Washington, D.C., May 7, 2004
– Marion County Health Department Director and American Public Health Association (APHA) President Virginia Caine, MD, along with other public health experts, will speak at the annual Indiana Public Health Association (IPHA) meeting, to be held May 10-12, 2004, in West Lafayette, Ind. The conference, entitled “Public Health Survivor: Staying in the Game,” will draw hundreds of public health professionals from across Indiana and provide an opportunity to explore the future of public health and learn new skills and techniques to meet today's local and national health challenges.
Caine, who became APHA president in 2003, has served as a public health leader both in Indiana and on a national level. She is a member of both the Advisory Board of Indiana University School of Nursing and the Organizing Committee for the Indiana University School of Public Health, and is an associate professor of medicine inthe division of infectious diseases at Indiana University School of Medicine. As APHA president, she has focused on areas such as health disparities and public health infrastructure and funding.
Other speakers will include Gregory Wilson, MD, Indiana State Health Commissioner; Joan P. Cioffi, PhD, senior service fellow in the Public Health Practice Program Office at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Steve Cain, disaster specialist, Purdue Extension. Wilson will provide an overview of the future of public health in Indiana; Cioffi will speak on national initiatives for public health credentialing; and Cain will discuss agroterrorism as a public health issue.
"I am excited to be able to offer both a local and national perspective on the public health challenges that Indiana is facing," said Caine. "This conference is a terrific and timely opportunity for public health professionals across Indiana to shape the future of public health and make progress on today's most vital issues."
IPHA, an affiliate of APHA, has represented public health interests in Indiana since 1946. Its membership brings together health care providers, environmental health professionals, registrars and educators in partnership with Indiana communities. IPHA works to improve the health of the people of Indiana through training and research, educational programs and advocacy through communication with government officials and community leaders. For further information about the program, visit www.inpha.org or contact Michelle Harris by phone at (317) 221-3005 or e-mail at mharris@inpha.org.