Partnerships for Environmental Public Health (PEPH)
October 12, 2018

This webinar focused on the value of social media for community outreach and translation of children’s environmental health content. Social media is emerging as a necessary tool for public health communication as more Americans use it (and the Internet more generally) for health information. Yet many organizations lack a basic social media strategy for engaging target audiences. In this webinar, we covered a number of topics, including:
- A rationale for the use of social media in public health communication
- Best practices for the use of social media, including examples of how to use social media analytics to capture your reach and engagement with target audiences
- Examples of social media strategies implemented by the Children’s Environmental Health Social Media Workgroup and the Children’s Environmental Health Network to engage with target audiences
Presentations
- Meeting Target Audiences No Matter Where They Are: Strategies for Effective Use of Social Media for Public Health Communication (2MB) - Brenda Koester, M.S., Wendy Gutschow, M.S.W., and Nathan Mutic, M.S., M.A.T., M.Ed.
- #ChildrenAtTheCenter: Protecting Our Children and Their Future (2MB) - Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, M.P.H.
Experts

Brenda Koester, M.S., is assistant director of the Family Resiliency Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research and policy work centers on food insecurity, children’s feeding programs, effective community collaborations, and translating research into policy and practice.

Wendy Gutschow, M.S.W., is the administrator of the community engagement team in the Environmental Health Division of the University of Southern California’s Department of Preventive Medicine. Her work covers a broad range of science communication, including media relations, Web and social media content development, graphic design, and community-driven air monitoring program development. She interfaces between scientists studying the health effects of air pollution and other environmental exposures and community-based organizations working on issues of environmental health and justice.

Nathan Mutic, M.S., M.A.T., M.Ed., is the center administrator for the Emory University Center for Children’s Health, the Environment, the Microbiome, and Metabolomics, and he also serves as project manager for the Southeast Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit. He is involved in the development and implementation of multiple community outreach and research translation programs, including the “Know Better Live Better” children’s environmental health social media campaign.

Nsedu Obot-Witherspoon, M.P.H., is executive director of the Children’s Environmental Health Network, where her responsibilities include organizing, leading, and managing policy, education and training, and science-related programs. For the past 18 years, she has served as a key spokesperson on children’s vulnerabilities and the need for kids’ protection, conducting presentations and lectures across the country.
We want your feedback!
Send comments, questions, and suggestions for future webinar topics to peph@niehs.nih.gov.
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