I hope this message finds you well and reenergized as we settle back in after the holiday break. Like many of you, I used this time to pause, reflect, and recharge—and I kept coming back to a deep sense of gratitude for our community of Members, partners, and staff. We’ve been through a lot together, and while challenges remain ahead, I’m truly glad to be in this work alongside you. The start of a new year always brings renewed perspective and possibility, and as we begin 2026, we are hitting the ground running with optimism about what we can accomplish together.

Public health work has never been more important. Your leadership and persistence are central to preventing disease, strengthening health systems, and improving quality of life in communities across the nation. NACDD remains committed to supporting you with the tools, connections, and resources needed to make that work possible. Check out our recent webinar to learn how NACDD is advancing its mission to serve and empower members in 2026. 

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month—a reminder of the impact of public health has had—and continues to have—on saving lives through prevention and early detection. Thanks to sustained public health efforts, including education, access to screening, and vaccination, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer when detected early. Public health professionals continue to play a vital role in ensuring these lifesaving tools reach those who need them most.

Strengthening data systems that support screening, surveillance, and follow-up is essential to sustaining progress among all chronic diseases. That’s why at NACDD we’re especially eager to continue our momentum around chronic disease data modernization. This work is critical, as chronic disease surveillance systems often struggle with timeliness, representativeness, and data granularity—limitations that make it harder to fully understand emerging trends and health outcomes. According to the 2025 Survey of States, only 20% of chronic disease units report being ready to lead data modernization efforts that address these challenges.

To help move this work forward, I encourage you to submit an interest form to learn more about upcoming opportunities within NACDD’s Data Modernization Accelerator Initiative. Recently NACDD hosted a General Member Webinar featuring state panelists who shared promising practices and key lessons learned through NACDD’s Data Modernization Action Incubator, a four-month engagement that supports state teams in building organizational capacity for data modernization. If you missed it, I encourage you to watch the recording to learn more.

(I also encourage cancer program staff to engage with NACDD’s Cancer Council, where colleagues collaborate to address emerging issues and share best practices in cancer prevention and control.)

Looking ahead, the General Member Webinar series will be renamed Chronic Disease Connect beginning in February. This intentional rebrand reflects our goal of linking public health professionals to timely strategies and solutions in chronic disease prevention, while fostering meaningful connections across the field. While the name is changing, the format and focus will remain the same, continuing to offer practical insights, resources, and opportunities to engage with experts and peers. I hope you’ll join us for an upcoming session of Chronic Disease Connect!

Our work is ultimately about creating healthier places to live, work, and play. In that spirit, I’m pleased to share that Iowa and Tennessee were selected as the next locations for NACDD’s Walkability Action Institute—congratulations! We look forward to partnering with leaders in these states to help communities plan and take actionable steps toward environments where families can move more and live healthier lives. Stay tuned as we update on their progress.

Thank you for your continued partnership, dedication, and trust. I’m hopeful about the year ahead and energized by what we can accomplish together in service of healthier communities.