Reaching through the Screen: Taking Grassroots Health Promotion

Heidi Hancher-Rauch, PhD, MCHES®, is a professor of health sciences at Butler University with over 20 years of experience in academia and nearly 25 years in the public health field. Her professional background includes work in community disease prevention and worksite health, with expertise in health policy and advocacy, program evaluation, and evidence-based health promotion. A dedicated health advocate, the majority of her publications and presentations focus on this area. Dr. Hancher-Rauch currently serves as President of the SOPHE Board of Trustees. She has held multiple leadership roles, including Board Trustee for Advocacy & Resolutions, a long-time member of the Advocacy Committee, and delegate to the Coalition of National Health Education Organizations. She has also previously directed advocacy efforts for Indiana SOPHE and serves on the steering committee for the Top 10 Coalition in Indianapolis.

Smitha Gundavajhala is a community organizer and youth advocate who has done work across California and the nation to increase youth access to health services, and to mobilize young people to advocate. She worked as a Program Coordinator with the Youth Leadership Institute, where she helped lift up youth voices in health policy campaigns, including Healthy Online Platforms for Everyone (HOPE). She was also the Chair of the San Mateo County Tobacco Education Coalition, where she worked with community members on the Smoke-Free Multi-Unit Housing (SFMUH) Campaign, as well as on flavored tobacco restrictions and vaping among youth. Currently, Smitha attends the University of Washington School of Law. She is a Fellow with the National Crittenton Foundation and an Advisory Board member with CLASP on policy efforts that center young people in the COVID-19 pandemic.