The Rural Impact
Michelle Rathman
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Top 10 The Rural Impact Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Rural Impact episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Rural Impact for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Rural Impact episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Seeds of Doubt - The Politicization of Public Health with Matthew Jacob and Dr. Brian Castrucci
The Rural Impact
12/05/24 • 47 min
Today's show focuses on disinformation and its connection to public health and policy.
With the recent news that President-elect Trump has tapped Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., known not only for his family ties but primarily for his strong opposition to vaccinations and commitment to debunked conspiracy theories, and controversial views on supplements and food preparation practices, to take the lead at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), we invited two seasoned public health experts to join us for a conversation to discuss the impact of disinformation and the spread of misinformation on public health and what that could mean for public health policy.
Michelle begins the show with Matthew Jacob, a communications consultant who advises dental health organizations, children's advocates, and health foundations. He has consulted with diverse stakeholders, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the California Department of Public Health, and the Michigan Public Health Institute. Matt is a subject matter expert on communication for the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors. He has authored nearly a dozen dental health policy and communication articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Matt has delivered presentations about health communication to numerous audiences, including the National Academy of Medicine and the World Congress on Public Health.
During this conversation, Matt Jacob and Michelle discuss the pressing challenges facing public health leaders as they navigate a rapidly changing landscape. He emphasizes the importance of effective communication, building trust through community engagement, and the need for public health professionals to adapt their messaging strategies to resonate with diverse audiences, particularly in rural areas. Jacob also highlights the significance of advocacy and collaboration in ensuring the sustainability of public health initiatives.
In part two of this episode. Michelle speaks with Brian C. Castrucci, DrPH, President and Chief Executive Officer of the de Beaumont Foundation. He is an epidemiologist, public health practitioner, and fierce advocate for the public's health. Brian joined de Beaumont as its third employee in 2012 and assumed the role of president and chief executive officer in 2018.
Michelle and Dr. Castrucci discuss the intersection of public health and policy, and the impact on rural America. He emphasizes the importance of the Senate's role in vetting health nominees, the challenges rural health systems face, and the critical need for health equity. Dr. Castrucci also addresses the impact of medical misinformation on public health, public health as an economic indicator that affects community health and offers advice for rural public health officials on advocacy and community engagement.
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02/01/24 • 45 min
In the third episode in our fourth series "Arriving at Thriving,” Michelle talks with Tony Pipa, Senior Fellow in the Center for Sustainable Development at the Brookings Institution. Tony has three decades of executive leadership experience in the philanthropic and public sectors addressing poverty and advancing inclusive economic development in the U.S. and globally. He launched and leads the Reimagining Rural Policy initiative, which seeks to modernize and transform U.S. rural policy, and hosts the Reimagine Rural podcast, collecting the stories of rural towns across America that are experiencing positive change.
During this conversation, Tony and Michelle discuss growing interest and recognition that rural communities are a place that need investment, the vital role that rural communities can play within the larger context of our national economy, and legislation needed that would make capacity building money available for rural places.
Tony shares the importance of relationship and trust building in rural areas, the diversity in rural, as well as highlights from his podcast where he travels to rural locations including his hometown. He also shed light on the innovation, human capital, talent, and assets coming from rural places, and the necessity of investment, sustainability, and regeneration in these communities.
Show Resource: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/making-local-economies-prosperous-and-resilient-the-case-for-a-modern-economic-development-administration/
A Conversation About Democracy with Dee Davis
The Rural Impact
08/29/24 • 29 min
In the third episode of our seventh series, "Courageous Conversations About the 2024 Election-Rural Issues Impacting Real Lives," Michelle talks with Founder and President of the Center for Rural Strategies, Dee Davis. Dee has helped design and lead national public information campaigns on topics as diverse as commercial television programming and federal banking policy.
Dee began his media career in 1973 as a trainee at Appalshop, an arts and cultural center devoted to exploring Appalachian life and social issues in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Dee is on the board of the Kentucky Historical Society, Fund for Innovative Television, and Feral Arts of Brisbane, Australia. He is also a member of the Institute for Rural Journalism’s national advisory board. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Institute for Work and the Economy and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship. Dee is also the former Chair of the board of directors of Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation.
