In this episode, Michael chats with Marion McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Together, they discuss how McFadden’s office coordinated the response to recent natural disasters; the impact of HUD’s housing supply work, including PRO Housing and the Section 108 Legacy Challenge; how HUD is working to provide financial assistance to rural communities facing homelessness difficulties; and HUD’s holistic approach to improve economic prosperity in rural communications.

In this episode, Michael chats with Jennifer Kolb, Vice President of Partnerships and Workforce Development at MedCerts; Dana Janssen, Chief Product Officer at MedCerts; Rupi Hayer, Senior Manager for Chronic Disease Education in the Improving Health Outcomes Department at the American Medical Association (AMA); and Lauren Clemmons, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Osteopathic Principles and Practice at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. Together, they discuss MedCerts’ employer partnership model, how the organization’s programs benefit rural communities, the AMA’s Blood Pressure Measurement initiative, why it’s important to choose the right partner for online healthcare and IT training, why the two organizations partnered, the importance of blood pressure measurement training and education, and much more.

Explore the AMA’s Student Blood Pressure Measurement Learning Series: edhub.ama-assn.org/ama-cvd-prevention-education/pages/student-bp-learning-series?bypassoutputcache=true

Learn more about the partnership between MedCerts and the AMA: www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-medcerts-collaborate-improve-blood-pressure-measurement-skills

This episode and the entire series are sponsored by MedCerts. For more information, visit MedCerts.com.

In this episode, Michael chats with Chris Estes, Co-Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group (Aspen CSG). Together, they discuss recent federal investment in rural areas, why private philanthropy and government need to rethink funding strategies, why rethinking measurement is important, the impact of investing in rural development hubs, and much more. For more information, visit aspencsg.org.

In this episode, Michael chats with Elizabeth “Libby” Jones, Program Director of the Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s Overdose Prevention Initiative (OPI). Together, they discuss OPI’s mission, what they’re working on now, differences between rural and urban issues surrounding the opioid crisis and overdose epidemic, what’s happening at the federal level to address these concerns in rural America, and much more. For more information, visit actionforoverdose.org.

In this episode, Michael chats with returning Rural Matters guest Luke Shaefer, Faculty Director of Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, Kohn Professor of Social Justice and Social Policy, professor of social work, and co-author of The Injustice of Place, which explores the legacy of poverty in disadvantaged rural communities across the U.S.

Together, they discuss the impetus and research behind the book, what “disadvantage” truly means in the context of dozens of rural American communities, and much more. This episode is sponsored by Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan. For more information, visit poverty.umich.edu.

Order Luke’s book, The Injustice of Place, at bit.ly/3L2vKSw.

The views stated by podcast guests do not necessarily reflect those of our sponsors.

In the fourth and final installment of our 2023 series with Self-Help Enterprises, Michael chats with the following rural water, housing, and health experts: Tami McVay, Director of Emergency Services at Self-Help Enterprises; Meghan Tosney, Assistant Deputy Director at California’s State Water Board’s Division of Financial Assistance; Eddie Ocampo, Program Director with the Community Sustainability Department at Self-Help Enterprises; and Paul Gosselin, Deputy Director for Sustainable Groundwater Management at the California Department of Water Resources.

Together, they discuss emergency services and response work in California during a period of drought, the nonprofit role in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, helping families find viable solutions for safe and affordable drinking water, and much more.

This episode, and the entire series, is sponsored by Self-Help Enterprises. For more information, visit www.selfhelpenterprises.org.

The views stated by podcast guests do not necessarily reflect those of our sponsors.

In the fourth installment of our latest series with Ascendium, Michael chats with Dr. Mallory Dwinal-Palisch, Chancellor of Reach University and CEO of Craft Education System, and Mary Wurtz, Policy Analyst at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. Together, they discuss their work to bolster the rural public-sector workforce, the power of apprenticeships in advancing rural communities, and much more. This episode, and the entire series, is sponsored by Ascendium Education Group. For more information, visit www.ascendiumeducation.org and www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org.

CSG Launches New Initiative to Expand Civic Sector Apprenticeship Programs in the States: www.csg.org/2022/10/04/csg-launches-new-initiative-to-expand-civic-sector-apprenticeship-programs-in-the-states

Expanding Rural Apprenticeship in Maine: csg-erc.org/rural-apprenticeship-in-maine

The views stated by podcast guests do not necessarily reflect those of our sponsors.

In the third installment of our 2023 series with the Self-Help Enterprises, Michael chats with the following rural water, housing, and health experts: Jessi Snyder, Director of Community Development at Self-Help Enterprises; Olivia Gomez, Family Resource Community Liaison at Planada Elementary School District and board member of Self-Help Enterprises and the Planada Community Services District; Patrick Isherwood, Director of Asset Management at Self-Help Enterprises; and Graciela Soto, CEO of Altura Centers for Health.

Together, they discuss the current community services needs in rural communities, needs around infrastructure, health care, and much more. This episode, and the entire series, are sponsored by Self-Help Enterprises. For more information, visit www.selfhelpenterprises.org.

The views stated by podcast guests do not necessarily reflect those of our sponsors.