcome to the Public Health Insight Podcast, where we go beyond the headlines to explore the ideas, challenges, and people shaping health in communities around the world. Every Tuesday, host Gordon Thane brings you conversations with researchers, practitioners, and changemakers tackling the most urgent questions in public health. From the former CEO of Gavi to the attorney who exposed DuPont's forever chemicals—these are the stories that matter. 🎧 Start with any episode that sparks your

en

12:33

Failing Before The Job Interview Starts: A Hiring...

Public Health Insight ·

2025/12/23

Find out why brilliant candidates still miss out on job opportunities and why Gordon thinks we’re in the midst of a job interview crisis, where candidates often show up underprepared. Host & Producer ◼️Gordon Thane, BMSc, MPH, PMP® Production Notes ◼️ Music from Johnny Harris x Tom Fox: The Music Room Subscribe to the Newsletter Subscribe to The Insight newsletter so you don’t miss out on the latest podcast episodes, live events, job skills, learning opportunities, and ...

en

23:46

The Power of Collective Action In Public Health

Public Health Insight ·

2025/12/16

Collective action is the engine of public health transformation. In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Vinu Ilakkuvan shares the tactics that turn community frustration into real-world victories, like Pittsburgh’s fight for public water. The conversation also explores how building coalitions, fostering local connections, and embracing joy can challenge entrenched power and spark lasting change. References for Our Discussion ◼️An overview of the commercial determin...

en

24:18

The Commercial Determinants of Health: The Real Root...

Public Health Insight ·

2025/12/09

What if the real force shaping our health isn’t our doctor, our diet, or even our zip code - but the invisible hand of corporate power? In this eye-opening episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we go beyond the usual talk of social determinants to expose the deeper, upstream forces that shape our health: the commercial and political power wielded by corporations. Tune in as we sit down with public health disruptor Vinu Ilakkuvan, who unpacks how corporate interests manipulate narrativ...

en

32:24

Accidentally Stumbling Into Public Health & A Big Idea

Public Health Insight ·

2025/12/02

What drives someone to leave a traditional career path and take on the hidden forces shaping our health? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Vinu Ilakkuvan traces her journey from an early interest in journalism to biomedical engineering and economics, and ultimately to public health. She reflects on the pivotal moments, values, and experiences that inspired her to found Pop Health and Gaslit, and explains why empowering communities is at the heart of her mission. Refe...

en

28:26

Fair Doses, the Global Fight for Vaccine Equity

Public Health Insight ·

2025/11/25

What does it take to get vaccines to everyone who needs them? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Seth Berkley, former CEO of Gavi, joins us to break down the global fight for vaccine access, from the spread of misinformation to the race against new pandemics. We explore why vaccine equity matters, what’s at stake when funding and trust falter, and the lessons we need to learn to protect everyone, everywhere, in the present and future. References for Our Discuss...

en

323 results

Similar Podcasts

Classic Radio Science Fiction

solgoodmedia.com

Mission to Mars

Inception Point Ai

The 365 Days of Astronomy

365DaysOfAstronomy.org

Creek Devil

william Jevning

UFO Chronicles Podcast

Nik Hunter