During this conversation, Dee and Michelle discuss the stark differences in past and present elections, how we should look at the rural electorate in 2024, as well as breakdown of Dee’s book review of White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy. They continue the conversation by discussing the book The Rural Voter: The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America, differentiation between the politics of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan places, and how policies impact rural America.
The Impact of Collaboration Between Community Colleges and Civic Partnerships with Dakota Pawlicki and Elaine Morgan
The Rural Impact
10/24/24 • 44 min
In part one of the final episode of this series, Michelle met with Dakota Pawlicki, Director of Talent Hubs with CivicLab. In this role, he serves exemplary cross-sector partnerships focused on postsecondary attainment that have met rigorous standards for partnership health, equity, and systems change. He brings his expertise in postsecondary education, collective impact, stakeholder engagement, and change management to a network of nearly 100 partnerships, supporting their efforts to improve the human condition. Dakota also hosts Lumina Foundation's podcast Today's Students, Tomorrow's Talent, which features conversations with newsmakers and leaders in the field of learning after high school.
Michelle and Dakota begin the discussion by highlighting the work of CivicLab in advancing civic collaboration and improving postsecondary attainment in communities. He introduces the Talent Hub designation, a marker of an exemplary cross-sector partnership, and emphasizes the importance of context in community collaboration. Pawlicki shares examples of communities that have successfully addressed complex social challenges by redesigning their context and engaging multiple stakeholders. He also highlights the role of collaboration at the community level in addressing barriers to earning a college degree and achieving talent-related goals. Pawlicki advises communities to focus on role clarity, self-determination, and implementing practical solutions before seeking policy changes.
In part two of this episode, Michelle was joined by Elaine M. Morgan, CEO of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce. Elaine is a fifth-generation Berkeley County, SC, native with over 30 years of leadership experience. She is dedicated to fostering the region's economic growth and community development, working closely with local industries to help them expand, create jobs, and increase wages. Morgan's efforts have had a significant impact, mainly through her close collaboration with elected officials and business leaders to address emerging challenges and opportunities. A cornerstone of her work is the expansion of Community Resource Hubs across the county, offering residents critical services such as workforce training and telehealth.
In this conversation, Michelle Rathman and Elaine discuss innovative initiatives to revitalize rural communities in South Carolina, the importance of collaboration, the establishment of community resource hubs, and the challenges residents face in accessing employment and healthcare. Elaine shares insights on how these hubs are designed to meet the community's needs, the significance of measuring success through community engagement, and the role of policy advocacy in addressing essential needs.
Ascendium sponsors this episode of The Rural Impact podcast, believing that learning after high school transforms lives. Driven by this belief, their philanthropy focuses on systemic change to elevate opportunities for learners from low-income backgrounds. Ascendium has a particular interest in elevating rural postsecondary education and workforce training. They fund research and resources to help ensure more rural learners have pathways to good jobs that lead to upward mobility. Learn more about their Rural Impact at ascendiumphilanthropy.org, sign up for their newsletter, and follow them on social media.
Coming to Terms with Housing and Homelessness in Rural Places with Jonathan Harwitz and Amanda Reddy
The Rural Impact
04/11/24 • 50 min
In the first episode in our fifth series, Coming to Terms with Housing and Homelessness in Rural Places, we begin our episode with the Housing Assistance Council’s (HAC) Director of Public Policy, Jonathan Harwitz. Prior to joining HAC, Jonathan was Director of Housing Community Development and Insurance Policy for the House Financial Services Committee. He also served as Managing Director of Federal Policy and Government Affairs at the Low-Income Investment Fund, a large national Community Development Financial Institution. Jonathan shared that in his over 20 years of public policy, he has always relied on HAC as a voice for rural housing.
During this discussion Jonathan shares HAC’s mission of helping rural communities address their needs for affordable housing, as well as an overview of the state of rural housing in America. Michelle and Jonathan also discuss HAC’s 2024 Rural Housing Priorities included the need for--and barriers to-- capacity building programs and well as funding and financing for rural housing.
