For nearly 20 years,
Jodie Curtis (photo, top) and her team have been the Society’s voice in Washington, DC, collaborating with ASTMH to plan strategies to advance U.S. government public policy priorities for the Society. Together with
Samantha Gottstein (bottom row, left) and
Laura Hannen (bottom row, right), Ms. Curtis closely follows government actions, meets with officials to share ASTMH’s priorities, participates in Washington, DC-based coalitions with advocacy partners, submits testimony and weighs in with lawmakers.
They provide regular updates on Washington, DC, to the Society’s leadership during Board meetings and to members every month in the ASTMH newsletter feature DC Update.
“We focus on U.S. government actions – congressional or agency – that will impact global health research and development enterprise, global health programs, and ASTMH members,” Ms. Curtis said.
She also co-chairs the Malaria Roundtable and the Neglected Tropical Disease Roundtable, two separate U.S. advocacy coalitions for groups dedicated to fighting malaria and neglected tropical diseases. She has worked with the Society’s CEOs, Presidents, Boards and members to bring ASTMH’s voice to policy debates in the U.S. Congress and with U.S. government agencies.
Responsibilities to ASTMH
The team supports ASTMH advocacy activities; promotes global health research and development and global health programs to policymakers; represents ASTMH in front of Members of Congress, congressional committees and U.S. government agencies; and monitors and reports U.S. government happenings, legislation rules and regulations, etc., that impact global health research and development and global health programs.
Their daily routine includes:
- Reviewing and monitoring daily news, congressional and agency actions, and other materials for information related to policy that impacts ASTMH policy issues.
- Reporting news, actions and other materials to ASTMH based on those reviews.
- Reviewing legislation, sign-on letters, etc.
- Attending meetings with congressional offices or agency personnel
- Attending coalition meetings
Notable Efforts
Over the years, Ms. Curtis has been the lead on ASTMH efforts to:
- Highlight the importance of global health research and development and global health programs and advocate for funding for these programs.
- Educate policymakers about the importance of science and global health research and the return on investment of that research.
- Restore funding for the Vector Borne Disease Program at CDC and for the Fogarty International Center at NIH.
- Inform policymakers about the importance of the Department of Defense’s research program for malaria and infectious disease.
- Co-chair the Malaria Roundtable, a U.S. advocacy coalition for groups dedicated to fighting malaria.
- Co-Chair the Neglected Tropical Disease Roundtable, a U.S. advocacy coalition for groups dedicated to fighting malaria and neglected tropical diseases.