What's Happening

By Elizabeth McDade-Montez, PhD | March 28, 2017
Senior Research Associate, ETR

TV is not what it used to be. Over the past decade, we have seen a range of new methods of content delivery (Netflix, AmazonVideo, Hulu), new ways of watching (bingeing on favorites, catching short segments on YouTube, checking out cute kittens suggested by friends on Facebook), and new ways of calculating ratings.

Unfortunately, although television platforms have clearly modernized over time, television themes and stereotypes around gender and sexuality have not. 

By ETR | March 23, 2017

ETR’s Dr. Karin Coyle is stepping into a different role. She’s our new Chief Science Officer. This appointment has our entire Science Department looking to the future with excitement.

By John Henry Ledwith | March 21, 2017
Senior Sales Manager, ETR

Are you rested? Did you have breakfast? How many glasses of water did you drink today?

These three markers of healthy behavior—sleep, nutrition, hydration—are on my mind at the moment. 

By Gina Lepore, MEd | March 16, 2017
Research Associate, ETR

 “Everything is about sex except sex. Sex is about power.”

This saying is usually credited to Oscar Wilde, probably erroneously, but I love it anyway! It brings home an essential truth. When we talk about norms related to sex and sexual consent, we are often actually talking about norms related to power.

By Ayn N. Whyte, MS—Diné | March 14, 2017
STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Manager, Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board

As many of our communities prepare to recognize National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, I am compelled to honor the group of individuals who envisioned and made this day a reality. I am blessed to work today with many of these people in raising awareness and promoting testing among our people. 

By Narinder Dhaliwal, MA | March 8, 2017
Program Manager, ETR

Did you happen to see the recent Slate article about secondhand smoke? It had an enticing headline—the kind that often makes Slate such a compelling and engaging read:

“We Used Terrible Science to Justify Smoking Bans”

By Marcia Quackebush, MS, MFT, MCHES | March 6, 2017
Senior Editor, ETR

Bringing people together can make a world of difference. ETR just finished up our 2017 All-Staff Retreat, and yes, it was a challenge getting everyone into one room for a day. Our workforce is distributed around the state of California and across the nation.

But it was also, in the words of one staffer, “a blast!” 

By Brittany Nielsen, MPH| March 1, 2017
Program Manager, Sutter Health

The future of health care in America looks uncertain. There is an abundance of opinions on the left and right about what our nation needs to do. However, before we can move forward effectively, it’s important to understand what science has to tell us on the topic.

By Vignetta Charles, PhD | February 23, 2017
CEO, ETR

I’m thrilled to be ETR’s new CEO. This is a job I’ve wanted for 19 years!

In 1998, I was Program Director of a teen pregnancy prevention program in Oakland, CA. I went to a training on Reducing the Risk (RTR), one of the best-known evidence-based programs in the field. It also happens to be a program ETR developed, evaluated and distributes.

By Janine Saunders, EdD, MPH | February 21, 2017
Program Manager, ETR

Neil deGrasse Tyson famously said, "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it." During this time of fake news and alternative facts, promoting science-based approaches is more important than ever. If you’re like me, you encounter people every day who, knowingly or unknowingly, are making decisions based on false information. 

By Laura Perkins, MLS | February 15, 2017
Project Editor, ETR

Safer sex can be fun, right? And with a little imagination and humor, talking about safer sex can be fun too, right?! Well, yes. Yes! YES!

ETR's safer sex condom kits are especially popular when we travel to conferences. And we know the kits are popular at health fairs, college orientations, and public health events. That's why we're excited to introduce 3 new designs. They're colorful and fun and guaranteed to attract attention. And hopefully spark conversation.

By Pamela Anderson, PhD | February 9, 2017
Senior Research Associate, ETR

I’m having a sentimental parent moment. Our three-year-old is looking at the iPad. She is trying to defy gravity by watching her show upside down. The iPad falls on her face. She falls off the couch and hits the floor.

Our almost-seven-year-old immediately sprints over to help and console her sister. 

By Marcia Quackenbush | February 7, 2017
Senior Editor, ETR

How do we keep youth engaged in school and community? How do we help them think critically about the issues that affect them? How can we help them raise their voices and speak out as effective citizens? I believe we have reached a time in our history as a nation where these are some of the most important skills we can offer young people.

Education experts have suggested a range of answers to these questions. I recently learned about an approach that is truly promising: Ethics Bowls. 

By Chris Wilson-Smith | February 2, 2017
Project Coordinator, ETR

Are you working with a group that’s ready to laugh, move around a bit and get to know their colleagues at the start of a training? Are you the kind of trainer who likes to start out with something lively and engaging? This may be just the FQT you’re looking for!

By Lizanne Reynolds, JD | January 30, 2017
dfusion

I am excited to be working on a new dfusion program called Live Your Best Life AHORA! This is an innovative teen pregnancy prevention and sexual risk reduction program for rural Hispanic youth and their parents in California’s Central Valley. Our program partner is the California Health Collaborative (CHC), which has worked closely with the community for many years to promote healthy practices.

By ETR | January 23, 2017

Do you know graduate students in public health? Epidemiology? How about education, psychology, sociology or related fields? Do they have an interest in sexual and reproductive health?

We’d love you to let them know about one of the finest summer internship opportunities around: the 2017 Kirby Summer Internship at ETR.

By ETR | January 17, 2017

ETR’s condom holders have consistently been one of our most popular products. They have colorful designs on the outside and instructions for condom use on the inside. We’ve just introduced a new one designed to hold an internal or “female” condom.

That’s a WOW indeed! 

By John Henry Ledwith | January 11, 2017
Senior Sales Manager, ETR

We’ve had some seriously rainy weather in Northern California this past week. The storm outside was a good incentive for me to do a little clean-up and organizing inside.

As I opened file drawers and cabinet doors, I ploughed through several years’ worth of articles, notes, photos and papers. Some were still keepers. And others—ideas past their prime—went off to recycle.