APHA Sessions

We're happy to share that NBPHE staff, NBPHE Board and committee members will be presenting throughout the APHA Expo. Don’t miss your chance to connect with colleagues, hear from leaders, and see how certification is shaping the future of our field. And be sure to stop by Booth 711 by the Ignition Stage to see us! Click a button below to see our schedule.

Join Us for our APHA Partner Symposiums

Join us in Room 146B at the Washington Convention Center during the APHA Expo for a series of dynamic partner symposiums on the power of certification in public health. From exploring the value of the Certified in Public Health (CPH) credential, to getting an early look at the upcoming Certified in Disease Intervention (CDI) certification, to engaging panels and interactive quiz sessions, these programs bring learning, fun, and professional growth together.

Certification Matters: CPH, CDI and Public Health, Sunday 4:30 – 6pm, Room 146B

4:30 – The CPH Certification: Advancing Knowledge, Skills, and Public Health Impact 

• Discover how the Certified in Public Health (CPH) credential validates your expertise, distinguishes you in the field, and supports your ongoing growth. This session will provide an overview of the certification process, benefits for individuals and organizations, and resources available to help you succeed.

5:00 – Ready, Set, Certify! A CPH Practice Round with Prizes 

• Put your public health knowledge to the test with the CPH Ambassadors! This fast-paced quiz will feature sample CPH exam questions, with a prize for the top scorer. Come ready to think quickly, compete with colleagues, and hear from our CPH Ambassadors. 

5:15 – The CDI Certification: Proven skills. Trusted expertise. 

• Be among the first to learn more about the upcoming Certified in Disease Intervention (CDI) credential, including the development process, exam components, and the timeline for launch. Learn how the CDI will recognize and unify the critical work of disease intervention professionals across the country. 

5:30 - CDI Pop Quiz! Practice Questions & Prizes

• Want to see what the CDI exam will feel like? In this interactive session, you’ll get a chance to try out real practice questions in a low-stakes, fun format. The highest score wins a prize but everyone leaves with more confidence.

Certification in Action: Learning, Practicing, Growing, Monday 8:30 – 10am, Room 146B

8:30 – CDI Domains in Action – A Case Study 

• The CDI domains come to life in this case-based session. Together, we’ll follow a scenario that a disease intervention specialist might face, using it to explore how the domains and tasks apply in practice. It’s a practical, engaging way to understand the foundation of the new certification. 

9:15 – CPH Recertification: Opportunities, Not Obstacles 

• Recertification doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Instead, think of it as a way to continue building your skills and advancing your career. This session will explain the CPH recertification process, highlight ways to earn credits, and share how you can use the process to expand your opportunities and growth in public health. 

9:30 – CPH Ambassadors Answer & Ask Questions 

• Join our CPH Ambassadors for a lively session that blends Q&A and quiz fun. You’ll hear first-hand insights about certification, get your questions answered, and then they’ll flip the script by asking you CPH practice questions for prizes.  

Advancing Public Health through Certification, Tuesday 12:30 – 2pm, Room 146B

12:30 – The CDI Certification: Established skills. Trusted expertise. 

• Be among the first to learn more about the upcoming Certified in Disease Intervention (CDI) credential, including the development process, exam components, and the timeline for launch. Learn how the CDI will recognize and unify the critical work of disease intervention professionals across the country. 

1:00 – CPH Ambassadors Answer & Ask Questions 

• Join our CPH Ambassadors for a lively session that blends Q&A and quiz fun. You’ll hear first-hand insights about certification, get your questions answered, and then they’ll flip the script by asking you CPH practice questions for prizes. 

1:30 – From Invisible to Visible: Making public health a priority through professional certification

• What does certification mean for public health and why is it so important? This panel, moderated by Dr. Donna Petersen, will explore how certification elevates individual practitioners, supports organizations, and advances the profession as a whole. The conversation will connect the history of certification with its growing impact today. Panelists include:
  • Paul Campbell Erwin, MD, DrPH, CPH, dean, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham
  • Adaora Otijii, EdD, CPTD, ADC, Chief Learning Officer, Office of the Director, DC Health
  • Al Sommer, MD, former dean, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University
  • Lindsay Tallon, PhD, CPH Assistant MPH program director, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
  • Deanna Wathington, MD, MPH, Board Chair, American Public Health Association
  • Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH, Panel Moderator 

