Jessica Keralis, MPH E-mail  LinkedIn  Twitter

It is truly a pleasure for me to present this Winter Issue of the International Health Section Newsletter, my first newsletter as the chair of the Communications Committee.  Eckhard Kleinau nominated me to succeed him the position at the APHA Annual meeting, and, after some reflection, I accepted it.  I look forward to serving you in this capacity and am enthusiastic about the opportunities and challenges that it will present to me for professional growth and development.

We have entered an age in which technology connects people instantly and has made the distance between the sender and receiver of communications irrelevant – these days, it is bandwidth and cell phone reception (and perhaps, to a lesser extent, time zones) that primarily impact conversations.  This also means that there has never been a more exciting time to enter this profession, as mobile technology and social media revolutionize the way we share information and ideas, provide care, and promote health.  However, it is also important to remember that the experience and wisdom of the experts provide a solid foundation upon which to keep building.  New technologies are powerful tools, but the values and the mission remain the same.  I am excited to use these new tools to promote the invaluable information and experiences that our members have to share.

Please feel free to contact me with feedback and responses to the articles that you see here.  Opinions, views, and information published represent the authors and not necessarily APHA or the IH Section or the Editor.