ASK THE EXPERTS
September 17, 2024 | 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM ET
Come meet experts in the STI field in a small-group setting! Choose from topics such as using social media in your professional life; getting the most out of your mentoring relationships; demystifying STI policy; engaging communities in STI research; and career advice from professionals in industry, academia, government, or non-profit settings. Preregistration is required as there are limited slots available for each expert. Sign up by September 9, 2024.
Breakfast provided
The Experts
Stephanie Arnold Pang, “Demystifying STI Policy and Program Funding”
Stephanie Arnold Pang is the Senior Director, Government Relations & Programs at the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), where she has led the organization’s policy team since 2011. In this role, she is responsible for formulating strategy and providing overall leadership for the organization’s public policy and federal government relations activities and selected programs. She also is the organization’s 340B expert and a leader in the STI 340B community. Prior to joining NCSD, she was a senior Legislative Aide for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), working on issues of sexual and reproductive health and health care reform. She also worked at the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA). Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Beloit College.
Lindley Barbee, “STI Careers in Government”
Lindley Barbee, MD, MPH, is an infectious diseases physician and a public health practitioner with expertise in sexually transmitted infections. She is currently the Clinical Team Lead in the Division of STD Prevention at CDC. Before joining DSTDP, Dr. Barbee served as infectious diseases faculty at the University of Washington and as the Medical Director for the Public Health – Seattle & King County STD Clinic for 10 years. Her work aims to incorporate research, clinical practice and public health program implementation for STIs.
Lynn Barclay, “STI Careers in Non-Profits”
Lynn Barclay has served as President and CEO of the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) since 2006. In that time, she has changed the focus of this 100+ year old nonprofit from sexual disease to sexual health, challenging and changing many long-held beliefs in the process. Working with experts from academia, government, research and industry, Barclay has led ASHA’s role in developing a framework for understanding and promoting sexual health. She frequently represents ASHA with the media, funders and colleague organizations and speaking about sexual health across the lifespan.
Alison Footman, “Using Social Media in your Professional Life”
Alison Footman, PhD, completed her doctorate in Health Behavior from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and her MPH in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases from Yale School of Public Health. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital focused on implementation science and HPV vaccination. Currently she leads the STI advocacy program, at AVAC, aimed at advancing the development and implementation of STI vaccines and diagnostics. Alison is passionate about research translation to ensure communities are equipped with the information they need to protect their sexual health. When she’s not working, Alison enjoys watching reality TV and spending time outside with her dog, Otis.
Khalil Ghanem, “STI Careers in Academia: Clinicians”
Khalil Ghanem, MD, PhD is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University, the Program Director of the Graduate Training Programs in Clinical Investigation at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and is the Past President of ASTDA. His research focuses on reproductive tract infections, in particular syphilis and the vaginal microbiome. He serves as the Principal Investigator at the STD/HIV Prevention Training Center at Johns Hopkins.
Hannah Gumlickpuk, “Fostering Authentic Community Engagement”
Hannah Warren (she/her/hers), MPH, is the HIV/STD Prevention Program Manager with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and serves as one of two Alaska Regional Representatives for the National Native HIV Network. She is an enrolled member of the Chevak Quissunamiut Tribe from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Census Area. Hannah focuses on healthy relationships and sexual health and wellness education among the Circumpolar North. In addition to having a passion for harm reduction and sexual health and wellness education, Hannah is an advocate for incorporating cultural competency and trauma-informed care into services for Alaskans.
Ashley Nenninger
Ashley Nenninger, PhD is part of the US Scientific Affairs team at Hologic supporting the molecular infectious disease diagnostics portfolio, including Hologic’s respiratory, GI, women’s health, STI and Open Access products. She received her BS in Biochemistry at the University of Missouri-Columbia and her PhD in Molecular Cell Biology at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Nenninger has 13 years of post-academic experience in the healthcare industry, including various roles in clinical reference and contract research laboratories, small pharmaceutical companies developing new antibiotics for community acquired bacterial pneumonia and gonorrhea, and the molecular infectious disease diagnostics industry. During her career in industry, she has served on the Education Committee and Nominations and Awards Committee of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology (PASCV), and served on the planning committee for the American Society for Microbiology ClinMicro Open annual meeting.
Preeti Pathela, “Maximizing your Mentoring Relationships”
Preeti Pathela, DrPH, MPH is the Executive Director of the STI Program in the Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and STI at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She has overall responsibility for directing, coordinating, and evaluating the activities of the STI Program, which consists of roughly 90 staff who conduct work in STI program implementation; surveillance and field operations; and epidemiology, research and evaluation. She has 20 years of experience in the field of STI/HIV prevention and control, and serves on the ASTDA Board of Directors and as an Associate Editor of the journal Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Preeti received a DrPH degree in Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and her MPH from Emory University.
S.O. Soge, “STI Careers in Academia: Non-Clinicians”
Olusegun (S.O.) Soge, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Global Health and Medicine, and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, as well as the Director for the Neisseria Reference Laboratory in the Center for AIDS and STD at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. His research focuses on diagnostics for sexually transmitted pathogens, characterization of the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in a wide range of clinically important bacteria, and in vitro evaluation of novel antimicrobial compounds and fungal/plant extracts against multidrug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Dr. Soge has robust longstanding collaborations with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and domestic and international investigators on N. gonorrhoeae AMR surveillance, characterization of the mechanisms of AMR in N. gonorrhoeae, and clinical trials for novel gonorrhea treatments.
EARLY CAREER NETWORKING EVENT
September 16, 2024 │ 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
This networking event focuses on providing early career professionals an opportunity to network with each other and more senior STI professionals across a range of disciplines. This event is open to all early career STI professionals, including community health workers, health department employees, researchers, clinicians, advocates, and others. Join us for networking, career development, and mentoring opportunities!
EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: SCIENTIFIC WRITING
September 18, 2024 │ 7:00 – 8:00 AM ET
Is writing a challenge for you? Do you struggle with getting your manuscripts written and submitted? If so, join Bill Miller, Editor-in-Chief of STD, as he discusses manuscript content and tips for writing more clearly and getting your writing done despite your busy schedule.
Breakfast provided
EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONAL TRAINING: DEVELOPING RESEARCH QUESTIONS
September 19, 2024 │ 7:00 – 8:00 AM ET
The key to doing good research is asking interesting, informative, specific questions. But many research questions are vague and incomplete, or far too often, the questions are not specified at all. Join Bill Miller, Editor-in-Chief of STD, to discuss what needs to go into a research question to ensure your research gets off to a good start.
Breakfast provided
NETWORKING AND DINNER AT THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM
September 18, 2024 │ 6:30 – 9:00 PM ET
Join conference attendees at the world-renowned Georgia Aquarium, easy walking distance from the Hilton Atlanta. After you tour this spectacular venue, join us for dinner and dancing. The value of this ticketed event far exceeds the price, because we want as many people as possible! Limited to 700 attendees and their guests. Dress code: Conference Attire Available at registration.
$35 for attendees
$90 for guests