AI Technologies & Public Health Law and Practice (APHA Law Section)

Emerging AI technologies are reshaping the legal and policy landscape, including the application of these tools in public health. This session will address a range of issues related to AI in public health practice from equity in AI-driven public health practice to emerging legal risks and considerations that public health departments will need to assess. Speakers will highlight both the promise and the challenges of integrating AI responsibly into public health law and practice. 

Join us to hear from lawyers and public health practitioners who will share their experiences and provide recommendations for practice:

• Mahana Barbadillo, works with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and is a health policy analyst and researcher whose work examines governance gaps in healthcare AI.
• Meghan Mead, JD is Deputy Director in the Mid-States region at the Network for Public Health Law. She is a legal expert specializing in public health law, including data sharing, data governance, and privacy.
• Gary H. Liu is a JSD candidate at Washington University St. Louis whose research explores how new duties of data loyalty can reconcile individual autonomy with AI‑driven health innovation.
• Cason Schmit, JD is director of the MPH program at Texas A&M University and its Program in Health Law and Policy. His interdisciplinary research spans law, health informatics, ethics, and public health policy.