Join Us for Our APHA Presentations

Leadership in Health Administration: Driving National Public Health Priorities,
Sunday 2:30 - 4pm

2:45 - 2077.0: Public health leadership as assessed by the Certified in Public Health examination

• Allison Foster, MBA, CAE, CPH¹, Cerina Dubois, PhD, MPH, CPH² and David Buys, PhD, MSPH, CPH, FGSA³

Credentialing, mentorship, and workforce development: Building a future-ready public health workforce, Monday 10:30am - 12pm

10:30 - Elevating public health as a national priority: The role of CPH certification in advancing the workforce

• LuBeth Pérez, PhD, CPH¹, Marissa Brash, DrPH EdD MPH MS CPH² and Allison Foster, MBA, CAE, CPH

11:00 - Making the public’s health a national priority: Strengthening the workforce through certification

• Allison Foster, MBA, CAE, CPH¹, Marissa Brash, DrPH EdD MPH MS CPH² and LuBeth Pérez, PhD, CPH³

Presenting from the Ignition Stage, Monday 12:20pm - 12:40pm

12:20 - Public Health Nursing Certification

• Presented by Kaye Bender, PhD, RN, FAAN
  Public health nurses are the largest segment of the public health workforce and play a critical role in assurance and delivery of public health.  Come to this session to learn about the certification for public health nurses which is being developed by NBPHE!

4027.0 Leveraging PHIG Funds to Bolster the Public Health Workforce Through Certification, Tuesday 8:30 - 10am

8:30 - Supporting Public Health Workforce Certification Through Partnerships

• Melissa Boyette, NBPHE s CPH and DIS Certifications, Arlington, VA

8:45 - Achieving public health workforce certification through targeted employee development

• Adaora Otiji, Ed.D., CPTD, ADC, DC Health, Washington, DC

9:00 - Enhancing Access to Professional Development through Public Health Certification

• Pamela Gould, MPH, CPH, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Denver, CO

9:15 - Achieving Public Health Workforce Certification Through Targeted Development

• Natalie Noel¹, Shandy Dearth² and Ebony Funches, MPH³
  (1)INDIANA UNIV/FAIRBANKS SPH, Indianapolis, IN, (2)Indiana University, Richard M. Fairbanks School of, Indianapolis, IN, (3)Marion County Public Health Department, Indianapolis, IN

9:30 - Strengthening Our Impact Through Public Health Workforce Certification

• Damita Roberts, Harris County Public Health, Houston, TX

Presenting from the Ignition Stage, Tuesday 11:20am - 11:40am

11:20 - Calling All Public Health Professionals!

• Presented by Donna J. Petersen, ScD, MHS, CPH
  How many public health professionals does it take to change the world? And what defines a professional, anyway. And how would anyone know? Donna Petersen shares her professional journey and explores a vision for the field: a unified public health workforce grounded in shared skills, common knowledge, and a collective commitment to making lasting change.

Strengthening the Public Health Nursing Workforce, Wednesday 8:30 - 10am

9:15 - 5053.0: Public health nursing job task analysis: Defining competencies for a skilled workforce

• Shantal Johnson, BS, CS, Shirley Orr and Kaye Bender. Nurses comprise the largest section of the public health workforce. Public health challenges are ever-changing, it is critical to understand how the scope of work of public health nurses (PHNs) is evolving. This comprehensive job task analysis (JTA) is being conducted to define the scope of practice and essential competencies for PHNs across settings.

Join Us for Our APHA Poster Sessions

Ethics Section Poster Session, Sunday 3 - 4pm

3:00 - 2117.0: Law and Ethics: An analysis of workforce tasks and exam performance

• Allison Foster, MBA, CAE, CPH. The evolving landscape of public health demands a well-trained workforce with clearly defined competencies. To address this need, the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) developed a certification examination for public health professionals. This presentation will examine findings related to Law and Ethics based on two key sources: the administration of the certification exam and a comprehensive job task analysis (JTA) survey.

Applied health statistics and data science posters, Tuesday 2:30 - 3:30pm

2:30 - 4197.0: Data, Informatics, and Analysis: An analysis of workforce tasks and exam performance.

• Allison Foster, MBA, CAE, CPH. The evolving landscape of public health demands a well-trained workforce with clearly defined competencies. To address this need, the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) developed a certification examination for public health professionals. This presentation will examine findings related to Data, Informatics, and Analysis based on two key sources: the administration of the certification exam and a comprehensive job task analysis (JTA) survey.