by Liz Seegert
What happens when two highly successful, dedicated, smart public health nurses get together? I'm incredibly fortunate that they become mentors and role models who personify the term "outstanding women healthcare leaders." Meet Diana Mason, PhD, RN, FAAN and Barbara Glickstein, MPH, MS, RN, co-directors of The Center for Health, Media and Policy at Hunter College in New York City.
These incredibly accomplished health professionals lead an organization that uses approaches ranging from traditional academic research and policy analysis to creative writing and multimedia to pinpoint important public health issues under-represented by policy stakeholders or in mainstream media. The goal is to advance the conversation about health and health policy. Many of these issues affect the health of underserved populations – like children in low-income communities, or women veterans, or the elderly. As a Senior Fellow there, I report on the health and aging in the U.S, the role of technology, and social determinants of health. Projects by other Senior Fellows have explored such diverse topics as drug policy, childhood obesity, HIV among African-American women, and narrative writing for nurses.
There isn't enough space to adequately describe all of Diana and Barbara's professional accomplishments. Leadership positions in nursing, media, and education. Numerous awards. Board members of compatible well-known non profit organizations. Educators. Innovators. As importantly, they are genuinely nice people, who take real interest in my career –encouraging me to stretch a journalist, opening doors and providing support every step of the way. We all need mentors and role models. I wish everyone could find such an ideal match.
I don't work in a traditional office environment, so sometimes finding the right people to offer encouragement or feedback has been challenging. Connecting with these amazing women makes me be a better health reporter. My writing is has improved, my knowledge is deeper, and my professional network has grown.
Pure chance led me to the Center’s website. It was my “aha” moment. After our first meeting, I knew that this connection was meant to be.
Did these two remarkable, accomplished women need the headaches that come with running a non-profit, or the paperwork and bureaucracy that are byproducts of this effort? Their dedication to public health, to moving the conversation along, to addressing some very real, but not very “media-sexy” health issues is what energizes them.
Health care needs more leaders like Diana and Barbara. They are outstanding professionals and leaders in every sense. They advise, they mentor, they write, they produce, they teach, and put themselves out there through HealthStyles, their weekly syndicated public radio program. Mostly, they put the best interests of people – the public, their students, the Senior Fellows – first. They lead by example, regardless of the myriad obligations awaiting them. Like any good leaders, they're never too busy to pay it forward.
Liz Seegert is a freelance health journalist based in New York, and a Senior Fellow at the Center for Health, Media & Policy. She writes about aging, women's health, policy, and socio-cultural health issues. You can email her [email protected].