Bonus episode: Building health equity-focused public health organizations

Mind The Disruption

Season 1 of Mind the Disruption was a success! We’ve decided to release bonus content from three episodes. This standalone episode features more from former Chief Nursing Officer Heather Lokko who was a reflective guest on Episode 3 Disrupting the Status Quo in Public Health. Listen to this episode to learn about implementing health equity and anti-racism strategies at a public health organization from Heather who worked at the Middlesex London Health Unit in southern Ontario for 25 years.

(00:00) Introduction

(02:41) Interview with Heather Lokko

Episode Guest: Heather Lokko has been a direct service provider, professional practice lead, program manager, and senior leader during her public health career. She is currently seconded to London Health Science Centre where she is the Corporate Nursing Executive and also provides executive support for the Office of Health Ethics and the Office of Inclusion and Social Accountability. At the time of this interview, she was the Director of the Healthy Start Division at the Middlesex-London Health Unit. Additionally, she was MLHU’s Chief Nursing Officer. In this role, Heather led health equity strategy, promoted practice excellence, and provided nursing leadership in local, regional, provincial, and national initiatives. Heather is the Community Co-Director of Western University’s Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion, is on the board of directors for the London Intercommunity Health Centre and is an Adjunct Research Professor at Western University. Heather is passionate about health equity, collective action, and building healthy families and communities.

Learn more:

• Glossary of Essential Health Equity Terms (NCCDH, 2022)
• Webinar series on anti-Black racism and public health (BHEC & NCCDH, 2023)
• Let’s Talk: Whiteness and Health Equity (NCCDH, 2020)
• Let’s Talk: Public health roles for improving health equity (NCCDH, 2013)

Episode Credits: This episode is produced by Rebecca Cheff, Carolina Jimenez, and our host Bernice Yanful (NCCDH). Special thanks to our episode guest Heather Lokko. Coordination of communications, webpage development and dissemination are led by Caralyn Vossen (NCCDH). Thanks to Claire Betker and the rest of the NCCDH team for their support. Technical production and original music by Chris Perry. Artwork by comet art + design.

Mind the Disruption is a podcast by the NCCDH. Visit https://nccdh.ca/learn/podcast/ to learn more about the podcast and our work.

The NCCDH is hosted by St. Francis Xavier University. This podcast is made possible through a financial contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada through funding for the NCCDH. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Established in 2005, the NCCDH is one of the six National Collaborating Centres (NCCs) for Public Health that work together to promote the use of scientific research and other knowledge to strengthen public health practices, programs and policies in Canada. For more information, visit the NCCPH website.