In the second half of this episode, Michelle talks with Amanda Reddy, Executive Director of the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH). Over the last 15 years, Amanda has worked with communities to effectively prevent housing-related illness and injury by implementing evidence-based and equitable policies that improve housing quality. Prior to joining NCHH, Amanda was a research scientist with the New York State Department of Health, where she supported a range of programs focused on improving indoor and outdoor air quality in homes, schools, workplaces, and outdoor settings.
This Rural Impact conversation is very timely because April is National Healthy Homes Month, and during the conversation Michelle and Amanda discuss NCHH’s role in creating healthier home environments, and working to prevent environmental health hazards through awareness, education and policy. The two also talk about housing issues impacting the health and wellbeing of rural residents, and how unhealthy housing conditions contribute to a wide range of preventable illnesses and injury, and finally, the funding and legislation needed to make rural homes safe.
To learn more the Housing Assistance Council’s Policy and Advocacy Activities please visit: https://ruralhome.org/our-work/policy/
To learn more about the National Center for Healthy Housing’s Federal Funding for Rural Healthy Housing Fact Sheet please visit: https://nchh.org/resource/fact-sheet_federal-funding-for-rural-healthy-housing/
Policy Watch: As discussed in this episode, follow this proposed legislation:
Whole-Home Repair Act of 2024 - S. 3871
The Key to Opening Doors with Joe E. Ross and Nancy Mondragon
The Rural Impact
07/03/24 • 41 min
In the third episode of our Pathways and Policies to Ensure Rural Learners Succeed in Place. Why It's Essential for America's Future series, we begin our episode focused on "How Institutions and Industry Set Rural Learners Up for Success" with Joe E. Ross, President of Reach University, the nonprofit institution advancing fully job-embedded, apprenticeship-based higher education. He previously led a statewide education advocacy association, California County Boards of Education, and served for over ten years as an elected trustee of the San Mateo County Board of Education. Earlier in his career, he served on active duty in the U.S. Navy and later as a deputy district attorney. The son of a U.S. Postal Service labor custodian, Joe received his B.A. from Yale College and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he was President of the Stanford Law Review.
During this interview, Michelle and Joe discuss the role of philanthropy in training tomorrow's educators, including the impact of a grant from Ascendium Education Group. Joe also shares the differentiating elements of the apprenticeship degree, the impact of the Reach Method on the learner and employer, and how the growing pipeline of educators through programs such as Reach serves as a solution to a teacher shortage in rural schools.
In this second part of this episode, Michelle speaks with Nancy Mondragon, a Reach University alumna and teacher in Arkansas' rural Waldron School District. Mondragon exemplifies the Reach University adult learner experience, having selflessly prioritized family over college pursuits in her younger years. After attending a nursing vocational program and working in healthcare, Nancy's career was rerouted to education shortly after moving to Arkansas from California. Given the growing number of Spanish-speaking families moving to the state, the principal of Nancy's son's school asked her to assist families transitioning into the school district.
After two years of supporting countless families, Mondragon moved into a paraprofessional role and started her Reach undergraduate experience. In balancing a full-time career, college, and family, Nancy earned her bachelor's degree in Spring 2024. This fall, she will transition into a licensed Family and Consumer Science teaching role in the Waldron School District. Ascendium sponsors this episode of The Rural Impact podcast, believing that learning after high school transforms lives. Driven by this belief, their philanthropy focuses on systemic change to elevate opportunities for learners from low-income backgrounds.
Ascendium has a particular interest in elevating rural postsecondary education and workforce training. They fund research and resources to help ensure more rural learners have pathways to good jobs that lead to upward mobility. Learn more about their Rural Impact at ascendiumphilanthropy.org, sign up for their newsletter, and follow them on social media.
06/06/24 • 54 min
In the second episode in our Pathways and Policies to Ensure Rural Learners Succeed in Place and Why it’s Essential for America’s Future series, we begin our episode focused on “The Key to Opening Doors” with Kirstin Yeado, Senior Program Officer at Ascendium Education Group. In this role, Kirstin is responsible for strategic grantmaking to advance Ascendium’s Support Rural Postsecondary Education and Workforce Training focus area, which seeks to expand education and workforce training opportunities for rural learners.
