UC Berkeley Public Health

09/01/2026

👋 Please join us in welcoming Margaret Laws and Josh Golomb to our Impact Fellows cohort.

Margaret and Josh are tackling some of the biggest health challenges facing children, youth, and families—expanding access to care, strengthening mental well-being, and helping families navigate complex systems when they need support most.

Margaret Laws, executive in residence and former CEO of Hopelab, is a health innovation strategist and social impact investor advancing equitable healthcare, mental health, and technology-driven solutions for underserved communities through philanthropy, venture investment, and nonprofit leadership. Margaret's fellowship will explore new funding models to scale mental health innovation for underserved families.

Josh Golomb, former CEO of Hazel Health and Everside Health, has built and led innovative companies focused on expanding access to care and improving health outcomes for underserved populations. Josh's project will map the early intervention landscape for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, identifying opportunities to improve family navigation, strengthen care coordination, and leverage technology to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Welcome Margaret and Josh. We look forward to seeing how their work helps shape a healthier future for children and families. 🎉

If you would like to connect with Margaret, Josh, or any of our other Impact Fellows, please send an email to BPHsocialimpact​.edu.

08/31/2026

A new study by researchers at UC Berkeley’s Center for Global Healthy Cities reveals that Richmond, California has had a 61% reduction in firearm homicides and injury shootings over 14 years. The decrease is credited to the city's Office of Neighborhood Safety and its Operation Peacemaker Fellowship, a public health initiative whose street-outreach workers mentor active firearm offenders to help them make positive life choices.

Research was conducted by lead author Alice Bruno, a doctoral student in epidemiology at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. Other UC Berkeley co-authors include Dr. Jason Corburn; Dr. Mahasin Mujahid, chair of the Division of Epidemiology; Dr. Sean Darling-Hammond; and Dr. Juan Cabrera.

Read more: https://ow.ly/s8vN50ZHqeo

A UC Berkeley study finds the city of Richmond’s gun violence program led to three times the national decline in violence.

08/29/2026

For this episode of The Other 80 with Chief Social Impact Officer Claudia Williams, Maryland Secretary of Health Dr. Meena Seshamani details how the state is advancing ambitious health reforms through primary care expansion, data-driven enrollment, and rural food system investments. Reflecting on Maryland's $1.6 billion in Medicare savings, she argues that a policy's ultimate success depends on how effectively it is implemented on the ground.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/can-states-build-a-healthier-health-system-maryland/id1670734016?i=1000782901618

Podcast Episode · The Other 80 · August 12 · 36m

08/28/2026

Public Health Research with Results: UC Berkeley’s Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) plays a vital role in protecting California’s workforce by translating public health research into actionable safety policies and standards. For over 50 years, LOHP has collaborated with labor unions, government agencies, and community groups to tackle emerging workplace hazards such as extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and ergonomic strain.

“Immigrant workers have been a very big focus of LOHP, as we recognize they work in some of the most dangerous industries,” said LOHP director Suzanne Teran. “We are seeing how immigration enforcement can not only silence workers, but create this atmosphere of fear, which impacts the community in a very real, cruel way."

Through accessible training campaigns and dedicated advocacy, the program focuses on empowering vulnerable and marginalized workers to understand and exercise their workplace safety rights.

Find out more:
https://ow.ly/g8vR50ZGIZK

How UC Berkeley’s Labor Occupational Health Program helps workers understand their workplace safety rights.

08/27/2026

A study co-authored by UC Berkeley Public Health professors John Balmes, Ellen A. Eisen, and senior author Justin Remais shows that changes to California’s natural and agricultural landscapes directly influence local Valley fever risk.

The research revealed that dry, sparsely vegetated terrain and certain crop fields correlate with higher infection rates.

As drought and water regulations lead to increased farmland fallowing, the authors emphasize the need to incorporate dust control and preventative health measures into future land management practices.

Read more: https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/articles/spotlight/research/changes-to-californias-landscapes-may-influence-valley-fever-risk

A new study links higher disease rates to certain agricultural and natural landscapes near California communities.

08/25/2026

👋 Please join us in welcoming Pooja Mittal and Stella Safo to our new Impact Fellows cohort.

