Inspired To Heal

William Trick
  • 5.0 (17)
  • MEDICINE

Stories of clinicians, educators, innovators, and researchers who built or led programs of excellence in government health institutions. Each guest has excelled in clinical medicine, program building, or public health. They persevered and succeeded through a clear vision, collaboration, and a passion for the mission of government-run health systems. Their stories will inspire those seeking change in their own organizations. 

  1. DEC 17

    Chicken Livers in NYC & Guppies in Los Angeles: Public Health Responses with Sharon Balter

    Dr. Sharon Balter, physician and poet, reflects on her career leading outbreak responses at the CDC and the public health departments of New York City and Los Angeles. Drawing on her experiences at the Federal level and in the United States’ two largest local public health jurisdictions, she offers a rare insider perspective on the strengths and complexities of the U.S. federated public health system.  Amid unprecedented challenges facing the field, she also delivers an optimistic message about careers in public health, offering perspective, reassurance—a much-needed balm for a frustrated workforce.  Additional guest information & links to podcast platforms are available at www.inspiredtoheal.net. Please like and follow us on your favorite platform. Contact us with feedback and suggestions through the website.

    37 min

  2. NOV 29

    Public Health Crises from CDC to Alaska with Dr. Jay Butler

    After attaining zoology and medical degrees, Dr. Jay Butler’s medical career took an unexpected turn when he discovered the world of public health through the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service. That discovery set him on a path that led to impactful roles with the Alaska Department of Health, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.  In every position, Jay sought out the latest crisis and in the spirit of the CDC’s mission, “ran to the fire.” His long and diverse career has given him a unique perspective on how public health agencies can collaborate with each other and with communities to advance health.  Now preparing to begin a new chapter as Dean of the University of Alaska College of Health, Jay reflects on the lessons, challenges, and motivations that have shaped his public health journey—and his drive for personal growth that keeps him motivated and continuously learning.  Additional guest information & links to podcast platforms are available at www.inspiredtoheal.net. Please like and follow us on your favorite platform. Contact us with feedback and suggestions through the website.

    42 min

  3. NOV 19

    FoodNet: Monitoring Foodborne Illness for the United States

    In the early 1990s, a devastating outbreak of contaminated beef led to kidney damage and death among children, sparking a call to action on food safety. In response, the CDC, USDA, FDA, and several state health departments launched FoodNet in 1995—a surveillance system designed to monitor the incidence and severity of foodborne illnesses across the United States.  Dr. Kirk Smith, an epidemiologist, veterinarian, and director of Minnesota’s FoodNet site, he shares his insights from decades of work protecting the nation's food supply. Dr. Smith discusses how FoodNet works, best practices in food safety,  and a particularly unusual and interesting Salmonella outbreak in an elementary school. Additional guest information & links to podcast platforms are available at www.inspiredtoheal.net. Please like and follow us on your favorite platform. Contact us with feedback and suggestions through the website.

    20 min

  4. NOV 6

    See·Believe·Create, with Tom Frieden

    Dr. Tom Frieden has led public health institutions through some of the most defining moments of our time—from his stewardship of New York City’s Department of Health to his leadership of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In his new book, The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own, he distills decades of experience into a powerful approach: See·Believe·Create.  Dr. Frieden explains how rigorous surveillance and data serve as public health’s superpower, allowing leaders to identify urgent needs, design effective programs, and measure life-saving impact. As President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, he works on a global scale, advancing efforts to prevent millions of premature deaths by treating hypertension and promoting healthy eating.  Through his optimistic and action-oriented perspective, we are reminded that—even amid today’s challenges—public health can transform and thrive. Additional guest information & links to podcast platforms are available at www.inspiredtoheal.net. Please like and follow us on your favorite platform. Contact us with feedback and suggestions through the website.

