This Public Health Conversation Starter features Jeanne Ayers, Executive Director of Healthy Democracy Healthy People, in conversation with Dean Sandro Galea. Ms. Ayers shares about the work of Healthy Democracy Healthy People, a nonpartisan coalition of national public health organizations focused on advancing health equity by assuring participation in the electoral process is available to everyone

Our Conversation Starters engage leading thinkers in short discussions around issues of consequence in public health.

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Transcript: In Conversation with Jeanne Ayers

Speakers

Jeanne Ayers

Executive Director, Healthy Democracy Healthy People

Jeanne Ayers

Executive Director, Healthy Democracy Healthy People

Jeanne Ayers, R.N. MPH, serves as Executive Director, Healthy Democracy Healthy People, a coalition of 11 national public health organizations committed to advancing health and racial equity by strengthening civic and voter participation. Prior to establishing this coalition in August 2020, Ayers held leadership roles in state governmental public health for over 9 years. She served as the Wisconsin State Health Officer and Assistant Commissioner and Chief Health Equity Strategist for the Minnesota Department of Health.

Jeanne has long been a recognized leader in national efforts to assure health and racial equity and improve population health. She was selected as the 2010 University of Minnesota Josie R. Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award winner and was responsible for development of the Minnesota Department of Health, award-winning report “Advancing Health Equity in Minnesota: A report to the State Legislature”. Jeanne has worked extensively with many groups to deepen the public understanding of the social determinants of health and their relationship to race, place, class, and power. She led health equity initiatives in the faith-based organizing group, ISAIAH, and launched Healthy Heartland, a partnership of community organizing groups and public health organizations in five Midwest states building collective capacity to impact public policy.

Jeanne describes her work as building power to assure the conditions necessary for health are available for all. She sees civic participation and an inclusive representative democracy as a prerequisite to advancing health equity and creating healthy communities.