During this discussion, Kirstin shares an overview of the landscape of post-secondary education opportunities in rural communities including identifying gaps and access to supports like transportation, childcare, mental health resources, or attending an institution with robust advising services. Michelle and Kirstin also discuss how philanthropy plays a role in closing gaps, breaking cycles, building capacity and partnerships, and growing pathways for rural communities to have access to education and training pathways.
Michelle also welcomes Shaniqua Corley-Moore, Head of Tech Talent Development, and Mike Gutman, Workforce Development Manager at the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI). Shaniqua drives national initiatives to boost rural tech skilling and employment. Her strategic partnerships with key educational and tech organizations are aimed at integrating regional workforce needs with national talent development strategies. Mike works as part of a team to build tech and digital talent pipelines in rural communities. In his role, he focuses on working with employers to understand hiring demands, building upskilling programs to meet those demands, and then enrolling students into those programs to graduate and get higher-paying tech and digital jobs.
In this second part, Shaniqua and Mike share how CORI is impacting rural workers and organizations by expanding their tech workforce through several key initiatives. They also discuss the importance of growing local talent, providing mentorship, understanding the obstacles rural employers face, building infrastructure and community partnerships, and developing responsive training programs. Finally, they highlight how philanthropy and federal dollars make it possible to do their work.
This episode of The Rural Impact podcast is sponsored by Ascendium. Ascendium believes that learning after high school has the power to transform lives. Driven by this belief, their philanthropy focuses on systemic change to elevate opportunity for learners from low-income backgrounds. Ascendium has a special interest in elevating rural postsecondary education and workforce training. They fund research and resources that can be used to ensure more rural learners have pathways to good jobs that lead to upward mobility. Want to connect with Ascendium? Visit their website at ascendiumphilanthropy.org, sign up for their newsletter, and follow them on social media.
Rural Health Leaders Overcoming Challenges with Alan Morgan, Kathy Kuepers and Steve Tenhouse
The Rural Impact
06/20/24 • 43 min
In the What’s Your Impact special episode supported by Wipfli, Michelle begins the episode with Alan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA). This discussion, recorded just one day after the White House announced news about a dynamic partnership designed to provide support to combat cyber-attacks, focuses on how cybersecurity impacts health systems, as well as solutions. Alan shares details about the important partnership NRHA entered into with Microsoft to provide free technical analysis and reasonably priced products to safeguard rural hospitals against growing cyber security threats.
In the second part of this episode, Michelle speaks to rural health leaders making an incredible impact on their critical access hospitals and communities, Kathy Kuepers and Steve Tenhouse. Steve has spent the last 22 years, serving the past 19 as CEO, at Kirby Medical Center; an independent, not-for-profit, critical access hospital located in Monticello, Illinois. Kathy Kuepers, CEO of Memorial Hospital of Lafayette in Darlington, Wisconsin since 2018, has over four decades of experience in the healthcare industry, including 18 years as a clinical nurse.
In this discussion Steve, Kathy, and Michelle discuss several factors that influence a rural health organization’s growth and vitality, as well as discuss the vision and challenges that come with a replacement facility project. Also covered is trust building and stakeholder engagement, operational excellence and financial confidence, as well as building a thriving brand. They also share what is in their advocates toolkit, and how they engage with those who represent their service area.
08/15/24 • 51 min
Rural Impact on the Road | A Special Rural Impact Extra Episode
Guests:
> Jared Chaffin, Chief Executive & Finance Officer, Friend Community Healthcare System
> Melissa Florell, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor & Nurse Educator
> Jed Hansen, PhD, APRN, FNP-C, Executive Director, Nebraska Rural Health Association
> Senator Teresa Ibach, District 44, Nebraska Unicameral Legislature
> Senator Mike Jacobson, District 42, Nebraska Unicameral Legislature
> Jeremy Nordquist, President, Nebraska Hospital Association
In this special Rural Impact on the Road episode, host Michelle Rathman traveled to Kearney, Nebraska, to join the Nebraska Rural Health Association and the Nebraska Hospital Association for their 2024 Nebraska Rural Health Conference to explore their Legislative Roadmap and learn how it advocates for strong rural healthcare.
