Community Engagement Institute (CEI) Perspectives hosts engaged conversations that address focused topics of interest to communities to appreciate varied points of view and to serve as a call to action for science, service, and solutions. Drawing on a combination of formal presentations and moderated panels, this venue provides an agile and more frequent setting to respond to pressing issues.
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Check back soon for more CEI Perspectives events!
The CCTS Community & Stakeholder Engagement Community Engagement Institute (CEI) Perspectives planning team invites members of the CCTS Partner Network and members of their respective community partner organizations to share and suggest panel discussion topics of community interest. Recent topics have included Community Violence Awareness, Healthcare for People Who are Unhoused; Healthcare for People Who are Disabled; Building Healthy Neighborhoods, Mental Healthcare Access, Maternal Mortality, Public Health Crisis, Food Insecurity, Environmental Justice, Building Health Literacy in Rural Communities, Understanding Clinical Trials in Rural Communities and Collaborative Approaches to Building Trust in Communities.
Subscribe to the CCTS Digest to be informed of all upcoming events, and view the Community Engagement Institute Video playlist on the CCTS Video Channel for recordings of previous CEI Perspective presentations.
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Tell them to visit: go.uab.edu/ceiperspectives
View the Community Engagement Institute Video playlist on the
CCTS Video Channel to view recordings of previous CEI Perspective events. -
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Collaborative Approaches to Building Trust in Communities
Click here to read an event overview.View event recording here.
Collaborative Approaches to Building Trust in Communities
March 21, 2025; 11am-12:30pm via ZoomJoin the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Community Engagement Institute (CEI) for a discussion on building community trust through collaboration. Engaging stakeholders, sharing information, transparency of processes and having effective communication all work together to build community trust. This event will raise awareness for researchers, healthcare professionals, and community members. Our expert panelists will share resources, raise awareness and provide education and insight to assist you in building trust in communities for better health outcomes.
Designed for researchers, healthcare professionals, and community members, this event aims to raise awareness and provide education on the importance of trust in achieving better health outcomes.
Moderator | Kimberly Randall, MA
Manager, Lister Hill Center for Health Policy
Panelist | Kimberly McCall, PhD, MPA
Assistant Professor
Biotechnology Regulatory Affairs Specialist
UAB Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences
Panelist | Joi Miner
Author, Community Activist, Community Action Board Member
National Cancer Institute: Community Advisory Group Member: “LGBTQ+ Screening Study”
Birmingham Women’s Initiative
Panelist | Adriana Valenzuela
Jefferson County Department of Health (JCDH)
Certified Healthcare Interpreter, CCHI ™
Cross Cultural Communications License Trainer
Public Health Language Coordinator
Panelist | Teneasha Washington, PhD, MPH, MBA
Assistant Professor; MPH Program Director,
UAB School of Public Health -
Understanding Clinical Trials in Rural Communities
Click here to read an event overview. View event recording here.
Understanding Clinical Trials in Rural Communities
December 12, 2024, 10am-11:30am via ZoomJoin the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Communty Engagement Institute (CEI) for a discussion on raising awareness of clinical trials in rural communities. This event for researchers, healthcare professionals, and community advocates will highlight recruitment strategies, barriers to participation, ethical considerations, and community partnerships.
Featuring an expert panel and an interactive Q&A session, participants will gain actionable insights and best practices to foster participation in clinical research and improve health outcomes.
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Building Health Literacy in Rural Communities
Click here to read an event overview. View event recording here.
Building Health Literacy in Rural Communities
October 29, 10-11:30am via ZoomJoin the CCTS Engagement of Communities for a discussion on health literacy challenges in rural communities, moderated by Claudia Hardy, Director of Community and Research Relations at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and Engagement leader. This event will explore how geographic location, access to healthcare, and communication barriers impact health outcomes and offer insights from leaders in health literacy and rural healthcare.
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Healthcare for People Who are Disabled
Click here to read an event overview. View event recording here.
Healthcare for People Who Are Disabled
June 26th, 10-11:30am via Zoom
Join the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) as we bring community partners together for a critical conversation on building healthcare for people who are disabled. Exchanging knowledge about disability rights and advocacy as well as patient care and outcomes will create a beneficial platform for raising awareness, sharing resources, and determining next-step action items.
