Petra Jerman, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Something I do to strengthen my practice:

I'm a curious person, and I’m always looking to learn something new. I’ve always been drawn to multiple fields at the same time, and deciding what I wanted to do with myself in terms of work and career was very difficult. But I think an interdisciplinary approach to problems is beneficial, as problems don’t typically confine themselves to neat, little boxes. So I feel that this trait of mine will in the longer term offer professional and personal benefits.

A person that has inspired me:

My uncle passed away a few years ago due to cancer; it was unexpected and sudden. He and my aunt had worked, only worked, since they were in their early teens, and they were barely a couple of months into their retirement when he passed away. They had wonderful plans for their retirement years.... Since my twenties, during which life passed in a flurry of undergraduate and graduate school and work, my take on life has become to do things beside work every day, things that make me happy and enrich my life, because I don’t know what tomorrow will bring.

Robin P. McHaelen, MSW

Something I do to strengthen my practice:

Read something new every day and ask for feedback/evaluation at every meeting or training I run – what worked, what didn’t.

A person that has inspired me:

A 15-year-old who came to my first conference in 1994. He glowed all day and told me he had realized a life-long dream – he danced with another boy and no one laughed at or made fun of him. And then he told me what his dad said, “if I find out you are a faggot, I will get my shotgun and kill you!”  That is the moment I decided to make this my life’s work.

Itege Bailey, MA

Something I do to strengthen my practice:

In order to strengthen my skills and increase my knowledge in this field, I believe it is critical to maintain relationships and open communication with people working on the ground in regards to state and local programs that focus on teen and unplanned pregnancy prevention.  By understanding the obstacles they face, as well as hearing their success stories, I am enabled to provide better technical assistance and advocate for their needs as best I can. 

A person that has inspired me:

While teen pregnancy prevention and promoting healthy relationships have always been critical missions of mine, my experience working for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health opened my eyes to the capacity and capability states have to make a difference in the lives of youth.  It is recognizing how collaboration and communication between the federal, state, and local entities as well as youth themselves are the keys to making progress in regards to these issues. 

Raffle Winners -- Day One

Jazz Up Your PD

Melissa Fahrenbruch, M.Ed., Professional Development Team Lead, Division of Adolescent and School Health presents an afternoon workshop on "Jazz Up Your Professional Development to Increase Learning."

Fun Times At NPD

Social Media World

Jeannie Anderson, MS, Consultant with John Snow, Inc., Communications Director for AIDS.gov, offered an afternoon workshop on "Engaging Youth with HIV Information in a Social Media World."