The episode begins with Michelle moderating a panel discussing the Roadmap to Strong Rural Health Care with Jed Hansen, PhD, APRN, FNP-C, Executive Director of the Nebraska Rural Health Association, and Jeremy Nordquist, President of the Nebraska Hospital Association.
Taking a break from the panel, Michelle sat down with the CEO/CFO of Friend Community Healthcare System, Jared Chaffin, whose organization was the first in the state of Nebraska to convert from a Critical Access Hospital to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH). Jared discusses the factors leading to the decision, impacts of converting to an REH, and policies that he believes are important for policymakers to reconsider concerning limitations on REH's admitting patients.
As the panel discussion continued, the conversation turned to policy, hearing from Senators Teresa Ibach and Mike Jacobson, each of them sharing critical factors and issues contributing to policies, the importance of advocacy and education in helping policymakers understand the challenges and issues in rural healthcare, and the policies that help to ensure rural Nebraskans thrive.
Michelle closes the episode with a discussion with Melissa Florell, PhD, RN, who teaches undergraduate nursing students about the importance of policy development and how it relates to healthcare. Melissa and Michelle discuss the importance of including policy in educating individuals pursuing a career in nursing and its impact on healthcare professionals entering the workforce.
Download the Roadmap: https://www.nebraskahospitals.org/advocacy/roadmap-to-strong-rural-health-care.html
In part one of the second episode of this series, Michelle met with Senior Policy Analyst Ivy Love and Senior Program Associate Tiffany Thai from the Center on Education & Labor at New America. Ivy Love's work focuses on community colleges, their students, and federal and state policies that support them. Before New America, Love worked as a policy analyst for the Association of Community College Trustees, as a lecturer at Washington University in St. Louis and Webster University, and as a refugee orientation educator at the International Institute of St. Louis. Love is a PhD candidate in higher education administration at Saint Louis University.
Tiffany Thai comes from a first-generation, low-income background. She is passionate about transformational learning and advancing educational equity for marginalized students and their communities.
Michelle, Tiffany, and Ivy explore the critical role of community colleges in providing bachelor's degrees, particularly in rural areas, and discuss the challenges these institutions face, including resistance to program expansion, varying state policies, and the importance of adult learners. They emphasize the need for employer engagement to address workforce shortages and advocate for policies that support community colleges in meeting local educational needs.
In part two of this episode, Michelle was joined by the Executive Director of the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges and a Professor of Higher Education at Appalachian State University, Dr. Andrew Koricich. His research focuses on postsecondary education issues facing rural communities, with an emphasis on rural-serving postsecondary institutions.
Michelle and Dr. Koricich discuss the benefits of community college bachelor's programs (CCB) from an institutional and policymaker perspective. They highlight how CCBs can help rural community colleges address enrollment drops, build relationships with employers, and meet the workforce needs of their communities. They also emphasize the importance of providing postsecondary options for adults who want to pursue new careers. They also explore rural serving institutions' challenges, such as financial constraints, lack of support, and the need for collaboration and regional partnerships to expand CCB programs.
Ascendium sponsors this episode of The Rural Impact podcast, believing that learning after high school transforms lives. Driven by this belief, their philanthropy focuses on systemic change to elevate opportunities for learners from low-income backgrounds. Ascendium has a particular interest in elevating rural postsecondary education and workforce training. They fund research and resources to help ensure more rural learners have pathways to good jobs that lead to upward mobility. Learn more about their Rural Impact at ascendiumphilanthropy.org, sign up for their newsletter, and follow them on social media.
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Rural Impact have?
The Rural Impact currently has 46 episodes available.
What topics does The Rural Impact cover?
The podcast is about News, Health & Fitness, Medicine, Podcasts and Politics.
What is the most popular episode on The Rural Impact?
The episode title 'Seeds of Doubt - The Politicization of Public Health with Matthew Jacob and Dr. Brian Castrucci' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Rural Impact?
The average episode length on The Rural Impact is 37 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Rural Impact released?
Episodes of The Rural Impact are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of The Rural Impact?
The first episode of The Rural Impact was released on Jun 2, 2023.
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