Participate in this engaging conversation to share different perspectives, collaborate on new initiatives, and build meaningful relationships. Together, we can create a more inclusive society on this important topic for better health outcomes.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is committed to providing access and accommodations in its services, programs, and activities. To make a request for accommodations due to disability please, contact Clifford Kennon at CCTS at ckennon@uab.edu.
Moderator
Allison B. Solomon MS CRC | ADA Compliance Officer
Executive Director, UAB Disability Support Services
UAB Division of Student AffairsPanelists
Jereme Wilroy, PhD
Director of Research, Lakeshore Foundation
Associate Professor, UAB Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Project Co-Director, UAB Spinal Cord Injury Model SystemJohn Roper
Chief Executive Officer
Disability Rights and ResourcesSara S. Newell
President
The Exceptional Foundation -
Healthcare for People Who are Unhoused
Click here to read an event overview. View event recording here.
May 23 2:30pm-4:30pm | Healthcare for People Who are Unhoused
People who are unhoused face physical, mental and social burdens that greatly increase morbidity and mortality rates relative to the general population. Extreme poverty, harsh living environments, trauma and structural barriers are all causes of their poor health. This discussion will bring together representatives from the academic/healthcare community and the nonprofit community seeking to better understand the resources available and ways to address healthcare for people unhoused in our communities. Join us as we share research and resources, raise awareness, and provide education and insight on this critical topic for better health outcomes.
Moderated by
Ann Elizabeth Montgomery, PhD
Associate professor, UAB School of Public Health, Health Behavior
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research, Birmingham, ALPanelists
Stefan Kertesz, MD, MSc
Professor of Medicine
Birmingham VA Medical Center | Division of Preventive Medicine | Heersink School of Medicine UAB | The University of Alabama at BirminghamMonnaka Speights, RN, MSN, AG-CRNP
Social Work Services, HCHV
Birmingham Veterans Health Care SystemAmy G. Sparks
Alabama Regional Medical Services
Senior Director of Behavioral Health/Homeless Services -
Community Violence Awareness
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Building Healthy Neighborhoods
Click here to view the recording
Building Healthy Neighborhoods │
Healthy neighborhoods are the fabric of community—providing a sense of place and identity while also connecting residents to daily needs such as clean environments, transportation, housing, healthy foods, quality education, neighborhood infrastructure, jobs, and opportunities for social connections. Join our panel discussion as we discuss the ways neighborhoods and partners can work together to share resources, raise awareness and provide education and insight to build healthy neighborhoods for better health outcomes.
SpeakersDr. Lonnie Hannon - Moderator
Associate Professor, UAB School of Public Health
Birmingham Land Bank AuthorityCarol Clarke
CEO Neighborhood Housing Services of Birmingham
Birmingham City Council District 8Darrell O’Quinn, DVM, PhD
Birmingham City Council District 5Mashonda Taylor
CEO, Woodlawn UnitedMeghan Venable Thomas, DrPH
Director of Community Development
City of BirminghamDr. Ronald Bayles
Executive Director, Titusville Development Corporation
Birmingham United Neighborhoods
Magic City Blight Busters -
Mental Healthcare Access
Panel Discussion Topic: Mental Healthcare Access
A panel of experts explore ways to improve mental healthcare outcomes by raising awareness, sharing resources and collaborating for impactful solutions.
