https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/Campus ConnectionPosts tagged with 'Gary Gilmore':2023-10-27T11:26:34.447Zhttps://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/a-healthy-whole-community/A healthy, whole community2023-10-27T11:26:34.447Z2023-10-27T11:23:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
<div class="post-content lists">
<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">11:23 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Oct.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>27</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></p>
<div class="list-item-0">
<figure class="feature-photo">
<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/maichorlee1.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>As a health educator with La Crosse County, Maichor Lee, ‘02, runs three programs: The Wisconsin Well Woman program; a county employee wellness program, and a behavior health program that includes ACE training. </figcaption>
</figure>
<h3 class="tagline">Alumna Maichor Lee incorporates non-traditional approaches to build community health</h3>
<p>For UWL Alumna Maichor Lee, good health is not just about good nutrition and regular exercise. It comes from experiences that bring people closer together as a community. &nbsp;</p><p>As La Crosse County’s public health educator, Lee has created many experiences that connect the community while incorporating healthy-lifestyle choices. Her 21 years of programming for the county has ranged from weekly line dancing lessons for Hmong women to group health education classes for senior citizens.&nbsp;</p><p>“I am a people person. I love to talk to people, bring them together and give the education and resources that I know are available,” says Lee. “In La Crosse County, we have rich resources, but sometimes people aren't aware of those opportunities.”&nbsp;</p><p>Lee’s work as a strong advocate for women and the Hmong community in the La Crosse area earned her the <a data-mce-href="https://www.ywcalax.org/2023-tribute-to-outstanding-women/" href="https://www.ywcalax.org/2023-tribute-to-outstanding-women/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">2023 Tribute to Outstanding Women Eliminating Racism Award</a>. The award was presented in early October.&nbsp;</p><p>“She has always been passionate about assuring diversity, equity, and inclusion in her multiple realms of interaction with others in the community context,” says Gary Gilmore, UWL professor and director of assessment for UWL Public Health Programs. “She believes that each person can have a unique role in continually giving back to the greater good in the world.”&nbsp;</p>
</div><div class="list-item-1">
<h3>A perfect fit in public health </h3>
<figure class="image-style-b">
<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/maichorlee2.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>Maichor Lee, ‘02, graduated with a degree in community health education. </figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Lee remembers Gilmore fondly from her years as a UWL student. She discovered public health as a potential career path for the first time as a UWL undergraduate when a health educator visited one of her classes.&nbsp;</p><p>“All my life I had wanted to become a nurse, but in college I realized that educating people about health is what I really wanted. I wanted to inspire people to do things better for themselves,” she says.&nbsp;</p><p>In her work for the county, one of her more memorable health education events involved ACE training for Hmong community members. ACE stands for adverse childhood experiences. The accumulation of ACEs, or traumatic experiences in childhood such as divorce, sexual abuse, or neglect, can take a toll on the body later in life. Lee recalls explaining ACEs to the group and seeing participants slowly open up to share their own. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“When they talked about it, the tears were still there, and you can feel the sorrow and the hurt. But it helped them to get it out,” she says. “The tears and laughter and conversation helped them understand.”&nbsp;</p><p>Another success was the creation of a grant-funded program to teach line dancing to Hmong community members at the Hmong Culture and Community Agency. During a 20-minute break, Lee would provide a short talk on a health topic. Although it was a fun and social program, it met some initial resistance as the idea of married Hmong woman dancing and performing was not a Hmong cultural norm. Even so, the program was popular attracting 60 women to the first lesson and lasting for over three years. The initial resistance faded as the community saw the benefits.&nbsp;</p><p>“It was all about building self-confidence, self-esteem and encouraging these women to value themselves and take care of themselves,” says Lee.&nbsp;</p><p>The group blossomed into friendships that continue today. In other words, the program became Lee’s perfect example of good public health. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h3>About the Wisconsin Well Woman program &nbsp;</h3><p>Lee is the coordinator for the Wisconsin Well Woman program, a state-funded program that offers healthcare to low-income women within federal guidelines to provide important checkups such as a mammogram and pap test for women age 40 or older. Those enrolled can get assistance paying for things like breast cancer or cervical cancer treatment. “The mission of the program is to encourage women to get screened,” explains Lee. Lee specifically coordinates the program in five counties: La Crosse, Monroe, Buffalo, Vernon and Crawford. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h3>What is the YWCA Tribute Award? &nbsp;</h3><p>The Eliminating Racism Award is given annually to a woman in the Coulee Region who has &nbsp;demonstrated a commitment to eliminating racism by working to dismantle policies, laws, practices, and/or attitudes that harm people and communities of color, and works towards racial reconciliation, healing, and equity in the community.&nbsp;</p><p>Lee was nominated for this award for her participation in the Wisconsin Well Woman program, which offers healthcare to women who would not otherwise have access to important checkups and her tireless efforts to support the Hmong Community, especially through her work with the Vang Council of La Crosse. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee took special interest in helping to create tailored communication strategies to reach out to Hmong community members, protecting and advancing the health of countless community members at a time when it was most critical.&nbsp;</p>
</div></div>
<span class="section photo">
<span class="photo-ratio display-block">
<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/maichorlee1.jpg/Medium" alt="As a health educator with La Crosse County, Maichor Lee, ‘02, runs three programs: The Wisconsin Well Woman program; a county employee wellness program, and a behavior health program that includes ACE training. " />