Pooja and Stella are tackling two critical challenges facing the healthcare safety net: supporting the well-being of those who deliver care and making it easier for underserved communities to navigate the systems they rely on.

Pooja Mittal is a physician, health equity leader, and healthcare innovator advancing equitable care through clinical leadership, systems transformation, and community-centered solutions. She is the Senior Executive Director of Programs at a foundation focused on healthcare, and an Associate Professor at UCSF and Stanford School of Medicine. Pooja’s project will create meaningful connections for safety-net providers to address burnout, strengthen belonging, and improve the quality of care for vulnerable communities.

Stella Safo is a physician, health equity expert, and healthcare innovator advancing equitable care through clinical leadership, system transformation, and community-centered approaches to improving health outcomes. She is the CEO of Just Equity for Health. Stella's project will expand Green Book for Health, a community-rooted model that helps Black patients find trusted providers and navigate healthcare with greater confidence, dignity, and support.

Welcome, Pooja and Stella. We're excited to see what you accomplish! 🎉

If you would like to connect with Pooja, Stella or any of our other Impact Fellows, please send an email to BPHsocialimpact​.edu.

08/22/2026

Fifteen years after Congress created the CMS Innovation Center, Director Abe Sutton joins for a candid conversation on what really drives successful healthcare innovation. He breaks down the three critical features of winning models—mandatory participation, downside risk, and continuous momentum—and explains why CMMI's impact relies on overall ROI rather than a high hit rate.

Tune in to this episode hosted by Chief Social Impact Officer Claudia Williams to discover why taking bold bets on transformative care is well worth the cost of trial and error.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cms-innovation-center-at-15-what-worked-what/id1670734016?i=1000778851253

Podcast Episode · The Other 80 · July 29 · 36m

08/18/2026

Join us in welcoming 2026-27 Impact Fellows Margaret Anderson and Sara Holoubek!

Former Deloitte managing director and public health leader Margaret Anderson is centering her fellowship on how the absence of a national paid family leave policy impacts women's health, career trajectories, and family well-being.

Luminary Labs founder/CEO Sara Holoubek is focusing her project on the public health strategies, policies, and investments needed for the U.S. to thrive as a majority-older society.

08/18/2026

👋 Please join us in welcoming Margaret Anderson and Sara Holoubek to our newest Impact Fellows cohort. Margaret and Sara are taking on two of the defining demographic challenges shaping America's future.

Margaret Anderson is a national leader in public health and biomedical policy, advancing patient-centered medical innovation, women's health, HIV/AIDS policy, and public-private partnerships in healthcare. She is former managing director at Deloitte. Her fellowship explores how the absence of a national paid family leave policy impacts women's health, career trajectories, and family well-being—highlighting how better support for parents and caregivers can improve health and economic outcomes across generations.

Sara Holoubek, founding partner and former CEO of Luminary Labs, has accelerated public health solutions through open innovation, strategic partnerships, and cross-sector collaboration. Sara's project examines what it will take for the U.S. to thrive as a majority-older society, identifying the public health strategies, policies, and investments needed to support healthy aging, strengthen care systems, and build long-term economic resilience.
Welcome, Margaret and Sara. We're excited to see the impact of your work. 🎉

If you would like to connect with Margaret, Sara or any of our other Impact Fellows, please send an email to BPHsocialimpact​.edu.

08/16/2026

Support science research: SB 895 is moving to the California assembly. We need your voice!

Yesterday, SB 895 (the California Science and Health Research Bond Act) officially advanced out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is heading to the Assembly floor! This huge milestone was made possible thanks to leadership from Senator Scott Wiener and the incredible push from over 14,000 advocates, researchers, students, and supporters across the state.

Why does this matter? Sustained investment in research directly impacts:

❤️ Lifesaving medical treatments and cures
🔥 Wildfire and climate resilience solutions
🚀 Emerging tech and economic growth across California

Our work isn’t done yet. Lawmakers are making final decisions right now.
👉 Take 1 minute to email your lawmakers today using the link below! Thank them for advancing SB 895 and urge them to pass the strongest possible research bond.

https://universityofcalifornia.quorum.us/campaign/167770/

Thank lawmakers for keeping SB 895 moving and urge them to pass the strongest possible research bond.