Special National Voter Registration Day Webinar: Promoting Healthy Communities Through Civic And Voter Participation

Join us for a special National Voter Registration Day Webinar with Healthy Democracy, Healthy People and the National Association for Social Workers-Texas Chapter!

Speakers:

Jeanne Ayers, R.N. MPH, leads Healthy Democracy Healthy People,  a coalition of 11 public health organizations committed to advancing health and racial equity by strengthening civic and voter participation and ensuring access to the ballot for all eligible voters. Prior to establishing this coalition in August 2020, Ayers held leadership roles in state governmental public health for over 9 years. She served as the Wisconsin State Health Officer and Assistant Commissioner and Chief Health Equity Strategist for the Minnesota Department of Health. 

Jeanne has long been a recognized leader in national efforts to assure health and racial equity and improve population health.  She was selected as the 2010 University of Minnesota Josie R. Johnson Human Rights and Social Justice Award winner for her work and was responsible for development of the Minnesota Department of Health, award-winning report “Advancing Health Equity in Minnesota: A report to the State Legislature”. Jeanne has worked extensively with many groups to deepen the public understanding of the social determinants of health and their relationship to race, place, class, and power. She led health equity initiatives in the faith-based organizing group, ISAIAH, and launched Healthy Heartland, a partnership of community organizing groups and public health organizations in five Midwest states building collective capacity to impact public policy. 

Gnora Mahs, DrPH, is the Partnerships Director for Healthy Democracy Healthy People. Gnora grew up in a family filled with organizers and started her professional career as a community organizer after graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University. She strengthened grassroots movements for reproductive health equity and voting rights in Oregon before pursuing her graduate degree at the George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health. 

Previously, Gnora worked at the Alliance for Youth Action as a Director of Network Capacity where she supported youth centered organizing on democracy reform and economic justice across the country. Gnora brings a deep understanding of the voting rights movement and what it takes to build strong community organizing campaigns. Gnora received a Doctorate of Public Health at George Washington University and her dissertation research focused on the relationship between voter participation and community health.