Dr. Venus Cloma-Rosales, Managing Director of 101 Health Research and Eisenhower Fellow 2025, visited the American Public Health Association (APHA) headquarters in Washington, D.C. for a meeting with Vina Hu Lamm, Global Health Manager, and Dr. Supachai “Kid” Parchariyanon, a fellow Eisenhower Fellow.
Founded in 1872, APHA is the world’s oldest public health organization, with over 50,000 members globally. Currently guided by its five strategic pillars: supporting human resources for health, championing public health, advancing health equity, engaging members, and ensuring operational excellence, APHA continues to be a cornerstone of public health leadership. Its annual convention draws more than 30,000 participants each year and serves as a major platform for learning, advocacy, and collaboration.
During the discussion, Vina shared a growing focus on health equity through digital technology and the Future of Work in the face of artificial intelligence and climate change. Dr. Cloma-Rosales reflected that while APHA’s advocacy often centers on uniquely American challenges such as racism as a social determinant of health and evidence-based gun violence prevention, the organization’s ability to address complex social issues through structured advocacy and communications is globally relevant.
A highlight of the meeting was learning about APHA’s #SpeakForHealth movement, which integrates advocacy, partnerships, and communications under one unified platform. Dr. Cloma-Rosales emphasized that this model offers valuable insights for strengthening health communication and public health leadership initiatives in the Philippines.
This meeting marks the beginning of potential collaborations between APHA and 101 Health Research particularly in advancing leadership, governance, and advocacy capacity across the public health ecosystem.
