Public health is no longer a silent partner, but a major one. Following the pandemic, we’ve all realized that everything must be filtered through a public health lens. Today, we speak with a forerunner in the public health space, Dannette Smith, CEO of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. CEO Smith kicks off our interview with an introduction to her professional and personal background. Next, we dive into the role of developing your interpersonal skills as a leader. We talk about the value of experience and preparation, and why being a good listener and always seeking to learn are essential attitudes to have. We talk about why CEO Smith has taken on jobs that were too difficult for her and discuss the importance of always being on the hunt for opportunities to grow. Next, we dive into the importance of serving from a place of passion and talk about accessibility and communication in healthcare with data as a medium through which to tell that story. CEO Smith shares with us the ways in which the relationship we have with our public health departments will need to change in order to better serve our people and we touch on Nebraska’s position as a place full of opportunity. She tells us why policy as we know it is going to drastically change following the pandemic and gives us some predictions for how service delivery will change going forwards. Tune in today for plenty of valuable insights on leadership and the future of public health with an expert in the field. We hope you join us! DrCHHuntley.com