</span>
</span>
<span class="section details">
<span class="title">A healthy, whole community</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">11:23 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Friday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Oct.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>27</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2023</span></span>
<span class="subhead">
<span>
Alumna Maichor Lee incorporates non-traditional approaches to build community health
</span>
</span>
<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about A healthy, whole community</span></span>
</span>https://www.uwlax.edu/news/posts/free-public-health-insight-sessions/Free public health insight sessions2022-09-08T10:51:24.727Z2022-09-08T09:00:00ZKjerstin Langhttps://uwlax.edu/profile/klang/klang@uwlax.edu
<div class="post-content lists">
<p class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">9 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Sept.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>8</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></p>
<div class="list-item-0">
<figure class="feature-photo">
<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/campusnews-headshot-fll22.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>From left, Silje Steinsbekk, professor in the Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and Jennifer St. Sauver, professor of epidemiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.</figcaption>
</figure>
<h3 class="tagline">Gain research-backed insights on childhood health and living with Covid-19 Sept. 22-23 at UWL </h3>
<p>Learning to live with Covid-19 and setting the stage for good health during childhood are two topics of pressing public health concern. &nbsp;</p><p>Experts will share research-based insights in these areas during free, in-person presentations on Thursday, Sept. 22 and Friday, Sept. 23, at UW-La Crosse’s Centennial Hall. The event will also be live-streamed with links available on the <a data-mce-href="/gel/public-health-insights/" href="/gel/public-health-insights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UWL Graduate &amp; Extended Learning website</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>This free public event is made possible with grant support from the <a data-mce-href="https://thompsoncenter.wisc.edu/" href="https://thompsoncenter.wisc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership</a>. The Thompson Center is focused on ensuring that all Wisconsinites have access to high-quality medical care, and ensuring the efficient functioning of healthcare systems. &nbsp;</p><h3>Presentations details&nbsp;</h3><h4><strong>Learning to Live with COVID: The Role of Epidemiology and the Importance of Primary Prevention </strong>&nbsp;</h4><ul><li><strong>Speaker:</strong> Jennifer St. Sauver, M.P.H., Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN&nbsp;<strong><br data-mce-bogus="1"></strong></li><li><strong>When:</strong> Sept. 22, 2022 | 5:15 p.m., Central Time&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Where: </strong>1309 Centennial Hall&nbsp;<br></li><li><strong>Description:</strong> The COVID-19 pandemic has varied substantially depending on where you live and on one’s personal characteristics and behaviors. The history of the pandemic in our region (southern MN and southwestern WI) will be reviewed, highlighting work by the Mayo Clinic study team that used the Rochester Epidemiology Project to characterize changes in the pandemic over time, and to identify risk factors for severe infections. The importance of three components of primary prevention will be discussed as we move into the next phases of the pandemic: vaccination and vaccine hesitancy, masking and social distancing, and healthy behaviors, particularly maintaining a balanced diet, physical activity, and moderate alcohol use.&nbsp;</li></ul><p><br></p><h4>Setting the Stage for Good Health: The Impact of Sleep, Activity, and Eating Behaviors in Childhood&nbsp;</h4><ul><li><strong>Speaker:</strong> Silje Steinsbekk, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway&nbsp;<strong><br data-mce-bogus="1"></strong></li><li><strong>When: </strong>Sept. 23, 2022 | 8:50 a.m., Central Time&nbsp;</li><li><strong>Where: </strong>1300 Centennial Hall&nbsp;<br></li><li><strong>Description:</strong> How can we promote good health and well-being in children and adolescents? Identifying these factors is the main aim of the Trondheim Early Secure Study, a longitudinal cohort study conducted in Norway. Capturing mental health, psychosocial development, and health behavior, we have biennially and thoroughly assessed nearly a thousand participants and their parents and teachers since the children were 4 years of age. The 8th wave of data collection is ongoing (age 18). In the presentation, an overview of findings related to eating behavior, physical activity and sleep will be presented. Factors predicting such health behavior will be discussed, as will relevant outcomes of these behaviors.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul><p>Full details and live stream information on the <a data-mce-href="/gel/public-health-insights/" href="/gel/public-health-insights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UWL Graduate &amp; Extended Learning &nbsp;website</a>.&nbsp;</p>
</div><div class="list-item-1">
<figure class="">
<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/black-main-logo-no-background.jpg/Large" alt="" />
<figcaption>Logo for the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership, University of Wisconsin-Madison</figcaption>
</figure>
<h3>Who should attend?</h3><p>Academic staff members • Behavioral health professionals • Community members • Community organization leaders &amp; staff • Educators • Health care providers • Health education specialists • Public health professionals • Health promotion professionals • Medical professionals • Students • Family caregivers.&nbsp;</p>
</div></div>
<span class="section photo">
<span class="photo-ratio display-block">
<img loading="lazy" src="/contentassets/d2492d337f8a4841b98d59100cb0f8ab/campusnews-headshot-fll22.jpg/Medium" alt="From left, Silje Steinsbekk, professor in the Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and Jennifer St. Sauver, professor of epidemiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science." />
</span>
</span>
<span class="section details">
<span class="title">Free public health insight sessions</span>
<span class="date"><span class="label">Posted </span><span data-part="time">9 a.m.</span><span data-part="weekday"><span> </span>Thursday</span><span data-part="month"><span>, </span>Sept.</span><span data-part="day"><span> </span>8</span><span data-part="year"><span>, </span>2022</span></span>
<span class="subhead">
<span>
Gain research-backed insights on childhood health and living with Covid-19 Sept. 22-23 at UWL 
</span>
</span>
<span class="read">Read<span class="sr-only"> more about Free public health insight sessions</span></span>
</span>