National Public Health Week is April 2-8.  In celebration of this week, Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) is releasing a series of five short videos, titled “I Am Public Health,” showcasing five public health professionals and how their work keeps our community safe and well. 
 
 “The work of Public Health most often happens behinds the scenes and is invisible until there is a crisis, such as a new epidemic, a food borne illness or a communicable disease outbreak,” said Janel Heinrich, PHMDC Director. “Less visibly, we are also hard at work on other issues that impact the health and quality of life of members of our community like the rising rates of obesity and opioid use, advocating for smoke-free air, getting health care, and having enough healthy food to eat. These videos provide insight into the day-to-day activities of some of our dedicated staff who work in varied settings to ensure the health of our community.”
 
The public health professionals featured in the videos are:
 
Julia Greenleaf, Public Health Nurse in the Tuberculosis and Communicable Disease Programs, works to prevent the spread of communicable diseases in our community.
 
Nick Heckman, Food Security Analyst, works with community partners to make sure that everyone has access to enough food for an active and healthy life. 
 
Bonnie Lynn, Public Health Sanitarian, who inspects restaurants and other food establishments making sure our food is safe and preventing foodborne illness. 
 
Brandon Macomber, Public Health Sanitarian, works in Environmental Health, protecting our land and water and preventing exposure to health hazards.
 
Diane McHugh, Public Health Nurse and Immunization Coordinator, works to make sure that people are immunized against vaccine preventable diseases.
 
To view each of their stories, go to PHMDC’s YouTube Channel
 
The staff of PHMDC is made up of many kinds of professionals;  among them are nurses, sanitarians, policy analysts, planners, epidemiologists, dieticians, health educators, interpreters, and administrators, all working together toward the goal of healthy people and healthy places.   
 
“We’re a diverse group, but we all work toward the same goal of healthy people and healthy places. Public Health Week gives us an opportunity to show the depth and breadth of skills that make up our staff and positively impact our county,” says Heinrich.   
 
Links:
National Public Health Week
Public Health-Madison & Dane County