What's Happening

By Marcia Quackenbush, MS, MFT, MCHES | January 2, 2018
Senior Editor, ETR

We’re back! And so are you. Welcome to 2018.

We have some exciting posts coming up. Look for content addressing developmental neuroscience, sexual risk reduction, our Health Equity Framework, tobacco control, legalized cannabis and more. 

By Vignetta Charles, PhD | December 19, 2017
Chief Executive Officer, ETR

ETR values Workplace Wellness—and a way to live those values is to ensure that our incredibly hardworking team takes a well-deserved break for the holidays. We close down December 23 and open again January 2, 2018. As we come upon our annual all-staff mini-sabbatical, I’d like to share three wishes from ETR to you.

By Vignetta Charles, PhD | November 20, 2017
Chief Executive Officer, ETR

My six-year-old son came home from school during the first week of November with an assignment to ask his family what we’re thankful for this year. I immediately rattled off the names of ten people, starting with his name.

He jumped in and clarified, “It can’t be people. You have to be grateful for a non-people thing.” I paused and then quickly gave him my heartfelt answer that couldn’t be people (I’ll tell you later what it was). 

By ETR | August 28, 2017
Director, Professional Learning Systems, ETR

Many of us here at ETR have family, friends and colleagues enduring the extraordinary hardships of Harvey. They are very much on our mind today. Thanks to those of you in that number who have let us know you're okay.

At times such as these, we are especially grateful to be part of the caring community in school health, health education and public health. We go forward with the understanding that our colleagues will do their part to keep their communities as safe as possible, and the sun will shine again.

Take care of yourselves out there in that storm!

By ETR | May 2, 2017

Are you thanking a teacher today? We are. It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! Of course, we thank teachers regularly, even when it isn’t a special time of recognition.

Here at ETR, pretty much everyone on the team can name a teacher who had a meaningful impact on their lives. Most of us would name many.

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 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 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 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 Laura Perkins, MLS | December 15, 2016
Product Editor, ETR

Thought about menstrual periods lately? Maybe, maybe not. But if you were a pre-menstrual kid, teetering on the edge of puberty, you'd probably be thinking about them a lot.

By Vignetta Charles, PhD | December 8, 2016
Chief Science Officer, ETR

I love gratitude. I try to get a little of it into my life every day. Here’s why.

First, gratitude grounds me in something positive and constructive. It’s so easy to get mired in the details of our daily lives. Like a breath of fresh air, a break for gratitude can get me back into the moment.

Second, it helps me extend and expand my feelings...

ETR | October 27, 2016
 

Summed up in a word? Awesome.

The annual meetings of the American Public Health Association are one of the nation’s premiere professional events. This year, more than 12,000 attendees will be showing up in Denver October 29-November 2. They’ll present research, work on policy recommendations, learn new skills and network with colleagues from across the nation and around the world.

By ETR | August 8, 2016
 

For most of her life, Narinder Dhaliwal has been an enthusiastic advocate for tobacco control. “I watched my grandfather slowly kill himself by smoking one or two packs a day,” she explains.

Some of the effects left a strong impression on Narinder. “His fingers on both hands were stained yellow. His lips were close to black. He was always surrounded by the smell of stale tobacco.”

By ETR | July 18, 2016

A dynamic group of ETR researchers and professional development specialists will be presenting posters and panels at the upcoming Office of Adolescent Health Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grantee Conference. The conference takes place in Baltimore July 19-21. The theme is “Connecting the Dots: Collaborating to Achieve Lasting Impacts for Youth.” We’ll be posting here about some of their presentations over the coming days.

We hope you’ll keep an eye out for these posts. Even if your work isn’t specific to the field of adolescent sexual health, you’ll find insights and information useful for program developers, health education researchers, front line providers and people who design and deliver trainings.

The conference hashtag is #2016TPP. Check the LinkedIn Teen Pregnancy Prevention Networking Group to hear more about TPP and to connect with attendees.

By ETR | June 17, 2016

It’s summertime. That means the 2016 Kirby Summer Interns have joined ETR’s team. They’ll be contributing to some of the research we’re doing—gathering and analyzing data, and co-authoring an original contribution to the professional literature. We’re thrilled to have them on board!

Melissa Donze is pursuing an MPH program at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, emphasizing Health Promotion Research and Practice. Emily Waterman is a PhD student at Penn State in the Human Development and Family Studies department.

Both bring a wealth of understanding and experience to their internships, and we’re looking forward to a lively exchange of ideas while they’re here.

By Marcia Quackenbush, MS, MFT, MCHES | April 7, 2016
Senior Editor, ETR

I’m one of the folks who genuinely looks forward to National Public Health Week (NPHW). I’m proud to call myself a public health nerd. I quote health statistics at dinner parties. I talk to the kids in my neighborhood about the importance of bicycle helmets and safety belts.

I’ve also got a background in mental health. Naturally, I was gratified to see President Obama bring attention to mental health in his Presidential Proclamation on NPHW. “We are striving to promote mental health as an essential component of overall health,” he states, “helping to ensure access to mental health care and services and working to prevent suicide.”

One of the most important things we can do in public health is end the stigma about depression. 

By Daniel McCormick, MHA | February 29, 2016
Chief Executive Officer, ETR

ETR is a lucky nonprofit, for all kinds of reasons. One of them is embodied in the character of a single individual—Robert Keet, MD. This man has been a continuously active—and consistently dynamic—member of ETR’s Board for the past 35 years.

Think about that for a moment. What were you doing 35 years ago? How many of those things are you still doing today? With the same people or organization? Especially commitments that involve obligations such as weekend-long meetings where you review finance reports, business plans, performance data, legal issues and strategic goals?

Yes, it takes a special person to do this kind of voluntary work. And it takes an extraordinary person to do so for one organization over such a span of time.