Moderator and Panelists:
Frannie Horn JD, EdS, ALC, NCC
Director of Research Development | Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) | University of Alabama at BirminghamKimberly G. BoswellCommissioner | the Alabama Department of Mental Health
Nadia Richardson, PhD
Founder and Chief Executive Officer | Black Women’s Mental Health InstituteGriena Knight Davis, Ed.D, LPC, BC-TMH, BCC,Clinical Counselor | Catholic Family Services |Board Certified Coach and LPC | I CARE Wellness Services, LLC
Susan Sallin
President | National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) Birmingham Chapter
Kady Abbott, Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC-S
Clinical Director | Fellowship House of Birmingham
Owner | Kady Abbott Counseling SolutionsZack McClain, LMSW,Therapist and Life Coach |Brother Let's TalkTM
Abigail Franks
Programs and Policy Manager | Southeast Climate & Energy Network
Katie Fagan, MSc, MA
Outreach Coordinator | Black Warrior River Keeper
Charles Powell
President and Founding Director | People Against Neighborhood Industrial Contamination (PANIC)
Jilisa Milton, JD, MSW
Deputy Director - Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships | Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (G.A.S.P)
Veena B. Antony, MD
Principal Investigator and Director | UAB Superfund Research Program
Professor of Medicine and Environmental Health Science -
Environmental Justice
Panel Discussion Topic: Environmental Justice
A safe and healthy place to live is a matter of justice. Join us for a community conversation on Environmental Justice with a unique panel of experts. This event seeks to raise awareness of current major environmental issues and what communities are most affected by these, share resources, and help identify ways everyone can take action to affect positive change in communities and improve health outcomes.
Moderator and Panelists:
Abigail Franks
Programs and Policy Manager | Southeast Climate & Energy Network
Katie Fagan, MSc, MA
Outreach Coordinator | Black Warrior River Keeper
Charles Powell
President and Founding Director | People Against Neighborhood Industrial Contamination (PANIC)
Jilisa Milton, JD, MSW
Deputy Director - Advocacy & Strategic Partnerships | Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (G.A.S.P)
Veena B. Antony, MD
Principal Investigator and Director | UAB Superfund Research Program
Professor of Medicine and Environmental Health Science -
Maternal Mortality
This virtual event featured a panel of experts from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Jefferson County Dept. of Health, Auburn School of Nursing, Alabama State Perinatal Division, and more, leading discussions around this critical issue facing communities in our region and beyond. This panel discussion aimed to help participants better understand the burden of maternal complications and mortality and to foster conversation on the health issues that exist among the populations at greatest risk. Through discussion as well as educating the public through awareness, we hope to impact clinical practice and to explore ways to partner in research toward solutions in improving maternal outcomes in communities.
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Community Violence
In the past two years, homicides and gun assaults have risen as much as 30 percent in medium to large cities in the United States, with this type of violence disproportionately affecting communities of color and high-poverty neighborhoods. For more than 20 years, homicide has been the leading cause of death for African-American boys and young adults between the ages of 15 and 34. Community violence has been closely linked to inequities, including disparate access to employment, housing, health care, quality education, healthy food, and safety within neighborhoods. Birmingham and Jefferson County have experienced similar trends in both increases in violence and in social and racial inequity. This discussion will bring together representatives from multiple organizations and groups seeking to better understand the causes, current efforts underway, and possible solutions to addressing violence in our communities. Short presentations will be followed by an open forum where members of the community can come together to discuss how we might address community violence through multiple and interlocking efforts.
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Food Insecurity
Panel Discussion Topic - Food Insecurity
February 24, 2023
In 2020, 13.8 million households were food insecure at some time during the year according to the USDA. Join us for a community conversation on food insecurity, as we discuss the ways community groups and researchers might work together toward solutions. Through dialogue we hope to increase community awareness, share resources and provide education and insight to affect positive change in communities. Our incredible panel features speakers from UAB School of Public Health, UAB Blazer Kitchen, Jones Valley Teaching Farm, Auburn University Hunger Solutions Institute, Harvest Community Charities, and the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama.
Moderator:
T.Marie King, Director of Youth Pathways & Experiences
Jones Valley Teaching Farm
Panelists:Lisa Higginbotham, LBSW, MPA, UAB Benevolent Fund Manager
Blazer KitchenErika Austin, PhD, MPH, CPH, Associate Professor and Associate Dean
UAB School of Public HealthAlicia Powers, PhD, Managing Director
Auburn University Hunger Solutions InstituteJames Harris, President and CEO
Harvest Community CharitiesEli Ponder-Twardy, Assistant Director of Programs
Community Food Bank of Central Alabama
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Collaborative Approaches to Building Trust in Communities
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For more information about CEI Perspectives events, contact:
Clifford Kennon
ckennon@uab.edu
The CCTS is committed to providing access and accommodations in its services, programs, and activities.
To make a request for accommodations due to disability please, contact Clifford Kennon at CCTS at ckennon@uab.edu