We’re featuring new voices for our new season, and in this episode Brenna sits down with two somewhat newly elected women from different parts of the country, Representative Jennifer Mandelbaum of New Hampshire and Representative Vanessa Grossl of Kentucky.

Each year, 30 state and provincial officials from the 18 CSG Eastern Region member jurisdictions gather in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the Robert J. Thompson Eastern Leadership Academy (ELA). This select group of state officials from all three branches of government receives training to enhance their leadership and communication skills from a variety of experts in media, education, and government.

Our 2025 Cohort of Jordan-Huerta Fellows was a diverse and powerful group of elected women fighting for truth, justice, and The American Way in communities across the country.

PHCC Ambassadors take an active role in sharing vital health information and building public confidence in public health in community with other public health communicators.

The 19th Collective is a community of women legislators dedicated to bipartisan progress and impact.

The Health Policy Advocacy Award recognizes an individual’s contributions and exemplary work in translating or extending behavioral medicine from research to policy.

“The NLC experience is about more than just leadership development—it’s about forging connections and reimagining what’s possible,” said Ambar Mendez, Director of Programs and Operations. “Our Fellows aren’t just participants; they’re changemakers.”

“These remarkable young lawmakers show what Future Caucus is all about—working together across party lines to create policies that truly help all Americans,” said Layla Zaidane, president and CEO of Future Caucus.

The APHA Women’s Leadership Institute aims to foster a supportive community where women can uplift one another, share experiences, and work together to advance their careers in public health.

Representative Mandelbaum spoke about the importance of state government on implementing public health laws and policies that improve the health of our communities.

Thank you to gubernatorial candidate Joyce Craig for inviting me to participate in this roundtable as part of her statewide Freedom and Opportunity tour.

I’m pleased to share that I was recently endorsed by the New Hampshire Chapter of the Sierra Club for my support for action on climate solutions.

During our day on Capitol Hill, we met with our federal delegation to talk about the tremendous health and financial impact of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

I'm proud to have their endorsement and will continue to work hard to improve the lives of working families and our communities in New Hampshire.

Evidence-based public health approaches to gun violence prevention can preserve our Second Amendment rights while doing what we can to improve gun safety.

I’m excited to be sworn in on March 27th and get to work advocating for the well-being of our community and all Granite Staters.