What We're Doing
In January 2021, The Rockefeller Foundation started the STAT Communications Network with 27 members from governors’ offices and public health agencies involved in the State and Territory Alliance for Testing (STAT).
By December 2021, the network developed into a Community of Practice, convening 21 times and reaching 950 participants from over 300 organizations. Communicators from all across the US and in various industries have joined us for a bi-weekly webinar series sharing case studies, messaging guidance, and the communications work of a range of organizations.
Hattaway Communications – an independent strategic communications firm – provides planning and logistical support for the Communications Community of Practice as the group’s secretariat.
- 950community
members from
- 300organizations
around the world
- 21webinar
opportunities in 2021 to learn together
Speakers
- Stefanie Friedhoff, Senior Director of Content, Strategy and Public Affairs, Brown University school of Public health
- Claire Wardle, PhD, US Editor First Draft News
- Catherine Chao, Director of Strategy & Evaluation, The Ad Council,
- Lucy Schulson, Associate Physician Policy Research, RANDCorporation
- Gilberto Lopez,Assistant Professor at Arizona State University, Covid Health Animation Project
- Former Congressman Denver Riggleman, (R-VA-05)
- Kevin Parent, Social Media Lead, Ottawa Public Health Department
- Stop the Spread
- mPulse Mobile
- City of Falls Church, Virginia
- Falls Church City Public Schools
- The Virality Project, Manager, Pandemics, Health Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation
- Atul Nakhasi, co-founder #ThisIsOurShot initiative
- Leah Perkinson, The Rockefeller Foundation
- Ken Cherry, DC Friendship Public Charter School
- So O’Neil, Director, Health Philanthropy Portfolio, Mathematica
- Kimberly Coleman, DC Area Manager, CORE
- David Clark, CEO, Shield T3
- Craig Stephens, Sanfilippo Professor, Biology Department and Public Health Program, Santa Clara University
- Celine Schmidek, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communications, Santa Clara University
- David French, senior editor at The Dispatch
- Curtis Chang, co-founder, Christians and the Vaccine
- Kris Carter, co-founder, Christians and the Vaccine
- Bill Maurello, CCO with Shield T3,
- Fresia Cortes, Director, Operations, Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public, Washington, DC
- Elle Carnes, Director of Operational Strategy & Effectiveness, Mundo Verde Public Charter School, Washington, DC
- Maria Teresa Kuma, President, Voto Latino
- Angelo Carusone, President, Media Matters for America
- Johns Hopkins University International Vaccine Center
- Sandra Dobson, VALUE Baltimore
- Ifeoma Ike, CEO, Pink Cornrows
- Tia Thomas, Design Apprentice at Wide Angle Youth Media
- Aurora Harris, Aurora Harris is the Southern Regional Director for Young Invincibles
Topics & Resources
Humor to fight rumors, artificial intelligence to catch early concerns, and more equitable approaches to defining “influencers,” our discussions have ranged far and wide. Our community of practice has covered:
Back To School
Increasing Confidence in Covid-19 Precaution in Schools
Back to School: A Covid-19 Retrospective and What Lies Ahead for Higher Education
A Case Study In Creativity: Fall 2021 School Reopening
Misinformation & Narratives
Battling Disinformation in the Age of Conspiracy Theories & Covid-19 w/ Former Rep. Denver Riggleman
Faith and Fear: How Public Health Can Reach Conservative Christians
Combatting Testing Fatigue in the Age of Vaccines
How Communicators Can Fight Misinformation, with The Virality Project
Equity in Communications
Equity in Communications: How to Move from Intention to Reality with Pink Cornrows
The Latino Anti-Disinformation Lab: Building Trust & Mobilization in the Latinx Community
Year in Review: STAT Communications Community of Practice
Equity in Communications: How the Hyperlocal Approach Increases Vaccine Equity
Technology in Communications
A Chatbot Named Vira: Social Listening and the Role of AI in Supporting Vaccine Outreach
Motivating Messages
Who Are We Now? Reflections & Recommendations For Pandemic Communications
Masks and Tests and Shots—Oh, My! How to Talk to Kids & Parents About Covid-19 Safety
Message Handbook: Covid-19 Testing and Tracing, September 2020
Vaccine Confidence Message Brief, March 2021
Reinforcing the Value of Covid-19 Testing Message Brief, June 2021
Covid Complications: Insights and Guidance on Ongoing Pandemic Communication, October 2021
Rapid Testing Message Brief, November 2020
Covid-19 Messaging with the AdCouncil
Lessons in Communicating with Humor & Authenticity, featuring Kevin Parent from Ottawa Public Health
Participants Say...
The interactive nature of the webinar was helpful.
AttendeeI appreciated the engagement with the audience and the follow on discussion that you invited.
AttendeeHearing the research findings was very interesting and will help guide our future messaging. It largely reinforces what we have been doing so it's nice to hear that we are on the right track.
AttendeeThese sessions were incredible! That shaped my understanding of the pandemic, which I have utilized and cited several times during my discussions with testing companies, government and public health officials, as well as nonprofits.
Attendee