Speak, Meet, Navigate: A Hands-On Advocacy Training for Indiana Advocates (On Demand-No CE)

PLEASE NOTE: No CE or certificate are available in this free version of the course.

At a time when public health is facing heightened scrutiny and uncertainty, effective advocacy is more important than ever. Advocacy plays a critical role in shaping public health policy, funding, and infrastructure across Indiana. Public health professionals, advocates, and community partners are being called to share their expertise, experiences, and community stories in policy spaces that directly influence funding, infrastructure, and health outcomes. 

This deep-dive advocacy training is designed to equip public health professionals, advocates, and community partners with the skills and tools needed to effectively engage with the Indiana General Assembly on issues that impact community health. 

 Participants will learn how to craft and deliver compelling public health testimony, prepare for and conduct meaningful meetings with legislators, and navigate the Indiana General Assembly website to track legislation, committee activity, and key decision points affecting public health. Through practical guidance, real-world public health examples, and hands-on demonstrations, this workshop will demystify the legislative process and strengthen participants’ ability to elevate data, lived experiences, and community priorities in policymaking spaces. 

This training was originally recorded on January 28, 2026.

Note on Accessibility: This training includes closed captions, a written transcript, and a copy of the slides.

Audience

Public health practitioners, local health department staff, nonprofit and community-based organization leaders, coalition members, and advocates seeking to strengthen their voice and impact at the Indiana Statehouse

Learning Objectives

• Explain the role of advocacy in shaping public health policy, funding, and infrastructure in Indiana, including key decision points within the Indiana General Assembly 
• Navigate the Indiana General Assembly website to track public health legislation, committee hearings, and legislative timelines relevant to their work
• Develop and deliver effective public health testimony that integrates data, lived experience, and community priorities to influence legislative decision-making
• Prepare for and conduct productive meetings with legislators, including identifying goals, framing public health issues, and making clear, actionable asks
• Describe how to apply advocacy strategies that elevate community voices and stories in policymaking spaces, particularly during periods of political uncertainty and heightened scrutiny of public health

Instructors

• Ashlyn Devine, MA, Director of Advocacy & Grants, Health by Design/Indiana Public Health Association  

Panelists

• Sarah Kumfer, MGA, Public Policy and Advocacy Director, Marion County Commission on Youth, INC. (MCCOY) 
• Christina Cesnik, MAPL, Indiana Government Relations Director, American Heart Association
• Emily Bryant, JD, Executive Director, Feeding Indiana’s Hungry 

Sponsors

This training was a collaboration of the Region V Public Health Training Center, Indiana Public Health Association, and Health by Design.

The Region V Public Health Training Center is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31684 Public Health Training Centers ($940,000). This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by Region V PHTC, HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Technical Information

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Contact us at rvphtc@umich.edu with questions.