Engaging Global with Local: Challenges and Solutions Connecting Local and Global Health Research, Service and Training

Via Zoom

Engaging Global with Local: Challenges and Solutions Connecting Local and Global Health Research, Service and Training

Via Zoom

Many global health researchers and trainees are embracing the concept that “global is local and local is global” by seeking to understand and address health disparities in their own communities. But what is the role for global health in working alongside existing community and public health efforts? This webinar will explore the ways global health perspectives can benefit – and benefit from – health-focused research and education in the local community, as well as considerations for building balanced, sustainable partnerships that promote multidirectional learning.

The webinar will feature a presentation by Jonathan Sugarman, M.D., a family medicine professor at the University of Washington and senior advisor at Global to Local, a Seattle-based nonprofit whose mission is to advance health equity and improve health in U.S. communities through application of best practices from around the world.

Following Dr. Sugarman’s presentation, Sumi Ariely, faculty liaison for DGHI’s “local is global” strategic partnerships in Durham and surrounding communities, and other Duke and Durham community members will discuss lessons learned, questions and ideas for Duke’s and DGHI’s engagement in the local community.

About the speakers

Jonathan R. Sugarman, M.D., is Senior Advisor at Global to Local, a Seattle-based nonprofit whose mission is to advance health equity and improve health in U.S. communities through application of best practices from around the world. Prior to his service as CEO of Global to Local, he served for nearly two decades as President and CEO of Qualis Health, a Seattle-based non-profit recognized as a national leader in population health. He has authored over 90 papers and book chapters on topics such as diabetes mellitus, health problems of American Indians and quality of care among Medicare beneficiaries. He has served as a leader in a number of professional organizations, including as President of the American Health Quality Association, President of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians, Chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians Commission on Quality, and as a member of the Executive Committee of the American Medical Association–convened Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement.

Dr. Wanda Boone is the founding director of Together for Resilient Youth (TRY), a coalition of Durham-based community organizations working collectively to address underlying issues that result in behavioral health problems such as substance abuse, crime and violence. She is a co-founder of the East Durham Children's Initiative and a member of a number of state and local committees and task forces focused on public health and community building, including the North Carolina Governor's Task Force on Substance Use and Gangs, a the Durham Mayor's Poverty Reduction Initiative, the Durham Crime Cabinet and the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People.

Debra Clark Jones is the Associate Vice President for Community Health at Duke Health, bringing together Duke’s role as a university, employer and healthcare provider to better support communities holistically throughout the state. Debra holds expertise in data analytics and strategic communications to address societal and health disparities to positively impact communities. Prior to Duke, Debra was vice president for university advancement, external affairs and technology at Saint Augustine’s University. She is also president and senior consultant of TEQuity, a firm advancing equity through technology, analytics and communication services.

Karen Kelley is the chief program officer at Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers, Inc. (TROSA), where she has worked since 2003. In her current role, she is responsible for the complex day-to-day operations providing services for over 400 men and women in recovery.

Dr. Deepak Kumar is director of the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI) at North Carolina Central University, where he provides leadership for a broad research portfolio that includes cancer, cardio-metabolic disorders, neuroscience and nutrition. Dr. Kumar has the responsibility of providing scientific guidance on the planning, direction, and implementation of NCCU’s research enterprise, as well as providing leadership to individuals and teams of investigators in developing a strategic approach for increasing the innovation and competitiveness of research. He also directs the NCCU RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research and is committed to enhancing minority participation in cancer research through education and training in cancer research at all levels.  

Kathryn Whetten, Ph.D., is a Professor of Public Policy and Global Health with additional appointments in Community and Family Medicine and Nursing. She is the Director of the Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research which is part of the Duke Global Health Institute, and the Research Director of the Hart Fellows Program. Her work focuses on the understanding of health disparities in the US and around the globe. Whetten's work focuses on life course events and social/environmental factors that influence health related behaviors and wellbeing. The goal of her research is to provide empirical evidence to policy makers to improve systems of caring for marginalized populations.