    42 min

  5. OCT 23

    Ground Zero: Santa Clara County's COVID Response

    For over two decades, Dr. Sara Cody devoted her career to protecting the health of her community as the Public Health Director for Santa Clara County. Her leadership was tested in early 2020, when COVID-19 arrived in her county—one of the first in the United States to detect community spread. As the virus spread rapidly, Dr. Cody faced the daunting task of making life-altering decisions with limited information, uncertainty, and intense scrutiny.  Drawing from her formative years as a member of the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, Dr. Cody shares how investigating outbreaks of contaminated apple juice and raw milk taught her the fundamentals of field epidemiology, including collaboration between government agencies and communities. Dr. Cody’s story is one of a deep sense of duty to community and an inside look at what it means to lead in local public health when decisions have enormous consequences.  Additional guest information & links to podcast platforms are available at www.inspiredtoheal.net. Please like and follow us on your favorite platform. Contact us with feedback and suggestions through the website.

    44 min

  6. OCT 8

    Battling TB: Science, Service, & Spirit

    In the shadow of the HIV epidemic, Drs. Bill Clapp and Jim McAuley faced a growing tuberculosis crisis in the United States as frontline clinicians and public health experts. In this episode, they discuss the science behind TB control, the values that guided their mission-driven work in government health systems, and the faith that sustained their commitment to service.   Bill, a pulmonologist, cared for patients in one of Chicago’s impoverished neighborhoods before transitioning to public health and eventually returning to clinical medicine at Cook County Hospital. Jim, an infectious diseases physician, trained at the CDC, helped build TB control programs in Chicago and Africa, and now serves as Clinical Director at the Whiteriver Indian Hospital in Arizona. They share how medicine, public health, and faith intertwined in shaping lives devoted to healing and service. Additional guest information & links to podcast platforms are available at www.inspiredtoheal.net. Please like and follow us on your favorite platform. Contact us with feedback and suggestions through the website.

    44 min

  7. SEP 24

    Toxic Burgers, Toxic Shock, and Vaccine Talk with Mike Osterholm

    Public health expert Mike Osterholm discusses outbreak investigations, pandemics, and the risky path the United States is taking on vaccine recommendations and abandoning innovative technology. Mike’s motivation to leave his small town in Iowa to become a disease detective was driven by reading a steady diet of “The Medical Detectives” by Berton Roueche, journalist for the New Yorker. Mike helped solve hamburger-associated thyrotoxicosis, tampon-related epidemic of toxic-shock in 1980, and a decades-old cluster of mysterious pneumonia cases “Austin pneumonia”. Recently, he directed his energy toward filling the gap created when CDC’s science-backed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was dismantled and replaced with political appointees. He is the author of a new book "The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics". Additional guest information & links to podcast platforms are available at www.inspiredtoheal.net. Please like and follow us on your favorite platform. Contact us with feedback and suggestions through the website.

    42 min

  8. SEP 9

    Decoding a Legionnaire's Outbreak, New York City

    Using molecular methods and shoe-leather epidemiology, Don Weiss and Kim Musser teamed up to resolve a Legionnaires’ outbreak in the Bronx in 2015.  It’s a classic tale of combining surveillance and field investigations with advanced molecular methods to pinpoint and eradicate the lethal source of infections. Future deaths were prevented when the New York City Department of Health, the New York State Department of Health, and the CDC worked together to realize this public health success story.  You can read about this and other cases in Don’s new book Disease Detectives: True Stories of NYC Outbreaks. Additional guest information & links to podcast platforms are available at www.inspiredtoheal.net. Please like and follow us on your favorite platform. Contact us with feedback and suggestions through the website.

    48 min
See All (29)

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Stories of clinicians, educators, innovators, and researchers who built or led programs of excellence in government health institutions. Each guest has excelled in clinical medicine, program building, or public health. They persevered and succeeded through a clear vision, collaboration, and a passion for the mission of government-run health systems. Their stories will inspire those seeking change in their own organizations. 

Information

  • Creator
    William Trick
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Inspired To Heal
  • Show Website
    Inspired To Heal

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