Guest(s)
Elissa J. Bassler
Topic
Obesity and Sugery Drinks
Topic Info
Elissa Bassler, CEO of the Illinois Public Health Institute joins Melanie Cole M.S. to discuss the recent debate about raising taxes on sugar added drinks that are heavily marketed to the public in an attempt to curb the increase in childhood and adult obesity plaguing the nation.
Guest Info
Elissa Bassler is the CEO of Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI), which works through partnerships to promote prevention and improve public health systems that maximize health and quality of life for the people of Illinois.
Under Elissa’s leadership, IPHI has developed several program areas, including the Center for Community Capacity Development, the Center for Policy and Partnership Intiatives, and the Center for Health Information Technology, which is building a new web-based data query system for Illinois. In 2003, IPHI led efforts to pass groundbreaking legislation requiring that Illinois develop a State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) every four years, and subsequently, IPHI led the process to develop Illinois’ 2007 and 2010 SHIPs. Most recently IPHI led efforts to pass the Obesity Prevention Initiative, which resulted in public hearings and public engagement on the need to address obesity, physical activity and nutrition and launched a statewide coalition, the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity.
Bassler is a member of the Advisory Committee of the State Health Policy Center Collaborative, and a Board member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes. She serves on the Illinois Office of Health Information Technology Advisory Committee, and co-chairs its Governance Work Group. She is also a member of the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago’s Health and Wellness Panel.
Prior to joining IPHI in early 2001, Bassler was the Public Policy Program Director of the Day Care Action Council of Illinois for nearly seven years, the Executive Director of the Coalition for New Priorities from 1991-1994 and the Executive Director of the Chicago Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility from 1989-1991. Bassler has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Directing from the Goodman/DePaul School of Drama.
In 2004, she received the Illinois Public Health Association’s Excellence in Public Policy Award for her work on developing and passing the State Health Improvement Plan Act. She served as a member of Governor-Elect Blagojevich’s Transition Advisory Committee on Public Health in 2002 and was a member of Governor Ryan’s Children and Families Leadership Subcabinet from March 2000 to January 2001. She also served as a member of Governor-Elect Ryan’s Transition Committee on Children and Families in December 1998. Bassler was featured as one of eight “Amazing Women of 1998” in the June 1998 issue of Redbook Magazine for contributions to child care policy in Illinois. She was presented the magazine’s Mothers & Shakers Award by Hillary Clinton at a White House luncheon in June, 1998.
Under Elissa’s leadership, IPHI has developed several program areas, including the Center for Community Capacity Development, the Center for Policy and Partnership Intiatives, and the Center for Health Information Technology, which is building a new web-based data query system for Illinois. In 2003, IPHI led efforts to pass groundbreaking legislation requiring that Illinois develop a State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) every four years, and subsequently, IPHI led the process to develop Illinois’ 2007 and 2010 SHIPs. Most recently IPHI led efforts to pass the Obesity Prevention Initiative, which resulted in public hearings and public engagement on the need to address obesity, physical activity and nutrition and launched a statewide coalition, the Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity.
Bassler is a member of the Advisory Committee of the State Health Policy Center Collaborative, and a Board member of the National Network of Public Health Institutes. She serves on the Illinois Office of Health Information Technology Advisory Committee, and co-chairs its Governance Work Group. She is also a member of the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago’s Health and Wellness Panel.
Prior to joining IPHI in early 2001, Bassler was the Public Policy Program Director of the Day Care Action Council of Illinois for nearly seven years, the Executive Director of the Coalition for New Priorities from 1991-1994 and the Executive Director of the Chicago Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility from 1989-1991. Bassler has a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Directing from the Goodman/DePaul School of Drama.
In 2004, she received the Illinois Public Health Association’s Excellence in Public Policy Award for her work on developing and passing the State Health Improvement Plan Act. She served as a member of Governor-Elect Blagojevich’s Transition Advisory Committee on Public Health in 2002 and was a member of Governor Ryan’s Children and Families Leadership Subcabinet from March 2000 to January 2001. She also served as a member of Governor-Elect Ryan’s Transition Committee on Children and Families in December 1998. Bassler was featured as one of eight “Amazing Women of 1998” in the June 1998 issue of Redbook Magazine for contributions to child care policy in Illinois. She was presented the magazine’s Mothers & Shakers Award by Hillary Clinton at a White House luncheon in June, 1998.
Website
Host
Melanie Cole, M.S.
Original Air Date
11 / 2 / 2011
