GPHA's 2011 Conference A Huge Success


The GPHA Annual Meeting and Conference was held in April of 2011, and was attended by over 475 public health professionals and supporters. The conference included 30 scientific poster sessions, 32 professional workshops awarding CEUs and CMEs and 8 section meetings with speaker presentations.

Keynote speakers included:
Governor Nathan Deal
Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, Division of Public Health Director and State Health Director
Dr. Linda Rae Murray, President of the American Public Health Association
Dr. Ricardo Azziz, President of the Georgia Health Sciences University
David A. Cook, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Community Health

Many conference presenters have provided their presentations for viewing online. To see the presentations, log in to the GPHA Members-Only site.

Photos from the conference, including the ones seen here, are now available to view and download. Click here to see the photos on our Flickr page.

A message from President Todd Jones

Hello fellow GPHA members,

As we enter into a new era of public health in our great state, I wanted to take a moment to let you know how important you are to the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA) and the organization’s mission. We stand united to prevent illness and injury, promote healthy behaviors, and protect from harm all of the citizens of Georgia, from the smallest town to the largest city. I am honored to lead this effort over the next year, and am confident that together we will make a positive difference in the lives of Georgians.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in, and contributed to, the GPHA annual conference. We had a fantastic turnout and shared a lot of exciting ideas. For those who were unable to attend, we look forward to seeing you at next year’s conference.

It’s been a long time since those of us in public health have had much to be optimistic about. Over most of the past decade, we’ve seen our budgets cut, our staff levels reduced, and our programs eliminated, all at the expense of Georgians whose health and well-being were compromised by those actions. But it’s time for public health stop asking “Why me,” and start asking “Why not me?” It’s time for us to speak as one voice and tell our story.

We have a new leader, Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, who needs our support to make the ongoing case for public health to Governor Deal and Georgia General Assembly. The best way we can support Dr. Fitzgerald and tell the public health story is to continue doing the exemplary job that as we do every day public health professionals.

It’s a new day in public health in Georgia. I am proud to be a part of it and I know that you are, too. We will continue to face challenges and overcome obstacles. We will no longer tolerate being pushed aside and ignored. The health of our citizens is simply too important to allow that to happen.

We are a team. We are making a difference. We are public health.

Todd Jones, GPHA President