Speakers

Marc Etkind
NASA
With more than two decades of experience in development, production, content strategy, and management for science-based programming organizations, Marc Etkind directs internal and external communications for NASA and serves as a senior advisor to agency leaders.
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He is responsible for managing an agency-wide staff of more than 200 that implements all aspects of NASA's external and internal communications. Before joining NASA in January of 2021, Etkind served as general manager for the Science Channel, part of Discovery Inc., from 2015-2020. In that capacity, he was responsible for all aspects of development, production, brand strategy, and day-to-day operations for the network.
While at the Science Channel, he brought the robot competition “BattleBots” back to the network, launched STEM-focused “MythBusters Jr,” initiated live coverage of the Great American Eclipse and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 Mission to the International Space Station, and commissioned award-winning specials, including “Cassini’s Grand Finale” and “History of Pluto.”
Prior to his tenure at the Science Channel, Etkind held executive management positions at Discovery Inc., Destination America and History Channel, as well as serving as founder and CEO of Pinball Productions. Etkind’s production credits include “NOVA,” “Scientific American Frontiers with Alan Alda,” “Discover Magazine,” “This Week in History,” “How It’s Made,” and “How the Universe Works.”
Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Lauren Swan-Potras
Lauren Swan-Potras is the Managing Editor of the Journal of Health Communication and holds a Master’s of Science in Health Communication for Social Change from the City University of New York, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH).
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Lauren is interested in the intersection of storytelling and public health communication. As Managing Editor of the JHC, Lauren oversees and manages nearly 1,000 submissions to the Journal, ushering papers through the peer review process, coordinates and communicates with the Editorial Board and team of esteemed Senior Editors, and supports the Journal’s digital presence, managing its social media and online sites. As health communication is a rapidly changing field, with the rising popularity of social media, mis-and dis-information and increasingly politicized environments, Lauren and the JHC believe that health communication must similarly grow, ensuring that reliable, accessible and accurate research emerges and is shared both within and outside of the health communication field.

Linda Squiers, PhD
RTI International
Linda Squiers is a Senior Health Communication Scientist within RTI’s Communication Practice Area with over 30 years of experience in health communication and research experience. Her work has focused on developing and testing health communication messages and interventions.

Molly Lynch, MPH
RTI International
Molly Lynch leads the Audience Engagement Research Program within RTI’s Communication Practice Area and has over 15 years of experience developing, implementing, and evaluating public health programs.

Sidney Holt, PhD
RTI International
Sidney Holt is a Health Communication Scientist within RTI’s Communication Practice Area with over 10 years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating health communication campaigns. Her work is aimed at promoting health and well-being and reducing health inequities.

Kathleen Walker
CommunicateHealth
Kathleen Walker is a Senior Content Strategist at CommunicateHealth. Kathleen creates plain language health content and specializes at translating complex health information into simple and engaging content. Kathleen is passionate about creating more accessible online experiences and promoting health literacy.

Nedra Kline Weinreich
Weinreich Communications
As the president and founder of Weinreich Communications, Nedra has more than 25 years of experience in helping NGOs, public agencies and other socially minded organizations create positive change on health and social issues.
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She helps organizations make a difference for the people they serve through state-of-the-art social marketing techniques, digital media approaches and the power of stories. Her clients have included the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNHCR, the World Food Program, Microsoft, and many others. She is the author of the widely used book Hands-On Social Marketing: A Step-by-Step Guide to Designing Change for Good. Nedra has taught courses on social marketing at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health and Georgetown University, and she has trained thousands of professionals through her Social Marketing University training series and other workshops. She is on the Editorial Board for Social Marketing Quarterly and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Social Marketing Association. She is also the founder of the Transmedia for Good Network. Nedra earned her Master’s degree in Health and Social Behavior from the Harvard School of Public Health and her Bachelor’s degree in Conservation and Resource Studies from the University of California at Berkeley.